Jerry Lewis

Joseph Levitch (born March 16, 1926), better known as Jerry Lewis, is a Jewish American comedian, actor, producer, and director, known for his slapstick humor and his charity fund-raising telethons for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Trivia

• Lewis has suffered years of back pain due to a failed slapstick stunt that almost left him paralyzed. The continuing pain from the accident nearly drove him to commit suicide. An electronic device developed by Medtronic recently implanted in his back has helped reduce the discomfort. He is now one of Medtronic's leading spokesmen.
• Lewis tried his hand at singing in the 1950s, having a chart hit with the song Rock-A-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody, a song originated by Al Jolson and popularized by Judy Garland.
• The Simpsons' voice actor Hank Azaria based the voice of Professor Frink on Lewis. Lewis was eventually invited to guest as the character's father.
• Lewis' grand nephew, Nicholas McCarthy is guitarist with Scottish pop group Franz Ferdinand
• In 1983, he was nominated for the Golden Raspberry for Worst Actor for his role in Slapstick of Another Kind.