Researching Jerry Lewis

Over an eight-decade career, his contributions to film and charity, along with his publicized personal life made him a global figure in pop culture. Lewis made his professional debut in 1946 as one half of the famous Martin and Lewis with singer Dean Martin and the two would perform together until breaking up in 1956.

His solo career began that same year after the split. By becoming a solo star, director, producer and screenwriter, he helped to develop and popularize "video assist", the closed-circuit apparatus enabling film directors to see what had been shot without waiting for developed film footage.

Lewis directed 13 films out of the 60 he appeared in. He was also national chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and host of The Jerry Lewis Telethon each Labor Day weekend for many years.

His popularity quickly eroded following the scandal and with few exceptions such as a cover of Ray Charles's "What'd I Say", he did not have much chart success in the early 1960s. His live performances at this time were increasingly wild and energetic. His 1964 live album Live at the Star Club, Hamburg is regarded by music journalists and fans as one of the wildest and greatest live rock albums ever. In 1968, Lewis made a transition into country music and had hits with songs such as "Another Place, Another Time". This reignited his career, and throughout the late 1960s and 1970s he regularly topped the country-western charts; throughout his seven-decade career, Lewis has had 30 songs reach the Top 10 on the Billboard Country and Western Chart. His No. 1 country hits included "To Make Love Sweeter for You", "There Must Be More to Love Than This", "Would You Take Another Chance on Me" and "Me and Bobby McGee".

Lewis's successes continued throughout the decades and he embraced his rock and roll past with songs such as a cover of The Big Bopper's "Chantilly Lace" and Mack Vickery's "Rockin' My Life Away". In the 21st century, Lewis continues to tour around the world and still releases new albums. His 2006 album Last Man Standing is his best-selling release to date, with over a million copies sold worldwide. This was followed by Mean Old Man in 2010, which has received some of the best sales of Lewis's career.

Lewis has a dozen gold records in both rock and country. He has won four Grammy awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and two Grammy Hall of Fame Awards. Lewis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, and his pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. He was also a member of the inaugural class inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame. In 1989, his life was chronicled in the movie Great Balls of Fire, starring Dennis Quaid. In 2003, Rolling Stone listed his box set All Killer, No Filler: The Anthology number 242 on their list of "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". In 2004, they ranked him No. 24 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Lewis is the last surviving member of Sun Records' Million Dollar Quartet and the album Class of '55, which also included Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Elvis Presley.

Music critic Robert Christgau has said of Lewis: "His drive, his timing, his offhand vocal power, his unmistakable boogie-plus piano, and his absolute confidence in the face of the void make Jerry Lee the quintessential rock and roller."

Lewis holds a master's degree from Brigham Young University.

Lewis is a Latter-day Saint who served as a missionary in Hong Kong. Lewis has also served as a bishop and stake president in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At the time of his election to the state senate he was serving as vice president of the Grand Canyon Council of the Boy Scouts of America.