BY LEE PFEIFFER
With the death of Jerry Lewis at age 91, Hollywood lost one of the few remaining people who deserved to be called iconic. Lewis rose from a humble upbringing in urban New Jersey to become one of the greatest successes in the history of comedy. His ten year partnership with Dean Martin made them both international idols as well as very rich men. When Martin and Lewis broke up amidst great acrimony, many predicted Lewis would fade and be considered as a flash-in-the-pan. After all, it was Martin who had the looks, the elegance and the velvet singing voice. But Lewis proved he could be a red hot solo act. He honed his craft, took control of his films and learned to become a respected and innovative filmmaker. Lewis raised billions for charity and could be personally charming. But he was also a divisive figure about whom few had ambivalent feelings. He was either loved or loathed, He was known to have mood swings and could be friendly one minute and insulting the next. Until his last days he would make controversial and insulting statements about individuals and institutions. When his big screen went into decline, he concentrated on stage productions and stand-up comedy and never lost his core audience. Despite the controversies he seemed to relish inciting, few would disagree that his impact on the world of cinematic comedy will be tough to top. Click here for more.