In the wake of his death, Jerry Lewis continues to inspire the Millennials for his humanitarian work.
An American actor, comedian, singer, film producer, film director, screenwriter, humanitarian Jerry Lewis. took his last breath on August 20, 2017, at his home in Nevada. Yet, he remains to be a source of inspiration to Millennials all over the world. Born in Newark to Daniel Levitch (entertainer and master of ceremonies) and Rachel Levitch (piano player), Lewis spent his childhood performing alongside his parents. The comedian inside him bloomed throughout his teenage years as he was often identified as a prankster, often stealing fried chicken and peas from the kitchens.
In 1948 after his debut with Dean Martin, Joseph Lewis (birth name) became Jerry Lewis. These comedians’ acts were based on their interaction rather than planned skits. This pair quickly gained national attention and became stars of their own program – The Martin and Lewis Show on NBC Red Network. Why the partnership ended after years of success, no one knows. After their breakup, with the support of his loving wife, Lewis stepped back onto the stage after 25 years to fulfill an urgent request from his friend Sid Luft who was unable to perform due to a strep throat. Singing renditions of “Come Rain Come Shine” and “Rock-A-Bye Baby”, Lewis rose to stardom with Capitol Records insisting he does albums. His album, Jerry Lewis Just Sings, hit number 3 on billboard charts while selling half a million copies. He then proceeded to appear on a solo act on television, starting his television career with “What’s My Line?” He continued to star in movies and television shows and directed Hardly Working in 1981.
Jerry Lewis Humanitarian
Throughout Lewis’ climbing career, he has remained a humanitarian who supposed fundraising for muscular dystrophy. He remained the chairman and spokesman for the Muscular Dystrophy Association until 2011. Lewis hosted telethons to benefit the company raising 2.6 billion dollars for this cause. His compassion and generosity towards the cause of muscular dystrophy while hustling towards progress within his career serves as an inspiration to our generation.
I’ve found myself surrounded by millennials of all kinds, some who go out of their way to ensure that they help those around them and some who make excuses for being “too busy” with just a full-time course load. “Jerry’s story is an inspiration that reminds us to focus on never giving up on helping others around us, despite being on top,” says Saloni Pandya, a second-year Western University student. Jerry’s life reminds me to strive towards making time for charity. Millennials are often looked upon as the symbol of fresh new ideas. Then, imagine the world if each millennial were to be inspired by this story and make time for charity.