Jerry Lewis

Made his showbiz debut at age 5 with his vaudevillian parents in New York's Catskill Mountains, singing "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" Partnership with Dean Martin lasted from 1946 to '56; they starred together in 16 movies and numerous TV shows. Taught a class in filmmaking at USC; students included Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Began hosting an annual Labor Day telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association in 1966. Invented the video assist, a video camera linked to a motion-picture… Show more lens, which allows directors to immediately view a take. Received the Emmy Governors Award in 2005, and France's Legion of Honor award in 1984. ~ Rovi

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