Let me give you boys the facts of life. This is not a child's game. This is not "I'm taking my ball and going home now". You're not Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis individuals. You are Martin and Lewis. You are a corporation. You are a twenty million dollar a year money making machine! And that machinery can not stop because of some silly dispute or hurt feelings, or simply because you don't like each other anymore! If I stopped working with people I didn't like, I'd be out of business within a week! Now, you have commitments all over town! You're contract with Hal Wallis runs through 1960! You have a deal with NBC for another three years! A deal with Colgate another year! Indeed, gentlemen, you have a contract with us here, with your family at MCA. Promises have been made, and they must be kept. [pause] Either patch up your differences, or hate each other and learn to deal with it. I don't really care. But the Martin and Lewis business goes on!
Most scenes together: Dean Martin & Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis (19), Jerry Lewis & Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis (18), Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis (17)
Martin and Lewis quotes
Page 3 of 3Not so good, Mr. Perry. I'm here at Atlantic City playing the 500 Club.
Oh, good for you.
Bad for me. Bad, very bad. Uh, I think they might hurt me.
C'mon, Jerry. Skinny D'Amato wouldn't hurt a fly.
What about Irwin Woolfe?
Yes, he would probably hurt you.
Please, Mr. Perry. Remember that night at the Havana-Madrid when I was messin' around with Dean?
Yeah sure, that was riot.
Thank you. I think Dean should come down and play the club, you know. He could sing and then I could do the routine, and then we could make somethin' out of it. You know, a handsome man and a monkey, it's very funny.
You uh... you wanna team up with Dean?
Just this once for this week. I gotta come up with somethin' or their gonna fire me and then maybe kill me. I ain't crazy about dying, but I definitely can't get fired.
Well you - you've got your own manager, right? Greshler? Why isn't he making this call?
Because he can't beg as good as I can. Please, Mr. Perry. I love Dean. I know he likes me too. I need this. I really need this.
You're getting hot, pal. I got a good feeling. Maybe now you can actually afford those clothes you buy? Get your own place? Not that I don't love having you stay at my place. Stay as long as you like.
You've been good to me, Lou. And a real good friend. I won't forget that.
Don't go soft on me, pallie.
Okay, pallie.
Folks, folks. We can't let this happen! We can't let these guys split up! Am I right, everyone?! Huh? Am I right?!
Okay were up next, and remember, let me do the talking. And what? You couldn't dress down a little?
Jerry Lewis went on to become an enormously successful writer, director, producer and star of his own movies, all of which were box office hits. Every year he hosts the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon, for which he has raised over a billion dollars.
Dean Martin became a major movie star, and enjoyed a hugely successful recording career. In 1964, his recording of "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime" knocked The Beatles out of first place. He had a hit variety show on television which lasted nine years.
Dean and Jerry did not see each other again for twenty years, when they were briefly reunited on the 1976 telethon. They rarely saw or spoke to each other after that.
Dean Martin died on Christmas Day, 1995.
I'm an agent, Jerry. I'm not the amazing Randi.
I can kill. I know I can. I don't want anymore strip clubs, it's very hard to follow nipple tassels.
Well, you gotta start somewhere.. look, at least no one threw up on you.
See to me, that doesn't make it a successful gig.
Yeah, well its hard to sell a record act, Jerry. You're gonna have to actually start talking on stage. Can you MC? I mean, can you talk normal long enough to introduce other acts?
I can talk good anywhere... Except in front of people.
You're a very funny kid, Jerry. You got a lot of potential. Wanna be an MC along with your act. I think I can book you at the Havana-Madrid, very respectable place.
People throw up there?
Only in the bathroom.
That is respectable.
Hal Wallis Well, we're all friends here, so lets speak frankly. Jerry, your not an actor.
I can do better.
I worked with him as much as I could, Hal. We shot nine tests. He just doesn't have it.
Hal Wallis Jerry, don't take this personally.
How?
Jerry, this shows been on the radio for years. It has millions of fans. If someone who's not right plays Al, the audience will kill us.
What about Dean?
Hal Wallis Dean's great. He's very natural, he'll be perfect as Steve.
Here's what Hal is thinking. We're gonna write a part just for you. We'll call him Seymour, a really wacky sidekick to Dean. You can just be yourself and have fun. It'll be perfect.
You listen to me, Mr. Wallis. Jerry Lewis plays Al like it says in my contract.
Hal Wallis You listen to me, Jerry Lewis. I don't give a damn what it says in your contract. You're not right for Al, you're not playing Al. That's it, that's all.
Hal Wallis You don't wanna play Seymour, Jerry. I'll tell you what, you sit this picture out. We'll go for Dean to play Steve, we'll get a real actor to play Al, and you? Well, you can go back to New York.
You can't do that! Dean and I are partners, we're a team. I don't like you, Hal Wallis.
Hal Wallis Ahh, now you went and hurt my feelings. Abby, calm your client down.
Jerry, Dean is not exclusive to you. There's nothing stopping Hal from offering him a picture outside the seven pictures as a team.
Hal Wallis Listen, I got a dozen other cry babies in this lot I gotta take care of, so what's it gonna be?
Hal Wallis Hey, kid. The money always wins.