Will the real Jerry Lewis please sit down?

 

 I created both of these 8-1/2" x 11" colored pencil drawings based on the Filmation design of my favorite comedian Jerry Lewis, who passed away today at the age of 91.  I was fortunate to meet him back in 1982 on a book signing tour and he signed some cool things for me!   After becoming the Rankin/Bass historian/biographer, I learned that Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass tried to launch several projects with Jerry over the years and visited the set of THE BIG MOUTH with Maury Laws.   In my second book, The making of the Rankin/Bass Holiday classic:  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, I included a full proof sheet of Jerry Lewis as an Animagic figure.  They were going to do a show called HEY, BELLHOP.   They were also going to do an episode of THE ENCHANTED WORLD OF DANNY KAYE of Punch and Judy, with Carol Burnett and Jerry Lewis.   None of these projects ever got past the puppet making stages.   After my Rudolph book came out in 2001, I heard from Jerry via email.   He wanted to resurrect these projects and I put him in touch with Arthur Rankin, Jr..   Arthur told me he talked with Jerry, but didn't have what he wanted anymore.  Eventually, Jerry went with Filmation and the series, Will the real Jerry Lewis Please sit down.   Photos of Punch and Judy can be seen in all of my books as well.