Book Review — Dean & Me (A Love Story)
Jerry Lewis writes and remises his time with Dean Martin, arguably one of the best comedy teams of all time from 24th July 1946 until 24th July 1956. Yes, to the day! It is a positive, as he reflects, focusing on the happy times he had with Dean. How, being eight or so years older, Jerry looked up to Dean as a big brother. It was a tribute to his partner. The unlikeliest of pairs, Dean being a handsome crooner and Jerry the skinny monkey. Dean, an Italian and a Catholic from Steubenville, Ohio, and Jerry a Jew from Newark, New Jersey. Like many things, it started from chance and their onstage chemistry, with their unscripted comedy routine would rise them to fame, and long before Elvis, long before the Beatles, the hysteria was no different. With radio shows, television, sixteen movies, sold out venues, during the first half of the 1950’s, they were America’s biggest act. He remembers their sold-out venues in from New York to Chicago; from Las Vegas to Los Angles, all run during that time by mobsters and the world of crime.
As Jerry was writing this memoir in 2005, I could still feel his love for Dean who died on Christmas Day 1995. Their break-up was bitter. I feel it may have hurt Jerry more, as Dean felt he was playing second fiddle, with reviewers praising Jerry while he was ignored. Jerry always tried to correct this. Yet during their last years, I think they just had enough of one another. Both would continue to have successful careers in their own right. Dean Martin especially was able to show what a talented and diverse actor he was. The sad thing is after separating, both Dean and Jerry wouldn’t talk again for 20 years. After that, the two would remain in intermittent contact calling one another on the phone.
It is sad when two people who were so close would not like one another. This read like a tribute both to himself and his former stage partner. This book also captured the excitement of the era they were in during a time when the entertainment was different to what it is now. In some ways, I felt Jerry could have written another hundred pages and t still wouldn’t have been enough. Most of all, it was about a friendship that Jerry Lewis chose to write on the happy times they were together. I do have one criticism with Jerry’s memoir. I am sure he writes as he speaks, which is appealing and made it all the more readable, but he does blaspheme and takes Jesus Christ name frequently throughout. That was disappointing. Yet, despite this, was a nice book to read.
Author: Jerry Lewis and James Kaplan
Minimum Age: 12+
Type of Book: Autobiography, Biography, Entertainment
Book Length: 340
Published: 2005
Note: This book review is from Carl Strehlow, a valued member of Coffin Nation. ________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tweet to Patrick HERE
Follow Patrick on Facebook HERE
Subscribe to the Podcast and the YouTube Channel
(Click on the images and then click on subscribe)
Apple/Mac Users:
Android Users:
Subscribe to the YouTube Channel:
While you are there, please leave an honest review.
Comments