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Joe E. Lewis (born Joseph Klewan; January 12, 1902 – June 4, 1971) was an American comedian, actor and singer.Obituary '' Variety'', June 9, 1971, page 54.


Early life

Lewis was born was born into a family of Russian immigrants on January 12, 1902 in New York City, New York. He added the E. to distinguish himself from the boxer. Dropping out of De Witt Clinton High School after two years, the 15‐year‐old Lewis enlisted in the Marine Corps, but was found out and released. He got into third‐rate burlesque and vaudeville in 1923. However, he made his breakthrough as a nightclub star in Chicago in the days of what he liked to call “the Great Drought,” Prohibition. As portrayed in his 1957 biographic film,
The Joker is Wild ''The Joker Is Wild'' is a 1957 American musical drama film directed by Charles Vidor, starring Frank Sinatra, Mitzi Gaynor, Jeanne Crain, and Eddie Albert, and released by Paramount Pictures. The film is about Joe E. Lewis, the popular singer a ...
, Mr. Lewis started out as a popular crooner in a gang-owned speakeasy during the prohibition years of the 1920s.


Biography

In Chicago in 1927, Lewis refused the request of Jack "Machine Gun" McGurn (an
Al Capone Alphonse Gabriel Capone (; January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947), sometimes known by the nickname "Scarface", was an American gangster and businessman who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era as the co-founder and boss of the ...
lieutenant) to renew a contract that would have bound him to sing and perform at the
Green Mill Cocktail Lounge The Green Mill Cocktail Lounge (or Green Mill Jazz Club) is an entertainment venue on Broadway in Uptown, Chicago. It is known for its jazz and poetry performances, along with its connections to Chicago mob history. History Originally named Pop ...
, which was partly owned by Capone. After refusing, because he had been offered more money by a rival gang to appear at their own club, "The New Rendezvous", he was assaulted in his 10th floor Commonwealth Hotel room, on November 8, 1927, by three enforcers sent by McGurn. The enforcers, who included Sam Giancana and Leonard "Needles" Gianola, mutilated Lewis (his throat and tongue were cut) and left him for dead. It took him several years to be able to speak again. Capone, who was fond of Lewis, was displeased with the assault, but would not take action against one of his top lieutenants. He instead provided Lewis with $10,000 (equal to $ today) to recover properly and eventually resume his career. Lewis toured in the USO shows with
Ray Bolger Raymond Wallace Bolger (January 10, 1904 – January 15, 1987) was an American actor, dancer, singer, vaudevillian and stage performer (particularly musical theatre) who started in the silent-film era. Bolger was a major Broadway performer in ...
in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Joe appeared in the movies ''Too Many Husbands'' (the 1931 short comedy), '' Private Number'' (1936), '' The Holy Terror'' (1937), '' Private Buckaroo'' (1942), and (playing himself) '' Lady in Cement'' (1968). He appeared frequently on '' The Ed Sullivan Show'', was the "Mystery Guest" three different times on ''
What's My Line? ''What's My Line?'' is a Panel show, panel game show that originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, originally in black and white and later in color, with subsequent U.S. revivals. The game uses celebr ...
'', and was interviewed on '' Person to Person'' in 1956. In 1946 he married actress Martha Stewart; they divorced in 1948. Random House published Lewis's biography, ''The Joker Is Wild'', written by
Art Cohn Art Cohn (April 5, 1909 – March 22, 1958) was an American sportswriter, screenwriter and author. Cohn and Hollywood producer Mike Todd died in a plane crash in New Mexico in 1958. Career Sportswriter Cohn was born in New York City. Early in h ...
, in 1955. Lewis and Frank Sinatra had a longtime friendship predating Sinatra's portrayal of the comedian in ''
The Joker Is Wild ''The Joker Is Wild'' is a 1957 American musical drama film directed by Charles Vidor, starring Frank Sinatra, Mitzi Gaynor, Jeanne Crain, and Eddie Albert, and released by Paramount Pictures. The film is about Joe E. Lewis, the popular singer a ...
''. In 1961 Sinatra signed Lewis to record for his label,
Reprise Records Reprise Records is an American record label founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operates through Warner Records, one of its flagship labels. Artists currently signed to Reprise Records include Enya, Michael ...
. The result, ''It Is Now Post Time'', is one of the first LPs released by Reprise, and one of the few recorded examples of Lewis at work as a
stand-up comedian Stand-up comedy is a comedic performance to a live audience in which the performer addresses the audience directly from the stage. The performer is known as a comedian, a comic or a stand-up. Stand-up comedy consists of one-liners, stories, ...
. The title references a well-known part of his act, holding up a drink on stage and saying “Post time!”. This is a horse racing term, meaning the race is about to start; its use here implies that the drinker is about to start on a long binge. On his live album '' Sinatra at the Sands'' (1966), Sinatra says that even though he recently celebrated his 50th birthday, he would have the body of a 22-year-old man, "if I hadn't spent all those years drinking with Joe E. Lewis."


Death

Lewis, who had been in a diabetic coma, died of a heart attack in 1971, aged 69, and was buried in
Cedar Park Cemetery, Emerson, New Jersey Cedar Park and Beth El Cemetery is a cemetery located in Emerson and Paramus, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. Noted interments * Martin Balsam (1919–1996) Academy Award winning best supporting actor * Julian Beck (1925–1985), ...
.


Portrayal in film

In the film ''
The Joker Is Wild ''The Joker Is Wild'' is a 1957 American musical drama film directed by Charles Vidor, starring Frank Sinatra, Mitzi Gaynor, Jeanne Crain, and Eddie Albert, and released by Paramount Pictures. The film is about Joe E. Lewis, the popular singer a ...
'' (1957), Lewis was portrayed by Frank Sinatra.


Filmography

* '' The Big Show'' (1926) – Abie * '' Private Number'' (1936) – Smiley Watson * '' The Holy Terror'' (1937) – Pelican Beek * '' Private Buckaroo'' (1942) – Lancelot Pringle McBiff * '' Lady in Cement'' (1968) – Himself (uncredited; final appearance)


References


Further reading

*
Joe E. Lewis quotes
at brainyquote.com
USO Camp Shows
at USO.org via Wayback Machine


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Joe E. 1902 births 1971 deaths American stand-up comedians Jewish American comedians Jewish American male actors Singers from New York City Vaudeville performers 20th-century American singers Burials at Cedar Park Cemetery (Emerson, New Jersey) 20th-century American comedians 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American Jews