''Martin and Lewis'' is a 2002 American

made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made fo ...

biographical film written and directed by John Gray, exploring the lives of the comedy team of

Martin and Lewis Martin and Lewis were an American comedy duo, comprising singer Dean Martin and comedian Jerry Lewis. They met in 1945 and debuted at Atlantic City's 500 Club on July 25, 1946; the team lasted ten years to the day. Before they teamed up, Martin ...

. The film stars

Jeremy Northam Jeremy Philip Northam (born 1 December 1961) is an English actor and singer. After a number of television roles, he earned attention as Mr. Knightley in the 1996 film adaptation of Jane Austen's '' Emma''. He has appeared in the films ''An Idea ...

as Dean Martin and

Sean Hayes Sean Patrick Hayes (born June 26, 1970) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. He is best known for playing Jack McFarland on the NBC sitcom ''Will & Grace'', for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award, four SAG Awards, and one American Com ...

as Jerry Lewis.

Plot

When lounge singer Dean Martin ( Northam) and burlesque comic Jerry Lewis ( Hayes) clicked during an impromptu pairing in 1946, neither anticipated their unparalleled success as a team. Lewis was going nowhere fast with an act built around miming to records, while Martin was making a subpar living as a crooner, sleeping on his agent's couch. Lewis had beseeched his agent to reteam him with the reluctant Martin; Lewis instigated their act and adopted the jaded pro as his unofficial big brother. Ever aloof, Martin is content to cash in on the bonanza and continue his sideline in womanizing. But as Lewis assumes more control, Martin’s mistress, Jeanne ( Levering), nags him to take more credit. From bistros to

radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmi ...

to television, the seductive singer and the wacky stooge click with audiences. As the act takes Hollywood by storm in 1949, Lewis becomes paranoid about Martin’s popularity; psychosomatic stomach pains become his way of grabbing attention. Handsome and effortlessly charming, Martin successfully launches a solo acting career, in part to escape Lewis’s directorial aspirations and oppressive neediness. When Martin is called on the carpet by his wife, Betty ( Cale), he walks out on his family; his frustration and resentment at being part of a two-headed showbiz monster only increases. Engineered by managers and agents, the last lap of the Martin-Lewis partnership is a cheerless financial arrangement, and though each triumphs after the official split in 1956, neither ever recaptures the elation of their early chemistry.

Cast

as Jerry Lewis *

as Dean Martin *

Paula Cale Paula Cale (born June 2, 1970) is an American actress best known for her role as Joanie Hansen on the television series ''Providence''. Early life Cale was born Paula Korologos in Great Falls, Virginia. Her father, Tom C. Korologos, worked as a ...

as Betty Martin *

Sarah Manninen Sarah Manninen (born November 6, 1976) is a Canadian film, television and stage actress, better known for her appearances on film '' The Prince and Me'' and series ''The Line''. Career A Finnish Canadian, Manninen graduated from Resurrection Ca ...

as Patti Lewis * Kate Levering as Jeanne Martin *

Scott McCord William Scott McCord is a Canadian actor. He is known for his versatility and character work in film, television, animation and on stage. He is a Lifetime Member of ''The Actors Studio''. On television he has appeared in series regular, recurri ...

as Abby Greshler Also featured in

supporting roles ''Supporting Roles'' ( es, Papeles secundarios) is a 1989 Cuban drama film directed by Orlando Rojas. The film was selected as the Cuban entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 62nd Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.Ma ...

are Steve Brinder as Danny Lewis,

Conrad Dunn Conrad Dunn is an American actor. He began his screen career with the role of Francis "Psycho" Soyer in '' Stripes'' (1981). Working for some ten years under the name George Jenesky, he achieved soap-opera stardom in ''Days of Our Lives'' as Nick C ...

as Lou Perry,

Bill Lake Bill Lake ( W.F. Lake) is a Canadian actor whose career began in Vancouver and who has appeared in many movies, television movies and series, stage plays and commercials. He has over 175 credits in a variety of productions since the 1970s. Caree ...

Hal Wallis Harold Brent Wallis (born Aaron Blum Wolowicz; October 19, 1898 – October 5, 1986) was an American film producer. He is best known for producing ''Casablanca'' (1942), ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1938), and '' True Grit'' (1969), along wi ...

, David Eisner as

Lew Wasserman Lewis Robert Wasserman (March 22, 1913 – June 3, 2002) was an American talent agent and studio executive, described as "the last of the legendary movie moguls" and "arguably the most powerful and influential Hollywood titan in the four decades ...

, Robert Morelli as Skinny D'Amato and Markus Parilo as Irwin Woolfe.

Sean Cullen Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Irish English, is a male given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name ''Yohanan'' (), Seán (anglicized as '' Shaun/Shawn/ Shon'') and Séan (Ulster variant; anglic ...

makes an appearance in the film as comedian

Jackie Gleason John Herbert Gleason (February 26, 1916June 24, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, writer, composer, and conductor known affectionately as "The Great One." Developing a style and characters from growing up in Brooklyn, New York, he was know ...

, who appears as an audience member at the duo's final performance at the Copacabana nightclub.

Production

Writing

In real life, Dean Martin was married to Jeanne Biegger in 1949, many years before the breakup of his professional partnership with Jerry Lewis. The film is based on the book, ''Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime (Especially Himself): The Story of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis'' by

Arthur Marx Arthur Julius Marx (July 21, 1921April 14, 2011) was an American writer, the son of entertainer Groucho Marx and his first wife, Ruth Johnson. Marx spent his early years accompanying his father around vaudeville circuits in the United States a ...

Reception

Awards

Art Directors Guild The Art Directors Guild (ADG; IATSE Local 800) is a labor union and local of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees (IATSE) representing 2,979 motion picture and television professionals in the United States and Canada. T ...

Excellence in Production Design Award – Television Movie or Mini-Series (nominated) *

Broadcast Film Critics Association Award The Critics' Choice Movie Awards (formerly known as the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award) is an awards show presented annually by the American-Canadian Critics Choice Association (CCA) to honor the finest in cinematic achievement. Writ ...

for Best Picture Made for Television (nominated) * C.A.S. Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing for Television – MOW's and Mini-Series (nominated) * Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing in Television Long Form – Music (nominated) * Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special (Dramatic Underscore) (nominated) * Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries -

(nominated)

External links

* *
Official site
at CBS (via internet archive)
CBS press release
for encore broadcast July 24, 2005 (The Futon Critic) * Gallo, Phil

''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'', November 19, 2002 * Eslinger, Amy
Interview with John Gray
OnSat Magazine, October 9, 2002 *Adalian, Jose

''Variety'', June 5, 2002 {{Martin and Lewis 2002 television films 2002 films 2000s biographical films American biographical films CBS network films Jerry Lewis Films directed by John Gray (director) Films set in the 1940s Films set in the 1950s Films shot in Toronto Biographical films about musicians 2000s American films