Martin and Lewis (film)
Encyclopedia
Martin and Lewis is a 2002 CBS
TV film
written and directed by John Gray
, portraying the lives of the comedy team of Martin and Lewis
.The film featured Jeremy Northam
as Dean Martin
and Sean Hayes
as Jerry Lewis
.
Also featured in supporting roles
were Paula Cale
as Betty Martin, Sarah Manninen as Patti Lewis, Kate Levering
as Jeanne Biegger Martin, Scott McCord
as Abby Greshler, Steve Brinder as Danny Lewis, Conrad Dunn
as Lou Perry, Bill Lake
as Hal Wallis, David Eisner as Lew Wasserman
, Sean Cullen
as Jackie Gleason
, Robert Morelli as Skinny D'Amato and Markus Parilo as Irwin Woolfe.
Sean Hayes was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance as Jerry Lewis.
) 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 decent living as a crooner. 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 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.
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
TV film
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
written and directed by John Gray
John Gray (director)
John Gray is an American writer, director, producer. He is the creator of the CBS television series Ghost Whisperer starring Jennifer Love Hewitt...
, portraying the lives of the comedy team of Martin and Lewis
Martin and Lewis
Martin and Lewis were an American comedy team, comprising singer Dean Martin and comedian Jerry Lewis as the comedic "foil". The pair first met in 1945; their debut as a duo occurred at Atlantic City's 500 Club on July 24/25, 1946....
.The film featured Jeremy Northam
Jeremy Northam
Jeremy Philip Northam is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Ivor Novello in the 2001 film Gosford Park, as Dean Martin in the 2002 television movie Martin and Lewis, and as Thomas More on the Showtime series The Tudors...
as Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
and Sean Hayes
Sean Hayes (actor)
Sean Patrick Hayes is an American actor and comedian. He is widely known for his role as Jack McFarland in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, for which he won an Emmy Award, four SAG Awards, one American Comedy Award, and six Golden Globes nominations.He also portrayed comedian Jerry Lewis in the...
as Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
.
Also featured in supporting roles
Supporting actor
A supporting actor is an actor who performs roles in a play or film other than that of the leads.These roles range from bit parts to secondary leads. They are sometimes but not necessarily character roles. A supporting actor must also use restraint not to upstage the main actor/actress in the...
were Paula Cale
Paula Cale
Paula Korologos Cale is an American actress best known for her role as Joanie Hansen on the television series Providence.-Early life:...
as Betty Martin, Sarah Manninen as Patti Lewis, Kate Levering
Kate Levering
Kate Levering is an American actress and dancer. She was born in Sacramento, California.Levering attended El Camino Fundamental High School, where she took part in school musicals and dance classes before graduating in 1997 and leaving for New York City to pursue a career on Broadway. In 2001 she...
as Jeanne Biegger Martin, Scott McCord
Scott McCord
William Scott McCord is a Canadian actor, voice actor, singer and bandleader for the soul/rock pop band . On television he is best known for playing Dan Kuso in Bakugan Battle Brawlers, Owen and Trent in Fresh Animation's Total Drama series.- Animation:* 6teen - Stone* Babar and the Adventures of...
as Abby Greshler, Steve Brinder as Danny Lewis, Conrad Dunn
Conrad Dunn
Conrad Dunn is an American actor. He began his screen career with the role of Francis "Psycho" Soyer in Stripes . Working for some ten years under the name George Jenesky, he achieved soap-opera stardom in Days of our Lives as Nick Corelli, a misogynistic pimp who evolved from bad guy to romantic...
as Lou Perry, Bill Lake
Bill Lake
Bill 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....
as Hal Wallis, David Eisner as Lew Wasserman
Lew Wasserman
Lewis Robert "Lew" Wasserman was an American talent agent and studio executive, sometimes credited with creating and later taking apart the studio system in a career spanning more than six decades...
, Sean Cullen
Seán Cullen
Seán Cullen is a Canadian comedian. He is known for combining improvisation with mimicry and music. Cullen has been described in Time as the "vanguard of comedy's next generation". He is best known for voicing Four, Five & Seven in Seven Little Monsters. -Career:Cullen entered into the public eye...
as Jackie Gleason
Jackie Gleason
Jackie Gleason was an American comedian, actor and musician. He was known for his brash visual and verbal comedy style, especially by his character Ralph Kramden on The Honeymooners, a situation-comedy television series. His most noted film roles were as Minnesota Fats in the drama film The...
, Robert Morelli as Skinny D'Amato and Markus Parilo as Irwin Woolfe.
Sean Hayes was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance as Jerry Lewis.
Plot
When lounge singer Dean Martin (NorthamJeremy Northam
Jeremy Philip Northam is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Ivor Novello in the 2001 film Gosford Park, as Dean Martin in the 2002 television movie Martin and Lewis, and as Thomas More on the Showtime series The Tudors...
) and burlesque comic Jerry Lewis (Hayes
Sean Hayes (actor)
Sean Patrick Hayes is an American actor and comedian. He is widely known for his role as Jack McFarland in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, for which he won an Emmy Award, four SAG Awards, one American Comedy Award, and six Golden Globes nominations.He also portrayed comedian Jerry Lewis in the...
) 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 decent living as a crooner. 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
Kate Levering
Kate Levering is an American actress and dancer. She was born in Sacramento, California.Levering attended El Camino Fundamental High School, where she took part in school musicals and dance classes before graduating in 1997 and leaving for New York City to pursue a career on Broadway. In 2001 she...
), nags him to take more credit. From bistros to radio 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
Paula Cale
Paula Korologos Cale is an American actress best known for her role as Joanie Hansen on the television series Providence.-Early life:...
), 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.
Awards
- 2003, Nominee, Art Directors GuildArt Directors GuildThe Art Directors Guild is an American labor union and branch of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees representing almost 2,000 motion picture and television professionals....
- Excellence in Production Design Award Television - Television Movie or Mini-Series
- Roy Forge Smith (production designer)
- Brendan Smith (art director)
- 2003Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards 2002The 8th Critics' Choice Awards, honoring the best filmmaking of 2002, were given on 17 January 2003.-Top 10 Films:#About Schmidt#Adaptation.#Catch Me If You Can#Chicago *Academy Award for Best Picture*#Far from Heaven...
, Nominee, Broadcast Film Critics Association AwardsBroadcast Film Critics Association AwardsThe Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards, commonly called the Critics' Choice Awards, are bestowed annually by the Broadcast Film Critics Association to honor the finest in cinematic achievement. Nominees are selected by written ballots in a week-long voting period, and are announced in...
- 2003
- Critics Choice Award, Best Picture Made for Television
- 2003, Nominee, Cinema Audio Society, USA
- Outstanding Sound Mixing for Television - MOW's and Mini-Series
- Terry O'Bright (re-recording mixer)
- Nello Torri (re-recording mixer)
- Peter Kelsey (re-recording mixer)
- John J. Thomson (production mixer)
- 2003, Nominee, Emmy Awards
- Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Dramatic Underscore)
- Ernest Troost (composer)
- 2003, Nominee, Motion Picture Sound EditorsMotion Picture Sound EditorsFounded in 1953, Motion Picture Sound Editors is an honorary society of motion picture sound editors. The society's goals are to educate others about and increase the recognition of the sound editors, show the artistic merit of the soundtracks, and improve the professional relationship of its...
, USA
- 2003, Nominee, Motion Picture Sound Editors
- Golden Reel AwardGolden Reel AwardGolden Reel Award may refer to:* Golden Reel Award , presented by the Genie Awards to high-grossing Canadian films...
Best Sound Editing in Television Long Form - Music - Chris Ledesma (music editor)
- 2003, Nominee, Screen Actors Guild AwardsScreen Actors Guild AwardsA Screen Actors Guild Award is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild to recognize outstanding performances by its members. The statuette given, a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy, is called "The Actor"...
- 2003, Nominee, Screen Actors Guild Awards
- Actor Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
- Sean HayesSean Hayes (actor)Sean Patrick Hayes is an American actor and comedian. He is widely known for his role as Jack McFarland in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, for which he won an Emmy Award, four SAG Awards, one American Comedy Award, and six Golden Globes nominations.He also portrayed comedian Jerry Lewis in the...
External links
- Official site at CBS
- CBS press release for encore broadcast July 24, 2005 (The Futon Critic)
- Gallo, Phil, "Martin and Lewis"; VarietyVariety (magazine)Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
, November 19, 2002 - Eslinger, Amy, Interview with John Gray; OnSat Magazine, October 9, 2002
- Adalian, Jose, Storyline picks Brit for its Dino; Variety, June 5, 2002