Comedian star and entertainer Jerry Lewis spent decades of his life making people laugh. On the outside, he portrayed himself as a lovable, innocent, funny man. However, in reality, he was nothing like that and was described as one of Hollywood‘s most violent and evil icons.
Jerry Lewis’s life was filled with lies and secrets. According to Radar Online, many who saw the late comedian’s real side considered him cruel and evil. Lewis’s former personal manager, Rick Saphire, the author behind the memoir The Real Jerry Lewis Story, spoke with RO, revealing some of his darkest secrets.
Saphire claims that Jerry was an egotistical and habitual cheater who often praised his manager for never stepping outside his marriage. Rick writes of one conversation with Lewis in which Jerry praised Rick, saying, “It’s great that you never cheated. I gave it up years ago.”
As Jerry Lewis’ career continued to skyrocket the actor’s ego reportedly grew more out of control. The extramarital affairs continued. Rick states that Jerry even had a steamy affair with his The Nutty Professor co-star pinup girl Stella Stevens.
He claims the two would often “disappear and have sex” during filming. However, Stevens broke things off with Lewis refusing to continue carrying on with a married man. At the time, Lewis was married to his first wife, Patti Palmer.
The two remained married from 1945 to 1983. They shared six sons, five biological and one adopted. Despite their decades-long marriage and family, Jerry continued to stray outside his marriage. During his marriage to Palmer, rumors claim Lewis may have to have fathered a daughter, Suzan (born 1952), with Lynn Dixon Kleinman.
Jerry was very open about his infidelity and never apologized for his actions. Palmer finally divorced Lewis after 35 years of marriage, causing a significant family upheaval. Following the divorce, Jerry disowned and disinherited all children and grandchildren from his marriage to Palmer. He made sure to exclude them from his estate. His eldest son, Gary, publicly called his father a “mean and evil person.” He adds that Lewis never showed him or his siblings any love or care.
Jerry Lewis Receives Karmic Payback
The actor felt no guilt or remorse over the treatment of his first family. He soon married his second wife, SanDee Pitnick, in 1983. The two later adopted a daughter. The couple remained together until Lewis died in 2017. Over the years, Jerry Lewis reportedly became a very bitter and hateful man.
As Jerry aged, he became less concerned about how the public perceived him. He often appeared sharp and hostile, especially in interviews or when discussing personal issues. This was despite his comedic legacy and dedication to charity work, mainly through the Muscular Dystrophy Association telethons.
Karma seemingly took over in the end, and Jerry Lewis’ life continuously fell apart. In 2022, several female co-stars from the 60s came forward to share allegations of sexual assault and harassment.
Jerry’s health also began to fail him. He suffered from several chronic health problems and illnesses. As well as addictions related both to aging and a back injury sustained in a fall. He began to suffer multiple heart attacks and undergo surgeries. Lewis also suffered from diabetes, prostate cancer, and pulmonary fibrosis.
His final years were not happy ones as he continued to struggle with his failing health. Jerry Lewis died in August 2017 from end-stage cardiac disease. He left his estate to his second wife, SanDee, and their daughter. He also went out of his way to explicitly disinherit all children and grandchildren from his first marriage.
Leaving them behind with no way or means to contest the will. However, in the end, Jerry Lewis’ children and most fans seemingly agree that he got what he deserved. He will forever be remembered as the horrible and evil man he was.
