Net Worth Ranker
What Is Jerry Lewis’ Net Worth?
Jerry Lewis, the celebrated American comedian, actor, singer, director, producer, and screenwriter, had accumulated a net worth of $50 million by the time of his death on August 20, 2017. This substantial fortune was the result of a multifaceted career spanning several decades, encompassing lucrative film contracts, successful stage performances, and ownership of intellectual property rights.
Jerry Lewis’ Career Earnings and Key Milestones
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Jerry Lewis achieved a status as one of the highest-paid entertainers in the world. His financial success stemmed from his ability to negotiate substantial salaries and secure back-end profits from his numerous film projects. A significant milestone in his career occurred in 1959 when he signed a contract with Paramount for $10 million for seven years, plus a portion of the profits from his films, solidifying his position as the highest-paid individual in Hollywood at the time.
Lewis’s career began to gain momentum at the age of 15, when he started developing his own mime act and performing in various clubs, theaters, and hotels in New York. This early exposure laid the foundation for his future success and financial prosperity. In 1945, he partnered with Dean Martin, forming the iconic comedy duo Martin and Lewis. Their act quickly gained national recognition, leading to appearances on popular TV and radio shows like “Toast of the Town” and “Welcome Aboard.”
In 1950, Martin and Lewis signed a contract with NBC to co-host “The Colgate Comedy Hour,” a weekly live broadcast that further amplified their popularity and earnings. The duo’s success led to a contract with Paramount Pictures, which cast them in ensemble films such as “My Friend Irma,” “The Stooge,” and “Scared Stiff.” Their widespread popularity even inspired a DC Comics series, “The Adventures of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis,” published between 1952 and 1957.
After Martin and Lewis ended their partnership in 1956, Lewis embarked on a solo career, releasing an album titled “Jerry Lewis Just Sings,” which reached the third spot on the Billboard charts. His performances at the Sands Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and other venues across the country further boosted his earnings and fame. DC Comics launched a new comic series, “The Adventures of Jerry Lewis,” from 1957 to 1971, reflecting his continued success. In 1960, Lewis made his directorial debut with “The Bellboy,” marking the beginning of his multifaceted role as an actor, director, and producer. In 1963, he directed, wrote, and starred in “The Nutty Professor,” which became a major commercial success. The film’s popularity led to the production of sequels and stage adaptations, further augmenting Lewis’s income.
The 1981 film “Hardly Working,” grossed $50 million, showcasing his enduring box office draw, despite receiving negative feedback from critics.
Details of Jerry Lewis’ Wealth and Estate
Jerry Lewis’s net worth of $50 million encompassed a variety of assets, including real estate holdings, cash, and intellectual property rights to his films. A significant portion of his wealth came from his ownership of the intellectual property rights to his extensive film catalog. These rights generated royalties and licensing fees, contributing substantially to his overall income.
Upon his death in 2017, Lewis’s estate was estimated to be worth millions in cash and real estate holdings. However, the bulk of the estate’s value lay in the intellectual property rights to his films. The will stipulated that his second wife, SanDee Pitnick, would inherit the majority of his assets, with his daughter Danielle designated as the next in line. Six of his children from his first marriage to Patti Palmer were intentionally excluded from inheriting any portion of his estate.
Specifically, the excerpt from his will stated, “I have intentionally excluded Gary Lewis, Ronald Lewis, Anthony Joseph Lewis, Christopher Joseph Lewis, Scott Anthony Lewis, and Joseph Christopher Lewis and their descendants as beneficiaries of my estate, it being my intention that they shall receive no benefits hereunder.” This decision highlighted the strained relationship he had with his six sons from his first marriage.
Jerry Lewis, born Joseph Levitch on March 16, 1926, in Newark, New Jersey, began his career at a young age, performing in clubs and theaters. By the time he was 15, he had already developed his own act as a mime and started performing at some clubs, theaters, and hotels in New York.
Personal Life and Health Challenges
Jerry Lewis’s personal life was marked by both successes and challenges. He married Patti Palmer in October 1944, and they had six children together, five biological and one adopted. The marriage lasted for 35 years but was ultimately dissolved in 1980 due to Lewis’s infidelity and extravagant spending habits. The divorce was finalized in 1983, leading to his decision to exclude his children with Palmer from his will.
In the same year that his divorce was finalized, Lewis married Sandra Pitnick, a former ballerina and stewardess. The two met on the set of his film “Hardly Working,” where Pitnick had a minor role. They adopted a daughter together and remained married for 34 years until Lewis’s death. Throughout his life, Lewis faced numerous health issues. After sustaining a back injury during a comedy performance, he became addicted to Percodan for 13 years before overcoming the addiction in 1978. He also suffered from heart problems, experiencing his first heart attack at the age of 34 in 1960. Following another heart attack in 1982, he underwent double-bypass surgery.
Lewis was also diagnosed with prostate cancer, diabetes, and pulmonary fibrosis, which worsened in his later years. He passed away at his home in Las Vegas on August 20, 2017, at the age of 91, due to cardiac and peripheral artery disease. Following his death, Las Vegas marquees displayed his image in commemoration of his years as a headliner in the city.
