In regard to Jerry Lewis’ popularity in France, I had heard that the Frenchman who dubbed Jerry’s movies in France, died somewhere in the mid-eighties. Since that time, there had been a perceptible dip in the popularity of Lewis movies, leading one to believe that it wasn’t actually Jerry Lewis who was popular but his vocal doppelganger. This smacks of apocrypha. Can anyone comment on these rumors?
Do the French really love Jerry Lewis? (01-Oct-1999)
Could it be because Jerry Lewis didn’t make many movies after the mid-eighties? Also, many artists see a drop in popularity and critical appreciation later on in life. I have never heard that Jerry Lewis’ drop in popularity was due to having a different voice double. (Though a bad voice double will do nothing to help your popularity.)
I’m certain I don’t have all the facts about the demise Jerry’s vocal double. I think I initially placed the date in the mid-eighties because that’s when I heard the rumor. I assume for it to be plausible, the voice over artist would have had to slip the surly bonds of earth sometime in the mid-sixties. I have no info on it however and very little time to research it. That’s why I’m hoping somebody has this information at their fingertips.
Jerry Lewis’s career essentially ended in 1970 in the U.S. Everything after that was either a flop or a cameo role (and usually in a noncomedy film). Lewis stayed popular in France though at least through the mid-'80’s. He was given a major prize there in 1984 and he made a couple of films that were apparently only released in France. It seems to me that Lewis’s popularity in France versus the U.S. has nothing to do with the person who dubbed his voice. Rather, it had to do with his style of humor. The broad gestures, exaggerated facial expressions, whiny voice, and slapsticky humor that he used went out of favor in the U.S. but stayed popular in France.
Wendell Wagner said:
One look at Jim Carrey, maybe it’s time for a Jerry Lewis comeback?