By Mike Olszewski
Do We Really Need to See It?
If you’ve lived in Northeast Ohio for any length of time, chances are, you’ve crossed paths with Gary Lewis. He had a string of hits with his band The Playboys and is a favorite on the nostalgia circuit. Plus, when Gary was approached about performing at the Sonny Geraci benefit a few years ago, he was one of the first to say, “Count Me In.” (Gary’s fans will get that reference.) He’s a good guy.
No one can deny that his dad, Jerry Lewis, had an impressive stage, film and TV career. Like many performers, Lewis was concerned about how he would be remembered. Many of his most memorable roles were slapstick comedy. The stuff he did with Dean Martin, and his solo work in “The Delicate Delinquent,” “Cinderfella,” “The Nutty Professor,” and more stand the test of time.
Lewis set the template for later comedians, notably Jim Carrey, but he wanted to be known for more. He was opinionated, confrontational, cranky and controversial. He said little to agree with, but people are entitled to say what they think and often answer for it afterward.
Lewis wanted to prove he could be a dramatic actor, but he recognized that his first attempt was a mistake: the 1972 film, “The Day the Clown Cried.” It’s been out of public view for years, but apparently, that’s about to change.
Disturbing & Weird
The premise is horrifying and takes place during World War II. A has-been clown played by Lewis (and closely resembling Emmet Kelley) is fired from his circus and finds himself in a concentration camp for mocking Hitler. His character entertains children and leads them like the Pied Piper to their deaths.
Lewis said in his autobiography the role “scared the hell out of me.” Disputes over rights kept the film from being distributed and Lewis, embarrassed by the film, didn’t want it to be seen until years after his death, and even then, only for research. That time has arrived.
Lewis’ estate reportedly gave a copy of the film to the Library of Congress with instructions not to screen it until 2024. I have not seen the entire film, but when you travel the convention circuit, you make contacts. I saw about half an hour of the movie; I have no intention of seeing more.
I watch movies to be inspired, informed or entertained, and this film accomplishes none of that. I’m not alone. Scholars and friends of Lewis’ who saw the entire film say you don’t miss much, from the horrific storyline to his performance. One of Lewis’ lines in the movie is, “I don’t like people laughing at me…but, oh, how I hate when they don’t.”
Lewis had a dramatic role in the 1982 film, “The King of Comedy, “ but I prefer to remember him for making people laugh. I tend to be anti-censorship, but pro-common sense. If you choose to see “The Day the Clown Cried,” that’s your right, and don’t say I didn’t warn you.
However, the film accomplished something I never expected: it made me agree with Jerry Lewis: it scared the hell out of me.
BOOMER TRIVIA: Last issue, I asked which of the hippie comic strip trio, the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, was from Cleveland. It was Fat Freddy, and the reason may be that cartoonist Gilbert Shelton lived in Cleveland for a brief time. His friend Robert Crumb suggested he try for a job at American Greetings. He didn’t get it but went on to do quite well with posters, comics, and similar works.
For next time, this actress grew up in Lakewood and was best known for her role in a TV series about a character who could fly. Who is she?
Photo courtesy Cleveland Public Library
