Editing Jerry Lewis (section)

=== Paramount films ===
[[File:Jerry Lewis show.jpg|thumb|180px|left|Publicity photo of Lewis for ''The Jerry Lewis Show'']]
Lewis ended his association with Hal Wallis, their last joint venture being ''[[Visit to a Small Planet]]'' (1960). His next film was ''[[Cinderfella]]'' (1960), directed by Frank Tashlin; it was supposed to be Lewis's summer release, but Paramount withheld it in preparation for a Christmas 1960 release. Paramount, needing a quickie movie for its summer 1960 schedule, insisted that Lewis must produce one.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jerry-lewis-dead-nutty-professor-bellboy-star-was-91-721408|title=Jerry Lewis, Nonpareil Genius of Comedy, Dies at 91|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=August 20, 2017|archive-date=May 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200511190847/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jerry-lewis-dead-nutty-professor-bellboy-star-was-91-721408|url-status=live}}</ref>

This resulted in Lewis's sudden transformation from movie clown to all-around filmmaker. He produced, directed, co-wrote, and starred in ''[[The Bellboy]]'' (1960). Using the [[Fontainebleau Miami Beach|Fontainebleau Hotel]] in Miami as his setting—on a small budget, with a very tight shooting schedule—Lewis shot the film during the day and performed at the hotel in the evenings.<ref name=":0" /> [[Bill Richmond (writer)|Bill Richmond]] collaborated with him on many of the episodic blackouts and sight gags. The film presented a new approach for the usually frenetic and highly vocal comedian: in ''The Bellboy'' Lewis doesn't speak at all—he only whistles—until a punchline at the very end of the film.

This was really a time-saving device; by concentrating on visual action, Lewis could film the scenes faster without bothering to remember written dialogue. Another time-saver was his innovative use of "[[video assist]]"—instant video playback, which allowed Lewis to review each scene on videotape immediately after filming it, thus eliminating film-laboratory delays and expenses. Trade reviewer Pete Harrison noted the sight gags but felt that Lewis was not a true pantomime artist: "As a mute, there are only brief moments of his work coming close to [[Charlie Chaplin|Chaplin]], [[Jacques Tati]], or [[Harpo Marx]]. Lewis, always laughed at, fails to win the viewer's heart."<ref>Pete Harrison, ''Harrison's Reports'', July 20, 1960, p. 119.</ref>

Lewis later revealed that Paramount was not happy about financing a "silent movie" and withdrew backing. Lewis used his own funds to cover the movie's $950,000 budget. ''The Bellboy'' turned out to be a hit, ranking with his better successes. ''Variety'''s Gene Arneel reported independent producer [[Hall Bartlett]]'s observation, "Lewis is the only star whose pictures all turn out in the black."<ref>Gene Arneel, "Down to a Slapstick Single—And All Lewis Pix B.O. Clix", ''Variety'', Sept. 7, 1960, p. 3.</ref>

Lewis continued to direct more films that he co-wrote with Bill Richmond, including ''[[The Ladies Man]]'' (1961), where Lewis constructed a three-story dollhouse-like set spanning two sound stages, with the set equipped with state-of-the-art lighting and sound, eliminating the need for boom microphones in each room. His next movie ''[[The Errand Boy]]'' (1961), used the same formula as ''The Bellboy'', with Lewis turned loose in a movie studio for blackouts and sight gags.

Lewis was also somewhat active in television. [[National Broadcasting Company|NBC]] released him from a long-term contract in 1960; the official reason given was that Lewis was devoting more time to his motion pictures. A more probable reason was the difficulty in finding a weekly television vehicle for Lewis. (NBC did announce two series in development, "Permanent Waves" and "The Comedy Concert.")<ref>NBC press release, Aug. 25, 1960.</ref>

Lewis's TV appearances were usually guest shots. He appeared in ''The Wacky World of Jerry Lewis,'' ''Celebrity Golf,'' ''[[The Garry Moore Show]],'' ''The Soupy Sales Show,'' ''[[It's Only Money]]'' (1962) and guest hosted ''[[The Tonight Show]]'' during the transition from [[Jack Paar]] to [[Johnny Carson]] in 1962, and his appearance on the show scored the highest ratings thus far in late night, surpassing other guest hosts and Paar.

The three major networks began a bidding war, wooing Lewis for his own talk show.{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}} Lewis then directed, co-wrote and starred in ''[[The Nutty Professor (1963 film)|The Nutty Professor]]'' (1963). A parody of ''[[The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde|Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde]],'' it featured him as [[The Nutty Professor (character)|Professor Kelp]], a socially inept scientist who invents a serum that turns him into a handsome but obnoxious ladies' man. It is often considered to be Lewis's best film.<ref>Jones, Kenneth. [https://web.archive.org/web/20120819030200/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/169188-Producers-of-Nutty-Professor-Hope-to-Earn-Broadway-Tenure-for-New-Marvin-Hamlisch-Rupert-Holmes-Show "Producers of ''Nutty Professor'' Hope to Earn Broadway Tenure for New Marvin Hamlisch-Rupert Holmes Show"], ''Playbill'', August 17, 2012, accessed August 19, 2013</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertaiment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-nutty-professor-jerry-lewis-musical-nashville-20120801,0,4021683.story|title=Jerry Lewis' Nutty Professor' musical opens in Nashville|last=Ng|first=David|date=August 2, 2012|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=August 18, 2013}}</ref>

[[File:The Nutty Professor 1963 (publicity photo, Lewis and Stevens - cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Lewis as [[The Nutty Professor (character)|Professor Kelp]], with co-star [[Stella Stevens]], in ''[[The Nutty Professor (1963 film)|The Nutty Professor]]'' (1963)]]
In 1963, he had a cameo in ''[[It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World]]'' (1963),<ref>{{Cite web |title=It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/its_a_mad_mad_mad_mad_world |website=Rotten Tomatoes |quote="Virtually every lead, supporting, and bit part in the picture is filled by a well-known comic actor: the laugh spinning lineup also includes Carl Reiner, Terry-Thomas, Arnold Stang, Buster Keaton, Jack Benny, Jerry Lewis, and The Three Stooges, who get one of the picture's biggest laughs by standing stock still and uttering not a word."}}</ref> fully starred in ''[[Who's Minding the Store?]]'' (1963) and hosted ''[[The Jerry Lewis Show]],'' a lavish 13-week, big-budget show which aired on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] from September to December in 1963.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 2, 2008 |title=The Nostalgia Collection: Jerry Lewis - The Jerry Lewis Show |website=Amazon |url=https://www.amazon.com/The-Nostalgia-Collection-Jerry-Lewis/dp/B0011E9NTS#productDescription_secondary_view_pageState_1427615912201}}</ref> Lewis next starred in ''[[The Patsy (1964 film)|The Patsy]]'' (1964), his satire about the Hollywood star-making industry and ''[[The Disorderly Orderly]]'' (1964), the only film executive produced by Lewis and his final collaboration with Tashlin.

Following a cameo on ''[[The Joey Bishop Show (TV series)|The Joey Bishop Show]]'', he starred in ''[[The Family Jewels (film)|The Family Jewels]]'' (1965) about a young heiress who must choose among six uncles, one of whom is up to no good and out to harm the girl's beloved bodyguard who practically raised her. The six uncles and the bodyguard were all played by Lewis.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sensesofcinema.com/2016/jerry-lewis/the-family-jewels/|title=The Family Jewels (1965) • Senses of Cinema|website=sensesofcinema.com|access-date=February 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227153422/http://sensesofcinema.com/2016/jerry-lewis/the-family-jewels/|archive-date=February 27, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1965, Lewis went on ''[[The David Susskind Show]],'' starred in his final Paramount-released film ''[[Boeing Boeing (1965 film)|Boeing Boeing]]'' (1965),<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-News-Jerry-Lewis-Dies-at-91-20170820|title=Breaking News: Jerry Lewis Dies at 91|work=BroadwayWorld.com|access-date=August 20, 2017|archive-date=August 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170821043310/https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-News-Jerry-Lewis-Dies-at-91-20170820|url-status=live}}</ref> in which he received a [[Golden Globe]] nomination, then guest appeared on ''[[Ben Casey]],'' ''[[The Andy Williams Show]]'' and ''[[Hullabaloo (TV series)|Hullabaloo]]'' with son [[Gary Lewis (musician)|Gary Lewis]]. Lewis left Paramount in 1966, after 17 years, as the studio was undergoing a corporate shakeup, with the industrial conglomerate [[Gulf + Western]] taking over the company. Gulf + Western, scrutinizing the balance sheets, noted the diminishing box office returns of Lewis's recent pictures and did not renew his contract.