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On May 16, 2011, it was first announced by the MDA that the 2011 edition of the telethon would be Lewis' last as host, and that he would continue his role as MDA's National Chairman, still appearing at the close of each telethon, to sing his signature closing song, "You'll Never Walk Alone".
Sep 2, 2011 · Jerry did his telethon shtick, parading little kids in wheelchairs across the Las Vegas stage, making maudlin appeals for cash, alternatively mugging and weeping, and generally claiming to be a...
- Background
- The First Jerry Lewis Labor Day Weekend Telethon
- Big Spenders
- Celebrity Guest Stars
- Why Did He Do It?
TV's first telethon took place in 1949. It was New York's Damon Runyon Memorial Cancer Fund Telethon, hosted by Milton Berle. One of the guests on that very first telethon was a brash young comedian who appeared with his singing partner, Dean Martin. The young comic was, of course, Jerry Lewis. At the time, Martin and Lewis were the hottest act in ...
In 1966, the first official Jerry Lewis Telethon for muscular dystrophy took place over the Labor Day weekend, broadcast from the Americana Hotel in New York. Some were skeptical about the success of the undertaking, as many people were not home on Labor Day. But surprisingly, the telethon was a huge success, raising just over one million dollars.
Jerry Lewis's annual Labor Day telethons went on to raise more than 2 billion dollars in donations to fight muscular dystrophy. Lewis claimed his goal each year was to get "one dollar more" than the previous year. The biggest single donations over the years have come from the Firefighters Association, who have given more than $250,000 to the cause....
Many of the biggest celebrities in show business have either hosted or appeared on Lewis's telethons over the years, including Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and three of the Beatles. (In John Lennon's appearance with wife Yoko Ono, he stated, "Jerry is one of our favorite comedians.") The ultra-reclusive Joe DiMaggio came on to answer the phones ...
One of the biggest mysteries of all regarding his unceasing dedication to the Muscular Dystrophy Association is, "Why does Jerry do it?" Oddly, Lewis has never revealed to anyone the exact reason. While no one may ever know the real reason, a little-known story about Lewis is very telling. When he was two years old, Lewis developed a strange and po...
- Eddie Deezen
- 13 min
Film legend Jerry Lewis died Sunday at 91 in Las Vegas. In 2011, TV critic Robert Lloyd talked about Jerry Lewis and his dismissal as host of the Muscular Dystrophy Labor Day Telethon. So.
Dec 25, 2023 · On Friday, August 5, 2011, several comedians met at Hollywood’s Laugh Factory to pay tribute to Jerry Lewis and to denounce his removal from the annual telethon that raised large sums for research to cure and prevent neuromuscular diseases.
Sep 2, 2011 · For decades, Labor Day weekend has meant the Jerry Lewis telethon for muscular dystrophy. But this year, for the first time in 46 years, Jerry Lewis won't be on the show.
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May 17, 2011 · Comedian Jerry Lewis says he is retiring as host of the Labour Day Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon after 45 years.
