Joe E. Lewis
Encyclopedia
Joe E. Lewis born Joseph Klewan in New York City
, was an American
comedian and singer.
(an Al Capone
lieutenant) to renew a contract that would have bound him to sing and perform at the "Green Mill Cocktail Lounge", which was partly owned by Capone. After refusing, because he had been offered more money by a rival gang to appear at their own club, "The New Rendezvous", he was later assaulted one morning in November 1927 in his 10th floor Commonwealth Hotel room, mutilated and left for dead. It took him a few years to learn to speak again. Capone, who was fond of Lewis, was displeased with the assault, but wasn't about to take action against one of his top lieutenants. He proceeded to provide Lewis with $10,000 to allow him to recover properly and eventually resume his career.
Lewis toured in the USO shows with Ray Bolger
in the Pacific Theater
during World War II
. Joe appeared in the movies Too Many Husbands (the 1931 short comedy), Private Number (1936), The Holy Terror (1937), Private Buckaroo
(1942), and played himself in Lady In Cement
(1968). He appeared frequently on The Ed Sullivan Show
, was the "Mystery Guest" three different times on What's My Line, and was interviewed on Person to Person
in 1956. In 1946 he married actress Martha Stewart
. They divorced in 1948. Random House
published Lewis's biography The Joker is Wild written by Art Cohn
in 1955.
Lewis and Frank Sinatra were long-time friends, pre-dating Sinatra's portrayal of the comedian in the film The Joker is Wild
. In 1961 Sinatra signed Lewis to record for his label, Reprise Records. The result, It Is Now Post Time, is one of the first LPs released by Reprise, and one of the few recorded examples of Lewis at work as a stand-up comedian. On the album Sinatra at the Sands (1966), Sinatra says that even though he recently celebrated his 50th birthday, he would have the body of a 22 year-old man, "If I hadn't spent all those years drinking with Joe E. Lewis."
Lewis died in 1971 and was buried in Cedar Park Cemetery, Emerson, New Jersey
.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comedian and singer.
Biography
In 1927, Lewis refused the request of Jack "Machine Gun" McGurnJack McGurn
"Machine Gun" Jack McGurn was an Italian-American mobster and key member of Al Capone's Chicago Outfit.-Early life:...
(an Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
lieutenant) to renew a contract that would have bound him to sing and perform at the "Green Mill Cocktail Lounge", which was partly owned by Capone. After refusing, because he had been offered more money by a rival gang to appear at their own club, "The New Rendezvous", he was later assaulted one morning in November 1927 in his 10th floor Commonwealth Hotel room, mutilated and left for dead. It took him a few years to learn to speak again. Capone, who was fond of Lewis, was displeased with the assault, but wasn't about to take action against one of his top lieutenants. He proceeded to provide Lewis with $10,000 to allow him to recover properly and eventually resume his career.
Lewis toured in the USO shows with Ray Bolger
Ray Bolger
Raymond Wallace "Ray" Bolger was an American entertainer of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of the Scarecrow and Kansas farmworker Hank in The Wizard of Oz.-Early life:...
in the Pacific Theater
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Joe appeared in the movies Too Many Husbands (the 1931 short comedy), Private Number (1936), The Holy Terror (1937), Private Buckaroo
Private Buckaroo
Private Buckaroo is a 1942 American Musical film directed by Edward F. Cline and starring The Andrews Sisters, Dick Foran, Harry James, Shemp Howard, Joe E...
(1942), and played himself in Lady In Cement
Lady In Cement
Lady In Cement is a 1968 detective film, directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Frank Sinatra, Raquel Welch, Dan Blocker, Martin Gabel and Richard Conte. A sequel to the 1967 film Tony Rome, and based on the novel by Marvin H...
(1968). He appeared frequently on The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
, was the "Mystery Guest" three different times on What's My Line, and was interviewed on Person to Person
Person to Person
Person to Person was a popular television program in the United States that ran from 1953 to 1961. Well-respected news reporter Edward R. Murrow hosted it until 1959, interviewing celebrities in their homes from a comfortable chair in his New York studio Person to Person was a popular television...
in 1956. In 1946 he married actress Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart (actor)
Martha Stewart is an American actress.-Filmography:-Film:*Surf Party *Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick *Convicted *In a Lonely Place *Are You with It? *Daisy Kenyon...
. They divorced in 1948. Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
published Lewis's biography The Joker is Wild written by Art Cohn
Art Cohn
Art Cohn was an American sportswriter, screenwriter and author.Cohn was born in New York, New York. He was a sportswriter and sports editor for the Oakland Tribune newspaper who published the sports column The Cohn-ing Tower. He also wrote for the Long Beach Press-Telegram...
in 1955.
Lewis and Frank Sinatra were long-time friends, pre-dating Sinatra's portrayal of the comedian in the film The Joker is Wild
The Joker Is Wild
The Joker Is Wild is a film starring Frank Sinatra, Jeanne Crain, and Mitzi Gaynor, and Eddie Albert which tells the story of Joe E. Lewis, the popular singer and comedian who was a major attraction in nightclubs during 1920s to early 1950s....
. In 1961 Sinatra signed Lewis to record for his label, Reprise Records. The result, It Is Now Post Time, is one of the first LPs released by Reprise, and one of the few recorded examples of Lewis at work as a stand-up comedian. On the album Sinatra at the Sands (1966), Sinatra says that even though he recently celebrated his 50th birthday, he would have the body of a 22 year-old man, "If I hadn't spent all those years drinking with Joe E. Lewis."
Lewis died in 1971 and was buried in Cedar Park Cemetery, Emerson, New Jersey
Cedar Park Cemetery, Emerson, New Jersey
Cedar Park Cemetery is a cemetery located in Emerson, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States.- Noted interments :*Martin Balsam won an Academy Award in 1965 for best supporting actor in A Thousand Clowns...
.
Portrayal in film
- In the film The Joker Is WildThe Joker Is WildThe Joker Is Wild is a film starring Frank Sinatra, Jeanne Crain, and Mitzi Gaynor, and Eddie Albert which tells the story of Joe E. Lewis, the popular singer and comedian who was a major attraction in nightclubs during 1920s to early 1950s....
(1957), Lewis was portrayed by Frank SinatraFrank SinatraFrancis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
.