OT: Jerry Lewis on Stan Laurel's Final Years - Shocking Revelation!

[Vitaphone]

A bizarre exchange between Jerry Lewis and Steve Lawrence (yes, of "Steve &
Edie"), transcribed from the commentary track on the new DVD release of THE
BELLBOY:

Lewis: When he (Stan Laurel) became paralyzed --- he was paralyzed the day
he picked up the phone and they said Ollie died.
And he was paralyzed on that side --- that held the phone. Did you know
that?

SL: No I didn't.

Lewis: They had to pry the phone out of his hand --- and did surgery to get
the phone out of his hand.

SL: Out of his hand? That whole side was paralyzed?

Lewis: It was totally paralyzed around the phone --- and they had to do
surgery to get the phone out. And this
is the way he stayed for the rest of his life.

###

BTW: For any New Yorkers... Brooklynites in particular, the DVD contains a
fleeting but fascinating home movie showing
Lewis doing a public appearance at the Loew's Kings, circa 1960, in gleaming
Kodachrome! (I grew up a couple of blocks
away... seeing the old neighborhood the way I remember it simply floored
me!)

[Stephen Cooke]

Post by Vitaphone
A bizarre exchange between Jerry Lewis and Steve Lawrence (yes, of "Steve &
Edie"), transcribed from the commentary track on the new DVD release of THE

There's also an interesting extra where Jerry stands with an actor playing
Stan L. (and is a very good lookalike), and reads a letter from Stan (on
Stan Laurel letterhead!), and replies directly to the camera. I guess this
was filmed to be sent to Stan.

Post by Vitaphone
BTW: For any New Yorkers... Brooklynites in particular, the DVD contains a
fleeting but fascinating home movie showing
Lewis doing a public appearance at the Loew's Kings, circa 1960, in gleaming
Kodachrome! (I grew up a couple of blocks
away... seeing the old neighborhood the way I remember it simply floored
me!)

It's a great piece...I love all the weird bits of footage on this disc,
like the rehearsal with Walter Winchell and a blooper with Milton Berle.

It was especially fun watching The Bellboy only days after visiting the
real Fountainbleu. Unfortunately, the hotel is in a state of renovation
(they seem to be tearing up the gardens) and the pool area looks nothing
like it did in the days of The Bellboy and Goldfinger.

It also rated a chapter in my "Encyclopedia of Bad Taste". Sadly, they've
since toned it down.

swac

[k***@verizon.net]

Well of course the Hand story is BS...I was fortunate to spend 5 hours
with Stan at his Oceana apartment in 1964 and although his movements
were limited by stroke he was not in the least paralyzed. In fact he
generously offered to walk outside his front door (which was a great
effort) in order that a picture of the two of us could be taken (my
father had forgotten the flash attachment). Both arms & hands were
free and unaffected. And besides, how could he have possibly typed
all the thousands of cards and letters to fans worldwide
single-handed? I can barely type this with two.

[Jeff NY]

Post by k***@verizon.net
Well of course the Hand story is BS...I was fortunate to spend 5 hours
with Stan at his Oceana apartment in 1964

You're fortunate indeed!

Yes, of course the tale of Laurel being "paralyzed around the phone" is utter
BS and completely bizarre... which somewhat lessened the credibility of much of
his otherwise interesting commentaries on these new releases.

A great opportunity was missed by not pairing Lewis with someone who'd prompt
him to discuss production and filmmaking technques, as no matter what one
thinks of Lewis' films, he was undeniably a unique if not borderline brilliant
filmmaker. His banter with Steve Lawrence (!!??) is primarily a "remember
him?" "remember her?" sort of exhange that's charming but sorely lacking.

Jeff

[Stephen Cooke]

Post by Jeff NY
A great opportunity was missed by not pairing Lewis with someone who'd prompt
him to discuss production and filmmaking technques, as no matter what one
thinks of Lewis' films, he was undeniably a unique if not borderline brilliant
filmmaker. His banter with Steve Lawrence (!!??) is primarily a "remember
him?" "remember her?" sort of exhange that's charming but sorely lacking.

Heck, our own James Niebaur would have been just the guy for the job! Oh
well, at least these new Lewis discs are a lot more than you'd expect from
Paramount.

swac

[RFCSAC627N]

Post by Jeff NY

Post by Jeff NY
A great opportunity was missed by not pairing Lewis with someone who'd

prompt

Post by Jeff NY
him to discuss production and filmmaking technques, as no matter what one
thinks of Lewis' films, he was undeniably a unique if not borderline

brilliant

Post by Jeff NY
filmmaker. His banter with Steve Lawrence (!!??) is primarily a "remember
him?" "remember her?" sort of exhange that's charming but sorely lacking.

Heck, our own James Niebaur would have been just the guy for the job! Oh
well, at least these new Lewis discs are a lot more than you'd expect from
Paramount.

James Niebaur >is< interviewed in the documentary with THE NUTTY PROFESSOR
disc. And a great looking disc it is (except for the tacky cover).

Richard Carnahan

[Stephen Cooke]

Post by RFCSAC627N

Post by Jeff NY

Post by Jeff NY
A great opportunity was missed by not pairing Lewis with someone who'd

prompt

Post by Jeff NY
him to discuss production and filmmaking technques, as no matter what one
thinks of Lewis' films, he was undeniably a unique if not borderline

brilliant

Post by Jeff NY
filmmaker. His banter with Steve Lawrence (!!??) is primarily a "remember
him?" "remember her?" sort of exhange that's charming but sorely lacking.

Heck, our own James Niebaur would have been just the guy for the job! Oh
well, at least these new Lewis discs are a lot more than you'd expect from
Paramount.

James Niebaur >is< interviewed in the documentary with THE NUTTY PROFESSOR
disc. And a great looking disc it is (except for the tacky cover).

Well, hush my mouf. The Nutty Professor is one of the Lewis titles I
didn't get (along with The Family Jewels), because I had just bought the
original DVD, just a couple of weeks before the announcement of these new
editions. And I thought getting it for $10 was a bargain. I found these
new Lewis discs for $9.99 at Best Buy!

swac

[James Neibaur]

Post by RFCSAC627N

Post by Stephen Cooke
Heck, our own James Niebaur would have been just the guy for the job! Oh
well, at least these new Lewis discs are a lot more than you'd expect from
Paramount.

James Niebaur >is< interviewed in the documentary with THE NUTTY PROFESSOR
disc. And a great looking disc it is (except for the tacky cover).

Thanks.

I was asked, I couldn't get away. It is hard to jet off to Vegas for a
couple weeks when you teach at-risk special ed kids. Can't leave that
population with a substitute for that long.

But they came to my house and taped me for the two documentaries on the
Nutty Professor disc. They taped in the library at my home, and we had to
turn off the air conditioning and shut the windows so it was like being in a
sauna. I was sweating so much I thought I'd end up looking like Nixon
during the Kennedy debates. But somehow it didn't really show.

Maybe I will do something more with the next batch -- I think they might
like to do a Martin and Lewis collection. The remaining Lewis solo titles
contain some gems (It's Only Money, Who's Minding The Store) and some
weaklings (Sad Sack, Boeing Boeing).

JN

[Precode]

Post by James Neibaur

Post by RFCSAC627N

Post by Stephen Cooke
Heck, our own James Niebaur would have been just the guy for the job! Oh
well, at least these new Lewis discs are a lot more than you'd expect from
Paramount.

James Niebaur >is< interviewed in the documentary with THE NUTTY PROFESSOR
disc. And a great looking disc it is (except for the tacky cover).

Thanks.
I was asked, I couldn't get away. It is hard to jet off to Vegas for a
couple weeks when you teach at-risk special ed kids. Can't leave that
population with a substitute for that long.
But they came to my house and taped me for the two documentaries on the
Nutty Professor disc. They taped in the library at my home, and we had to
turn off the air conditioning and shut the windows so it was like being in a
sauna. I was sweating so much I thought I'd end up looking like Nixon
during the Kennedy debates. But somehow it didn't really show.
Maybe I will do something more with the next batch -- I think they might
like to do a Martin and Lewis collection. The remaining Lewis solo titles
contain some gems (It's Only Money, Who's Minding The Store) and some
weaklings (Sad Sack, Boeing Boeing).
JN

I think MONEY and STORE are two of his absolute best (hello, Frank
Tashlin), and was sorry they weren't in the initial batch. Hopefully
these first ones will sell enough to encourage Paramount to keep at
it.

Mike S.

"So what are you pushing?"
"Myself off a building."
--Fritz Feld and a nauseous JL in WHO'S MINDING THE STORE?

[Max Nineteennineteen]

Post by Precode
I think MONEY and STORE are two of his absolute best (hello, Frank
Tashlin), and was sorry they weren't in the initial batch. Hopefully
these first ones will sell enough to encourage Paramount to keep at
it.

I saw them at Costco. That practically guarantees a certain level of
sales, given the Romero-zombie-like way in which people at Costco buy
ANYTHING...

[Brent McKee]

Post by Max Nineteennineteen

Post by Precode
I think MONEY and STORE are two of his absolute best (hello, Frank
Tashlin), and was sorry they weren't in the initial batch. Hopefully
these first ones will sell enough to encourage Paramount to keep at
it.

I saw them at Costco. That practically guarantees a certain level of
sales, given the Romero-zombie-like way in which people at Costco buy
ANYTHING...

Why oh why is it that I _never_ see anything like this at my local Costco!?
I think the closest I've ever come was a set of the Walt Disney Treasures
DVDs, but not in the tin boxes. Currently the best they have is Season 2 of
"Angel".
--
Brent McKee

To reply by email, please remove the capital letters (S and N) from
the email address

"If we cease to judge this world, we may find ourselves, very quickly,
in one which is infinitely worse."
- Margaret Atwood

"Nothing is more dangerous than a dogmatic worldview - nothing more
constraining, more blinding to innovation, more destructive of
openness to novelty. "
- Stephen Jay Gould (1941-2002)

[Stephen Cooke]

Post by Brent McKee

Post by Max Nineteennineteen

Post by Precode
I think MONEY and STORE are two of his absolute best (hello, Frank
Tashlin), and was sorry they weren't in the initial batch. Hopefully
these first ones will sell enough to encourage Paramount to keep at
it.

I saw them at Costco. That practically guarantees a certain level of
sales, given the Romero-zombie-like way in which people at Costco buy
ANYTHING...

Why oh why is it that I _never_ see anything like this at my local Costco!?
I think the closest I've ever come was a set of the Walt Disney Treasures
DVDs, but not in the tin boxes. Currently the best they have is Season 2 of
"Angel".

I almost never find movies I want at Costco...most recently I got Once
Upon A Time In America, which is at least *set* in the '20, and even
features some MOXIE crates prominently in one scene.

They had a four disc set of Bela Lugosi poverty row titles from Alpha
Video, but given the quality of other Alpha discs I've seen, I think I'll
take a pass, even though there was one (based on Edgar Wallace's Dark Eyes
of London) that I wouldn't mind seeing. Although I might break down and
get the Alpha disc of Anthony Mann's The Black Book (aka Reign of Terror,
as Bill Everson's print was titled), a film noir that lives up to its
title; it's set during the French Revolution!

swac

[Stephen Cooke]

I did forget two others: Cinderfella and The Delicate Delinquent.

swac

[Stephen Cooke]

Post by Stephen Cooke
I did forget two others: Cinderfella and The Delicate Delinquent.

And The Ladies Man, and The Stooge...

swac
I'm one step closer to perfecting my "Complete Films of Norman Taurog"
collection...

[Frederica]

Post by Brent McKee

Post by Max Nineteennineteen

Post by Precode
I think MONEY and STORE are two of his absolute best (hello, Frank
Tashlin), and was sorry they weren't in the initial batch. Hopefully
these first ones will sell enough to encourage Paramount to keep at
it.

I saw them at Costco. That practically guarantees a certain level of
sales, given the Romero-zombie-like way in which people at Costco buy
ANYTHING...

Why oh why is it that I _never_ see anything like this at my local Costco!?
I think the closest I've ever come was a set of the Walt Disney Treasures
DVDs, but not in the tin boxes. Currently the best they have is Season 2 of
"Angel".

Angel? Season 2? How much? Speak to me.

Frederica

[Stephen Cooke]

Post by Precode

Post by James Neibaur
Maybe I will do something more with the next batch -- I think they might
like to do a Martin and Lewis collection. The remaining Lewis solo titles
contain some gems (It's Only Money, Who's Minding The Store) and some
weaklings (Sad Sack, Boeing Boeing).

I think MONEY and STORE are two of his absolute best (hello, Frank
Tashlin), and was sorry they weren't in the initial batch. Hopefully
these first ones will sell enough to encourage Paramount to keep at
it.

Hmmm...maybe I will buy the Family Jewels after all, if only to support
the cause. I've never seen MONEY or STORE (have they ever been on home
video?) and really want to get copies.

So what was in the first batch again?

Nutty Professor
The Bellboy
Disorderly Orderly
The Family Jewels
The Errand Boy (I think I saw this one on the shelf)
The Patsy (ditto above)

Am I missing any/have any wrong?

swac

[Darren]

Post by Stephen Cooke
Hmmm...maybe I will buy the Family Jewels after all, if only to support
the cause. I've never seen MONEY or STORE (have they ever been on home
video?) and really want to get copies.

STORE is a CLASSIC! :)

I smile just thinking about that one!


Darren
HEY, LAAAAADDDDYYYYYYY!!!!

[d***@live.com]

Post by Vitaphone
A bizarre exchange between Jerry Lewis and Steve Lawrence (yes, of "Steve &
Edie"), transcribed from the commentary track on the new DVD release of THE
Lewis: When he (Stan Laurel) became paralyzed --- he was paralyzed the day
he picked up the phone and they said Ollie died.
And he was paralyzed on that side --- that held the phone. Did you know
that?
SL: No I didn't.
Lewis: They had to pry the phone out of his hand --- and did surgery to get
the phone out of his hand.
SL: Out of his hand? That whole side was paralyzed?
Lewis: It was totally paralyzed around the phone --- and they had to do
surgery to get the phone out. And this
is the way he stayed for the rest of his life.
###
BTW: For any New Yorkers... Brooklynites in particular, the DVD contains a
fleeting but fascinating home movie showing
Lewis doing a public appearance at the Loew's Kings, circa 1960, in gleaming
Kodachrome! (I grew up a couple of blocks
away... seeing the old neighborhood the way I remember it simply floored
me!)
A bizarre exchange between Jerry Lewis and Steve Lawrence (yes, of "Steve &
Edie"), transcribed from the commentary track on the new DVD release of THE
Lewis: When he (Stan Laurel) became paralyzed --- he was paralyzed the day
he picked up the phone and they said Ollie died.
And he was paralyzed on that side --- that held the phone. Did you know
that?
SL: No I didn't.
Lewis: They had to pry the phone out of his hand --- and did surgery to get
the phone out of his hand.
SL: Out of his hand? That whole side was paralyzed?
Lewis: It was totally paralyzed around the phone --- and they had to do
surgery to get the phone out. And this
is the way he stayed for the rest of his life.
###
BTW: For any New Yorkers... Brooklynites in particular, the DVD contains a
fleeting but fascinating home movie showing
Lewis doing a public appearance at the Loew's Kings, circa 1960, in gleaming
Kodachrome! (I grew up a couple of blocks
away... seeing the old neighborhood the way I remember it simply floored
me!)