Jerry Lewis had worked with Dean before, and recommended him
to the owner of the club, Skinny D'Amato. Dean didn't know what promises
Jerry has made to Mr. Amato, and in fact, Dean had told writer Pete Martin
in a interview, that he just happened to be on the same bill, and rejected
the fact that Jerry had anything to do with his being there.
Nevertheless, Dean would go on first and sing, then Jerry would
follow with his act. This went on for a couple of nights. After the third
night, Skinny told his right hand man to ask Jerry where all of his "funny
stuff with Dean" was. Well, to make a long story short... Jerry, afraid
of being fired, (or worse... having his legs broken) sat down and wrote
some material for the both of them to do together. When they went out the
next night, things started coming together naturally. They didn't even use
the material Jerry had written. They just started doing whatever came to
their minds. Dean sang, Jerry interrupted. Dean started telling a story,
Jerry threw things around the stage like a crazy man. The audience loved
it! Word spread quickly, and within a couple of nights, it was standing
room only! These two were hot!
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