Martin and Lewis were an American comedy duo, comprising singer Dean Martin and comedian Jerry Lewis. They met in 1945 and debuted at Atlantic City's 500 Club on July 25, 1946; the team lasted ten years to the day. Dean Martin is the stage name of Dino Paul Crocetti, born June 7, 1917 in Steubenville, Ohio, while Jerry Lewis is the stage name of Joseph Levitch, born March 16, 1926 in Newark, New Jersey. Martin died on December 25, 1995; Lewis died on August 20, 2017.
Before they teamed up, Martin was a nightclub singer, while Lewis did a comedy act lip-synching to records. They performed in nightclubs, and, starting in 1949, on radio. Later they branched out into television and films. In their early radio days they performed as Martin and Lewis but later became hugely popular as Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. These full names helped them launch successful solo careers after parting.
