Jerry Lewis is one of the greatest living American comedians, revered in the States and Europe as a comic auteur in the tradition of Chaplin and Keaton. Born in 1926 in Newark New Jeresey, from the age of five he performed on stage alongside his parents, also comics. After splitting with Dean Martin he went on to produce, direct and star in a series of highly successful films throughout the fifties and sixties.
In 1982 he was declared clinically dead after a massive heart-attack resulting from his excessive life style. He was miraculously revived and went on to continue to play important roles in modern classic films, such as Martin Scorcese's The King Of Comedy (1983) and Billy Crystal's Mr. Saturday Night (1992). He chronicles his partnership with Dean Martin in Dean and Me: A Love Story.
James Kaplan has written novels, essays, and reviews, as well as over a hundred major profiles for many magazines, including The New Yorker , Vanity Fair, and Esquire.
He is the co-author of the book Dean and Me: A Love Story with Jerry Lewis about his working relationship with Dean Martin. James lives in Westchester, New York, with his wife and three sons.