THE MARTIN & LEWIS SHOW

April 3, 1949

“The Martin and Lewis Show” was a radio comedy-variety program in the United States. It was broadcast on NBC beginning April 3, 1949, and ending July 14, 1953. It starred the comedy team of Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin. Martin was the singer of the pair, and Lewis was the comedian. 

it was named Favorite Radio Comedy Show in Radio-TV Mirror magazine’s 1952 poll.

The series was produced by Bob Adams, and directed by Robert L. Redd and Dick Mack. Written by Ed Simmons and Norman Lear, although they were not hired until late 1950.  

This is the pilot episode, and was not numbered. It was originally 37 minutes, but was later edited to 30 minutes for broadcast. 

Regulars on the program included Ben Alexander, Sheldon Leonard, Florence MacMichael, The Skylarks, and Mary Hatcher.  Announcers were Jimmy Wallington and Johnny Jacobs. Dick Stabile was both the bandleader and a foil for Martin and Lewis.

Dean Martin was born Dino Paul Crocetti in Steubenville, Ohio, in 1917. He made his screen debut in a short playing a singer in Art Mooney’s band, but his first big screen role was 1949’s My Friend Irma with Jerry Lewis. This began a partnership that would be one of the most successful screen pairings in cinema history. Later, he also worked frequently members of “the Rat Pack”: Frank Sinatra, Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, and Sammy Davis Jr. His persona was that of a playboy, usually seen with a glass of booze and a cigarette. Martin appeared on “The Lucy Show” in what Ball later said was her favorite episode of the series. Martin and Lucille Ball appeared on many TV variety and award shows together and made the TV movie “Lucy Gets Lucky” in 1975. He died on Christmas Day in 1995 at age 78.    

Jerry Lewis 
was a comedian, actor, and singer born in Newark, New Jersey in 1926. He was known for his slapstick humor and was originally paired up with Dean Martin, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis. His long-standing commitment to hosting the annual Muscular Dystrophy telethon in 2010, after 44 years, earning him a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977. He was also presented the French Legion of Honor in 1984. He appeared with Lucille Ball Lewis on “Danny Thomas’s Wonderful World of Vaudeville” in 1965. He died in 2014.

Frank Nelson (Agent) was born on May 6, 1911 (three months before Lucille Ball) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He started working as a radio announcer at the age of 15. He later appeared on such popular radio shows as “The Great Gildersleeve,” “Burns and Allen,” and “Fibber McGee & Molly”. He performed in 11 episodes of “My Favorite Husband.”  On “I Love Lucy” he holds the distinction of being the only actor to play two recurring roles: Freddie Fillmore and Ralph Ramsey, as well as six one-off characters, including the frazzled train conductor in “The Great Train Robbery” (ILL S5;E5), a character he repeated on “The Lucy Show.”  Aside from Lucille Ball, Nelson is perhaps most associated with Jack Benny and was a fifteen-year regular on his radio and television programs.  

Lucille Ball (Guest Star) as then finishing her first season of her radio series “My Favorite Husband”.  She was two months away from the premiere of her film Sorrowful Jones with Bob Hope. 

Synopsis ~ It’s time to go over to Dean
Martin and Jerry Lewis’s hotel room before
they do their first radio show. 

EPISODE

Dean (and orchestra) launches into “You Won’t Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart)” by Freddy James and Larry Stock in 1946.

There’s a knock on the door. It’s the maid come to clean. She notices that the room is clean – and fears she’ll be fired.  She is upset that their towels say his and hers instead of his and his. Jerry tells her not to dust the dresser because he keeps his kitten in there. 

MAID: “My, you’re odd people.”
LEWIS: “We ain’t odd. We’re entertainers.”

Outside the NBC Studio, two women are excited to see Martin and Lewis. Lewis stands behind them, although they don’t recognize him. They faun over Dean’s good looks and talent, much to Lewis’s dismay.  Dean strolls up and the girls get giddy with excitement. 

Inside the studio, the orchestra tunes up and everyone shouts hello: producer, director, singer, technicians. When Dean needs quiet to rehearse, Jerry feels left out. Dean introduces Lucille Ball, but she’s angry that he’s upset Jerry.  

Lucille promises she’ll protect Jerry from Dean. Lucille starts to notice how athletic and handsome Dean is. She gradually softens. Suddenly Lucille is defending Dean to Jerry!  

JERRY: “You do think I’ll be a big success, don’t ya Lucille?”
LUCILLE: “Why not? Lassie made it!” 

Lucille says she’s planned an opening night party for the boys, but is concerned about Jerry’s behavior.

Oops! Jerry Lewis trips over his words, and ad libs: “It’s too close to the paper, whaddya want?” 

MARTIN: “Shall we dress?”
LUCILLE: “Naturally. We don’t want the cops.”

They get the cue that they have thirty second until air. 

Lucille, Jerry, and Dean sing “The Money Song” lyrics written by Harold Rome for the musical That’s The Ticket. 

They are back in their hotel suite about to go to sleep, when the maid knocks on the door. She tells them they have to get out of bed – she’s put on the wrong size sheets!  

End of Episode