Dean and Me

By: Jerry Lewis, James Kaplan

Narrated by: Stephen Hoye

Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's Summary

They were the unlikeliest of pairs: a handsome crooner and a skinny monkey, an Italian from Steubenville, Ohio, and a Jew from Newark, N.J. Before they teamed up, Dean Martin seemed destined for a mediocre career as a nightclub singer, and Jerry Lewis was dressing up as Carmen Miranda and miming records on stage. But the moment they got together, something clicked, something miraculous, and audiences saw it at once.

Before long, they were as big as Elvis or the Beatles would be after them, creating hysteria wherever they went and grabbing an unprecedented hold over every entertainment outlet of the era: radio, television, movies, stage shows, and nightclubs. Martin and Lewis were a national craze, an American institution. The millions (and the women) flowed in, seemingly without end, and then, on July 24, 1956, 10 years from the day when the two men joined forces, it all ended.

After that traumatic day, the two wouldn't speak again for 20 years. And while both went on to forge triumphant individual careers, Martin as a movie and television star, recording artist, and nightclub luminary (and charter member of the Rat Pack); Lewis as the groundbreaking writer, producer, director, and star of a series of hugely successful movie comedies, their parting left a hole in the national psyche, as well as in each man's heart.

In a memoir by turns moving, tragic, and hilarious, Jerry Lewis recounts with crystal clarity every step of a 50-year friendship, from the springtime, 1945 afternoon when the two vibrant young performers destined to conquer the world together met on Broadway and 54th Street, to their tragic final encounter in the 1990s, when Lewis and his wife ran into Dean Martin, a broken and haunted old man.

©2005 Jerry Lewis (P)2005 Books on Tape

Critic Reviews

"Fans will be surprised and entertained by Lewis' honesty and diminished ego and bitterness." (Publishers Weekly)

Truly about their love, no filler!

If you like Martin and Lewis, Showbiz Biographies, or even Romance, this book is for you. Like the best storytellers, the words are focused on subject at hand, Dean and Jerry's love for one another (plus many incredible stories of behind the scenes moments.

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struggled with presenters voice very annoying. accent somehow jerry lewis s voice was more tolerable

Returning after about 1 hour .. Fowl language.

What would have made Dean and Me better?

It's not necessary to have " language"like that in a book.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Not sure yet but I am returning this one after an hour of listening. It's a shame because I like Jerry and Dean. Just not the language in the book. To raw for me.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Bad 4 letter words.

What character would you cut from Dean and Me?

This seems to be repetitive but the language bothered me

captivating

Where does Dean and Me rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

one of the best modern biography I have listed to.

What did you like best about this story?

That is was written by Jerry Lewis who had an intimate knowledge and relationship with Dean. It was so interesting to hear a first hand account about the how they met how they grew as performers and then how they broke up

Have you listened to any of Stephen Hoye’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

the same as the Book....it was a love story...it was written with obvious love for a friend

Any additional comments?

really enjoyed the book..thanks Jerry

loved it!!

I loved everything about this book. great stories... great narration. a beautiful snapshot of life during the golden years of Hollywood

Not as revealing as I had hoped... but pretty good

would have enjoyed a bit more on the MDA Telethon years.... the romance of "Old Hollywood" and his personal demons that impacted his health. (As I mildly understand these things).

good listen however

I have always liked jerry lewis until I listened to this book. the book was well written and read but I don't really care for the person that Jerry lewis was or is now. I liked him better as his likable character in the movies.

By far the best Bio I've ever read so far

Jerry Lewis was the first celebrity I've ever met and he could see I was a little starstruck so when he stopped and said hi that was just so cool to me. That was back in 1985 in Las Vegas. I will always remember him as a class act and gentleman. I went on to meet him several more times and he was nice every time.

Highly recommend

Well written. I highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Thank you for sharing

Fascinating story and interplay

This was a joy to listen to and gave me a sense for the 1950's The narration is great and should not be missed. I had no idea you could make that kind of money in a week. Doing club dates. They where one hot act.