The Patsy (1964 film)

The Patsy

The Patsy Theatrical Poster
Directed by Jerry Lewis
Produced by Ernest D. Glucksman
Written by Jerry Lewis
Bill Richmond
Starring Jerry Lewis
Everett Sloane
Phil Harris
Keenan Wynn
Peter Lorre
John Carradine
Music by Jack Brooks (lyrics)
David Raksin
Cinematography W. Wallace Kelley
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date
  • August 12, 1964 (1964-08-12) (U.S.)
Running time
 101 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Box office est. $2,500,000 (US/ Canada)[1]
836,439 admissions (France)[2]

The Patsy is a 1964 American comedy film directed by and starring Jerry Lewis.[3] It was released on August 12, 1964 by Paramount Pictures.

Plot

A famous comedian perishes in a plane crash. Members of his management team, worried that they will be jobless, decide to find someone to take his place as their "meal ticket". Stanley Belt (Jerry Lewis) is a bellboy at their hotel and they decide he will become their next star.

Stanley has no obvious talent, but his new managers use their power to open doors for him, including an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. It quickly appears that Stanley will never develop any talent and the managers fire him just before he goes on stage. However, one of them, Ellen (Ina Balin), has fallen in love with Stanley and stays by his side.

Stanley becomes a hit on the show. The others from the management team come begging for their jobs back, and Stanley magnanimously agrees.

Cast

This film contains cameos from a variety of Hollywood personalities including George Raft, Hedda Hopper, Ed Sullivan, Ed Wynn, Mel Tormé, Rhonda Fleming, Scatman Crothers, Phil Foster, Billy Beck, Hans Conried, Richard Deacon, Del Moore, Neil Hamilton, Buddy Lester, Nancy Kulp, Norman Alden, Jack Albertson, Richard Bakalyan, Jerry Dunphy, Kathleen Freeman, Norman Leavitt, Eddie Ryder, Lloyd Thaxton, Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, Michael Landon, Dan Blocker and Fritz Feld.

In addition, Bill Richmond, who co-wrote the screenplay with Lewis, makes a cameo appearance in The Patsy as a piano player.

This was Peter Lorre's final film. He died in March 1964 prior to its release. This film and Lewis's The Disorderly Orderly, released a few months apart, were the final screen appearances of actor Everett Sloane.

Production

The film's working title was Son of Bellboy, as it was originally intended to be a sequel to The Bellboy. Lewis' characters in both films are bellboys named Stanley. It was filmed from January 6 to February 28, 1964.

Re-release

The Patsy was re-released on a double bill with another Jerry Lewis film, The Nutty Professor, in 1967.

Home media

The Patsy was released on DVD on October 12, 2004.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Big Rental Pictures of 1964", Variety, 6 January 1965 p 39. Please note this figure is rentals accruing to distributors not total gross.
  2. ↑ Jerry Lewis films French box office information at Box Office Story
  3. ↑ "The Patsy". Turner Classic Movies. Atlanta: Turner Broadcasting System (Time Warner). Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  4. ↑ "The Patsy". Amazon.com. Seattle. ASIN B0002NY8WQ. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
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