Jerry Lewis the following summer, and the audience was so enthusiastic that Kaye became Lewis' manager and guardian for Borscht Belt appearances. During World War II, he was rejected for military service because of a heart murmur. Lewis initially gained attention as part of a double act with singer Dean Martin, who served as straight man to Lewis' zany antics as the Martin and Lewis comedy team. They were different from other duo acts of the time because they played to each other and had ad-libbed improvisational segments within their planned routines. After forming in 1946, they quickly rose to national prominence,
Richard Lewis (comedian) (translation of German "Die Damen aus der Hölle") by German troops. A short story, “The Man from Hell”, by John Russell Fearn was published in "Fantastic Adventures" in 1939.) However, the "Yale Book of Quotations" attributes the phrase to Lewis. Richard Lewis (comedian) Richard Philip Lewis (born June 29, 1947) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He came to prominence in the 1980s as a comedian specializing in self-deprecating humor before turning to acting. He is known for co-starring in the comedy series "Anything but Love" (1989–92) and for his recurring and semi-autobiographical role in "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (2000–present).