The Patsy (1964)

Director:

Jerry Lewis

Writers:

Jerry Lewis (writer)
Bill Richmond (writer)

Release Date:

12 August 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

When a star comedian dies, his comedy team, decides to train a nobody to fill the shoes of the Star in a big TV show (a Patsy)...

Cast

Jerry Lewis	...	Stanley Belt / Singers of the Trio
Ina Balin	...	Ellen Betz
Everett Sloane	...	Caryl Fergusson
Phil Harris	...	Chic Wymore
Keenan Wynn	...	Harry Silver
Peter Lorre	...	Morgan Heywood
John Carradine	...	Bruce Alden
Hans Conried	...	Prof. Mulerr
Richard Deacon	...	Sy Devore
Scatman Crothers	...	Shoeshine Boy
Del Moore	...	Policeman
Neil Hamilton	...	The Barber
Buddy Lester	...	Copa Cafe MC
Nancy Kulp	...	Helen, Theatergoer
Lloyd Thaxton	...	Himself
Norman Alden	...	Bully at the Gym
Jack Albertson	...	Theatergoer with Helen
Henry Slate	...	Paul
Gavin Gordon	...	Executive on Golf Course
Ned Wynn	...	Band Member
Rhonda Fleming	...	Herself
Phil Foster	...	Mayo Sloan
Hedda Hopper	...	Herself
George Raft	...	Himself
Mel Tormé	...	Himself
Ed Wynn	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Clyde Adler	...	Bald Man (uncredited)
Murray Alper	...	Bowler (uncredited)
Phil Arnold	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Richard Bakalyan	...	Boy at Spring Hop (uncredited)
Billy Beck	...	Band Member (uncredited)
Billy Bletcher	...	Table Captain #3 at Italian Cafe (uncredited)
Don Brodie	...	Bowler (uncredited)
Robert Carson	...	Table Captain #2 at Italian Cafe (uncredited)
Chick Chandler	...	Hedda Hopper's Escort (uncredited)
Harry Cheshire	...	Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Robert Christian	...	Barbershop Porter (uncredited)
Adele Claire	...	Elderly Lady (uncredited)
Jerome Cowan	...	Business Executive (uncredited)
Lorraine Crawford	...	Manicurist (uncredited)
Bob Denner	...	Band Member (uncredited)
Fay DeWitt	...	Woman at Party (uncredited)
Jerry Dexter	...	Bit part (uncredited)
John Dexter	...	Radio Newscaster (uncredited)
Jerry Dunphy	...	TV Newscaster (uncredited)
Isabelle Dwan	...	Elderly Lady (uncredited)
William Enge	...	Barbershop Porter (uncredited)
Herbie Faye	...	Tailor (uncredited)
Fritz Feld	...	Maitre D' (uncredited)
Joe Finnegan	...	Himself (Reporter at Party) (uncredited)
Nancy Patricia Fisher	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Kathleen Freeman	...	Katie (uncredited)
Marianne Gaba	...	Waitress (uncredited)
John Gallaudet	...	Barney (uncredited)
Richard Gehman	...	Himself (Reporter at Party) (uncredited)
Bob Harvey	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Jerry Hausner	...	Floorman (uncredited)
Robert Ivers	...	Boy at Spring Hop (uncredited)
Bobby Johnson	...	Barbershop Porter (uncredited)
Joey Johnson	...	Barbershop Porter (uncredited)
Byron Kane	...	Table Captain #1 at Italian Cafe (uncredited)
Norman Leavitt	...	Newsboy (uncredited)
William Leyden	...	TV Announcer (uncredited)
David Lipp	...	Frozen-stare Man (uncredited)
Darlene Lucht	...	Checkroom Girl (uncredited)
John Macchia	...	Student (uncredited)
Marlene Maddox	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Michael Mahoney	...	Copa Cafe Heckler (uncredited)
John Marlowe	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Dee Jay Mattis	...	The Broad (uncredited)
Bob May	...	Fireworks Boy (uncredited)
Peggy Mondo	...	Bowler (uncredited)
Mantan Moreland	...	Barbershop Porter (uncredited)
Hollis Morrison	...	Juke Box (uncredited)
Terry Naylor	...	Barbershop Customer (uncredited)
Quinn O'Hara	...	Cigarette Girl (uncredited)
Barbara Pepper	...	Bowler (uncredited)
Sherwood Price	...	Bellboy (uncredited)
Joanne C. Quakenbush	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Sheila Rogers	...	Woman at Party (uncredited)
Edmundo Ros	...	Bandleader (uncredited)
Michael Ross	...	Truck Driver (uncredited)
Benny Rubin	...	Waiter #1 at Italian Cafe (uncredited)
Eddie Ryder	...	Man at Party (uncredited)
Ernest Schworck	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Vernon Scott	...	Himself (uncredited)
June Smaney	...	Pedicurist (uncredited)
Mabel Smaney	...	Woman in Phone Booth (uncredited)
Walter Smith	...	Barbershop Porter (uncredited)
Harry Spear	...	Salesman (uncredited)
Anthony Spinelli	...	Man on the Phone (uncredited)
Joe Stabil	...	Lead Musician (uncredited)
Ed Sullivan	...	Himself (uncredited)
Joan Swift	...	Girl (uncredited)
William Wellman Jr.	...	Band Member (uncredited)
Edward C. Widdis	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Dave Willock	...	Alec (uncredited)

Directed by
Jerry Lewis

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jerry Lewis		writer
Bill Richmond		writer

Produced by
Ernest D. Glucksman	....	producer
Arthur P. Schmidt	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Jack Brooks
David Raksin

Cinematography by
W. Wallace Kelley

Film Editing by
John Woodcock

Casting by
Edward R. Morse		(as Ed Morse)

Art Direction by
Cary Odell
Hal Pereira

Set Decoration by
Sam Comer
Ray Moyer

Costume Design by
Edith Head

Makeup Department
Wally Manley	....	hair stylist
Harry Ray	....	makeup artist
Jack Stone	....	makeup artist
Wally Westmore	....	makeup artist
Nellie Manley	....	hair styles supervisor (uncredited)

Production Management
William Davidson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ralph Axness	....	assistant director
Dale Coleman	....	assistant director
Howard Roessel	....	assistant director

Art Department
Jim Cottrell	....	props
Earl Olin	....	props
Gene Lauritzen	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)
Martin Pendleton	....	property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Howard Beals	....	supervising sound effects editor
Charles Grenzbach	....	sound
Hugo Grenzbach	....	sound
Bud Parman	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Paul K. Lerpae	....	special photographic effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
John P. Fulton	....	visual effects: plane crash (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Larry Barbier	....	still photographer
Robert Dabke	....	grip
James Knott	....	camera operator
Lorne Netten	....	gaffer
Russ Brown	....	video assist operator (uncredited)
Bruce Denney	....	video assist operator (uncredited)
Farciot Edouart	....	process photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sy Devore	....	wardrober
Frank Somper	....	wardrobe: furs (uncredited)
Nat Wise	....	wardrobe supervisor: men (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Arthur P. Schmidt	....	supervising editor
Richard Mueller	....	color consultant: Technicolor (uncredited)
Russel Wiles	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Paul Haggar	....	music editor

Transportation Department
George Barris	....	picture vehicles (uncredited)

Other crew
Dorothy Yutzi	....	script supervisor
Marshall Katz	....	assistant: Mr. Lewis (uncredited)
Jack Keller	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Marvin Levy	....	physician: Mr. Lewis (uncredited)
Marvin Weldon	....	dialogue coach (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures
• Patti Enterprises

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1964) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1969) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• GoodTimes Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• World Movies (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Son of Bellboy (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:U | Finland:S

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The plane crash scene at the beginning of the movie was taken from The Mountain (1956).

Movie Connections:

Features The Mountain (1956)

Soundtrack:

I Lost My Heart in a Drive-In Movie

Not Jerry's Best But Still Funny

If your a big Jerry Lewis fan, and I am, you will enjoy The Patsy. It's not his funniest, at least on a consistent basis, but it does have it's share of big laughs. The premise is that a big music star perishes in a plane crash and his associates, including Claude Raines and John Carradine, need to find a replacement. In steps bumbling Jerry as a hotel employee who must be turned into the next big music star. Some hilarious scenes such as Jerry being groomed in a beauty salon, being "taught" how to sing by the always dependable Hans Conried and Jerry's attempt at lip-synching his hit song on TV. again, not his best but enjoyable and funny enough for me!