The Family Jewels (1965)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Jerry Lewis

Writers:

Jerry Lewis (writer) and
Bill Richmond (writer)

Release Date:

1 July 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Jerry is seven times nuttier in seven gems of character portrayal!

Plot:

A young heiress must choose between six uncles, one of which is up to no good and out to harm the girl's beloved bodyguard who practically raised her.

Plot Keywords:

Uncle | Captain | Actor Playing Multiple Roles | Chauffeur | Dysfunctional Family

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Jerry Lewis	...	Willard Woodward / James Peyton / Everett Peyton / Julius Peyton / Capt. Eddie Peyton / Skylock Peyton / 'Bugs' Peyton
Sebastian Cabot	...	Dr. Matson
Neil Hamilton	...	Attorney
Jay Adler	...	Mr. Lyman, Attorney
Robert Strauss	...	Pool Hall Owner
Jesslyn Fax	...	Airline Passenger
Renie Riano	...	Airline Passenger
Ellen Corby	...	Airline Passenger
Frances Weintraub Lax	...	Airline Passenger (as Frances Lax)
Marjorie Bennett	...	Airline Passenger
Herbie Faye	...	Joe
Milton Frome	...	Pilot
Gene Baylos	...	Clown
Donna Butterworth	...	Donna Peyton
John Lawrence	...	Chief Petty Officer
Francine York	...	Air Hostess
John Hubbard	...	Second Pilot
Michael Ross	...	Second Guard
John Macchia	...	Univac Operator
Douglas Deane	...	Male Model
Maurice Kelly	...	Shoe Salesman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Anne Baxter	...	Actress in In-Flight Movie (uncredited)
Eve Bruce	...	Model (uncredited)
Scatman Crothers	...	Airport employee (uncredited)
Ted Eccles	...	(uncredited)
Douglas Evans	...	(uncredited)
Norman Leavitt	...	Carl, the Gas Station Manager (uncredited)
Gary Lewis	...	Himself - Leader of Band aboard the Trimotor (uncredited)
Edwin Max	...	Pool Hall Patron (uncredited)
Gerald Mohr	...	Actor in In-Flight Movie (uncredited)
Robert Nunn	...	Boy at gas station (uncredited)
Joan Swift	...	Airline Stewardess (uncredited)

Directed by
Jerry Lewis

Writing credits
Jerry Lewis		(writer) and
Bill Richmond		(writer)

Produced by
Jerry Lewis	....	producer
Arthur P. Schmidt	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Pete King

Cinematography by
W. Wallace Kelley

Film Editing by
John Woodcock

Art Direction by
Hal Pereira
Jack Poplin

Set Decoration by
Robert R. Benton		(as Robert Benton)
Sam Comer

Costume Design by
Edith Head

Makeup Department
Nellie Manley	....	hair styles supervisor
Wally Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
William Davidson	....	production manager (as Bill Davidson)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ralph Axness	....	assistant director

Art Department
Gene Lauritzen	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Howard Beals	....	sound effects editor
Charles Grenzbach	....	sound recordist
Hugo Grenzbach	....	sound recordist

Visual Effects by
Farciot Edouart	....	process photography
Paul K. Lerpae	....	special photographic effects

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sy Devore	....	wardrobe: men
Nat Wise	....	wardrobe: men

Editorial Department
Arthur P. Schmidt	....	supervising editor
Russel Wiles	....	assistant editor (as Russell Wiles)

Music Department
Paul Haggar	....	music editor
Pete King	....	conductor
Jimmy Karstein	....	musician: "This Diamond Ring" (uncredited)
Carl Radle	....	musician: "This Diamond Ring" (uncredited)
Leon Russell	....	music arranger: "This Diamond Ring" (uncredited)
Tom Tripplehorn	....	musician: "This Diamond Ring" (uncredited)
John West	....	musician: "This Diamond Ring" (uncredited)

Other crew
Betty Fancher	....	script supervisor (as Elizabeth Fancher)
John L. Jensen	....	title designer (as John Jensen)
Alice Rodriguez	....	technical advisor
Marvin Weldon	....	dialogue coach

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures
• Jerry Lewis Productions

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1965) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1969) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Paramount Home Video (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Paramount Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount (1965) (France) (theatrical)

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:U | Netherlands:6 | Finland:S | Sweden:11

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

About eight minutes into the film, Jerry Lewis (as the chauffeur) sits down to listen to a phonograph record. It's his son's band's (Gary Lewis & The Playboys) biggest hit, "This Diamond Ring."

Movie Connections:

Featured in Jerry Lewis - König der Komödianten (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Little Miss Go-Go

Goofy stuff

Ah, Jerry Lewis. One of the most underappreciated comic actor/writer/directors. In "The Family Jewels" he attempts to play every single member of a family of brothers...and pulls it off successfully. All these Lewis characters are funny and quirky, and this movie is consistently entertaining all the way through. Note the similarites between the voice of the airline pilot Peyton brother and the voice of Paul Reubens' Pee-Wee Herman. The plot here involves a young girl who must live with one of her uncles, and her search for the uncle she likes best. But that's mostly an excuse to let Lewis show off his incredible comedic character talents. Sometimes downright cartoonlike.