Starz to re-release 2011 documentary on late Jerry Lewis

Method to the Madness of Jerry Lewis features the entertainer and famed admirers -- Seinfeld, Spielberg, Tarantino and more

The death of Jerry Lewis at age 91 has prompted an outpouring of appreciations for the comedian, director and philanthropist. The Los Angeles Times praised him as both entrepreneur and auteur. The New York Times hailed Lewis as "unquestionably a defining figure of American entertainment in the 20th century."

In the 2011 documentary Method to the Madness of Jerry Lewis, he assessed himself in more ambivalent terms -- acknowledging some people called him brilliant, but admitting he didn't always reach that standard in his oeuvre.

"I'm still working on getting into that 'I'm better than it was yesterday' mode," he told filmmaker Gregg Barson.
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If you don't 'get' Jerry Lewis you don't really understand comedy, because he is the essence of it.

--Jerry Seinfeld in Method to the Madness of Jerry Lewis

In honor of Lewis, who died on Sunday of heart failure, the Starz cable channel will rebroadcast Barson's documentary this Saturday (August 26) at 7pm. The film will become available on the Starz app the previous day. It also is available for rent and download via YouTube.

Jerry Seinfeld, Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, Alec Baldwin, Eddie Murphy, Carl Reiner and Chevy Chase are among the luminaries who contributed their thoughts on Lewis for the film.

"There is only one Jerry Lewis," says Carol Burnett, another of the stars interviewed for the documentary. "Look at all the laughter he has given to people."

It was incredible knowing & laughing with the Amazing Jerry Lewis! He'll keep'em laffin in the ever after!

— Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) August 20, 2017

Jerry Lewis was a comic and philanthropic icon. I send love to his family today.

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) August 20, 2017

Goodbye Jerry
You invented the whole thing
Thank you doesn't even get close
Love

— Jeffrey Tambor (@jeffreytambor) August 20, 2017