Hollywood Mourns The Loss Of Legendary Comedian Jerry Lewis

Hollywood has lost an icon.

Actor Jerry Lewis passed away Sunday morning, his family said in a statement . The legendary comedian had a decades-long career that inspired generations of actors, which began in 1946 alongside fellow comic Dean Martin. Stars, such as Jamie Lee Curtis, took to social media almost instantly to express their respect for the paragon.  

The news of Lewis’ death quickly followed another comedic great, Dick Gregory, who passed away at age 84 on Saturday evening .

Lewis, who struggled with health issues for years , was acting right up until the end. He made a movie last year with Nicholas Cage, “The Trust,” that was released 70 years after his career in television and radio began. 

Curtis, whose parents were both actors, fondly remembered the movies Lewis filmed with her mother, Janet Leigh. 

“Jerry Lewis loomed large in my family,” Curtis tweeted . “Many movies with my mom & he made home movies with Janet and Tony. He made me and many laugh.” 

Many other Hollywood icons, such William Shatner and Whoopi Goldberg, joined reporters and fans in sharing their grief across social media.