Jerry Lewis was an American comedian, actor, singer, director, producer, screenwriter and humanitarian. Nicknamed "The King of Comedy", Lewis is regarded as one of the most significant American cultural figures of the 20th century, was widely known for his "kid" and "idiot" persona and his contributions to comedy and charity, along with his publicized personal life made him a global figure in pop culture over an eight-decade career. He professionally debuted in 1946 as part of the famous Martin and Lewis with singer Dean Martin and performed together until 1956.