Jerry Lewis died of heart disease, coroner confirms
The legendary Hollywood comedian Jerry Lewis died of heart disease, it’s been confirmed.
The Clark County Coroner said yesterday that the official cause of death was end-stage cardiac disease due to peripheral vascular disease, according to the Associated Press.
After many years of ill-health, he died at his home in Las Vegas surrounded by his family early on Sunday morning, at the age of 91.
Lewis was a stage and screen icon for decades, known for movies like ‘The Bellboy’, ‘The Nutty Professor’ and ‘The King of Comedy’, as well as his famous double act with Dean Martin.
He was also known for his philanthropic work, most notably the Labor Day telethons he would host in the US in aid of children with muscular dystrophy.
They would bring in a host of stars from John Lennon and Yoko Ono to Frank Sinatra, and would end with Lewis singing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.
It’s thought that he helped to raise over $2 billion to help raise awareness of the disease thanks to the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethons, screened from 1966 to 2010.
Celebrity fans flooded Twitter with tributes following the news of his death.
How did my life get good enough that Jerry Lewis would smile at me? And how sad to lose him. pic.twitter.com/taPhl1utzO
— Penn Jillette (@pennjillette) August 20, 2017
Rest In Peace, Jerry Lewis. I loved your movies as much as France did. The Nutty Professor and Cinderfella will always be classics to me.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) August 20, 2017
Jerry Lewis was a genius comedian, actor, director, inventor, humanitarian and, as a Las Vegan, what I miss most..https://t.co/R0uLkPOwyU
— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) 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
So saddened to learn of the passing of Jerry Lewis, a true comic icon. In Boston 1947 I roared at his and Dean's first ever performance
— carl reiner (@carlreiner) August 20, 2017
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