‘The Day the Clown Cried': Will We Now See Jerry Lewis’ Never-Released Holocaust Movie?
As the entertainment world mourns the passing of famed comedian Jerry Lewis, one question is on the minds of the star’s many fans: Will “The Day The Clown Cried” finally see the light of day?
The 1972 Holocaust drama — which Lewis wrote, directed and starred in as a past-his-prime circus clown in a Nazi concentration camp — was never released in theaters, leading to wild speculation about its tone as well as quality.
The star initially hoped the film would allow him to break out of his goofball reputation and show his skills as a dramatic actor. Instead, Lewis publicly disowned the film — whose release was further complicated by legal issues.