CLOWN CRIED
]
"When
you
rule by fear, laughter is the
most
frightening
sound in the world."
"When
you
rule by fear, laughter is the
most
frightening
sound in the world."
The infamous "lost" film of
Jerry
Lewis, which was buried due to a
legal dispute between him and
the writers of the original screenplay.
It tells the story of a
self-centered
circus clown, Helmut Doork, who is
sent to a concentration camp
after a drunken impersonation of Hitler.
There, he befriends the Jewish
children of the camp, and performs
for them, angering the camp
Commandant.
He is accidentally sent
with the children on a train
to Auschwitz, and there, he is expected
to lead the children, like a
Pied Piper, to the gas chambers.
OF JERRY ON THE "CLOWN" SET!
<>
NOW PLAYING
THE
DAY
THE CLOWN CRIED
THE FINAL
DRAFT
In
2002,
I bought an ORIGINAL
script of THE DAY THE CLOWN CRIED
on Ebay,
which had
belonged to FRED SKIDMORE,
Jerry Lewis' publicist
at the time.
" In February 1972 he
and his new publicist, Fred Skidmore,
flew to Stockholm to
see to pre-productions chores.
They went to Germany
and Poland to visit the sites
of concentration
camps.
And they went to Paris,
where Jerry shot some
material for the film while
performing with the
Bouglione
Cirque d'Hiver
and saw to his theatre
business. (France's first
Jerry Lewis Cinema opened
in March 1972)."
(from "King of Comedy"
by Shawn Levy)
The
script
was dated MARCH 1972,
was signed by Skidmore,
and
contained
his notations of the actors playing
the
various
roles and other production details.
It was his
personal
script as he travelled with Lewis!
Not only that, it was the FINAL DRAFT !!!!
Many of
the
scenes were seriously modified or even eliminated,
and the
poorly written elements of the earlier rough draft were now gone.
In
addition
(believe it or not), the ending was MUCH
more horrific and blunt!!
No
clowning
this time, just the truth ... and told not through image, but SOUND.
The final draft is brilliant.
I had bought the screenplay for about $15.00 (postage
included).
The Ebay seller didnt realize what a historic find he had, and his
auction blended in with other sellers who were offering copies of the
more common First Draft (that was available on this site for free).
So fortunately, I was the only person that noticed it's true value.
I transcribed the screenplay
to publish here along with the other
one, then I resold it on Ebay several months later for over $250.00
to a classic stand-up comedian (who shall remain nameless here).
The original script now resides in his personal collection.
YOU CAN READ IT HERE FOR YOURSELF!
- PLUS
-
the
earlier, longer First Draft
version of the screenplay
TWO DIFFERENT DRAFTS!
HISTORY, REVIEWS, AND MORE!
SHIRLEY
TEMPLE IN AUSCHWITZ
The story
behind the making of the film
(from THE
KING
OF
COMEDY
by Shawn Levy)
JERRY
GOES TO DEATH CAMP
An
extensive
history of the film from SPY magazine
(many
thanks
to Philip Sondericker for providing it)
THE
WORST MOVIE YOU NEVER SAW
(from THE
GOLDEN
TURKEY
AWARDS by the Medveds)
CLOWN
CRIED
REVEALED!
(screenplay
review
from
FILM THREAT)
ASKEW
REVIEW
(screenplay
review)
MIDNIGHT
MATINEE'S "THE DAY THE CLOWN CRIED"
(a radio
parody available for your Real Player!!)
BACK TO
SUBTERRANEAN
CINEMA