The brand new accusations of sexual assault and harassment made by two actresses who starred reverse comedy legend Jerry Lewis are not any laughing matter.
Two of the “Nutty Professor” star’s main girls — Karen Sharpe and Hope Vacation — make startling revelations in “The Darkish Aspect of a Hollywood Icon,” a brand new bombshell documentary dropped Wednesday by Vainness Honest.
Sharpe, 87, and Vacation, 91, had been interviewed by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering, the duo behind the controversial HBO docuseries “Allen v. Farrow.”
Golden Globe winner Sharpe recounted being solid reverse Lewis — who died in 2017 on the age of 91 — within the 1964 flick “The Disorderly Orderly.” She alleged that whereas she was in wardrobe getting fitted for her costumes, Lewis instructed everybody however her to exit the room. He then “began transferring in on me” and “grabbed me.”
The veteran TV and movie actress — who held her personal reverse Hollywood heavyweights John Wayne and Clint Eastwood — stated she at first couldn’t course of what was occurring to her.
“He started to fondle me. He unzipped his pants. Fairly frankly, I used to be dumbstruck,” Sharpe stated. “I put my hand up and stated, ‘Wait a minute. I don’t know if it is a requirement on your main girls — however that is one thing I don’t do.”
“I might see that he was livid. I bought the sensation that that by no means actually occurred to him,” Sharpe recalled.
‘He begins to speak soiled to me and as he’s speaking, the pants open, and the ugly factor got here out and he begins to jerk off’
Hope Vacation, recounting a disturbing second with Jerry Lewis on “The Ladie’s Man” set in 1961.
As a result of Sharpe was underneath contract with the studio, she stated she was compelled to finish the film. She additionally alleged that a number of days later, the crew was instructed to not communicate to her, except for the director and assistant director. “The Excessive and Mighty” actress additionally claimed that Lewis refused to rehearse along with her or to acknowledge her presence except they had been in a scene collectively.
In the meantime, Vacation appeared within the New Jersey native’s 1961 film “The Women Man.” She revealed that on the primary day of set, Lewis instructed her to return into his dressing room the place he pressed a button that locked his door.
“Then he begins to speak to me: ‘Y’know, you could possibly be very enticing however you put on pants on a regular basis. I've by no means seen you in a skirt. You could have good legs and also you’ve bought good boobs,’” stated Vacation, who additionally co-starred within the traditional Shirley MacLaine movies “The House” and “Irma La Douce.”
Then issues took an excellent darker flip.
“He begins to speak to me about intercourse … He begins to speak soiled to me and as he’s speaking, the pants open, and the ugly factor got here out and he begins to jerk off,” Vacation stated. “I used to be frightened … I simply sat there and I needed to depart so badly.”
Preventing again was troublesome: By 1959, Lewis films had raked in $100 million for Paramount at a time when tickets value lower than 70 cents, Vainness Honest reported. He was so untouchable that the studio’s head of manufacturing, Barney Balaban, as soon as proclaimed, “If Jerry needs to burn down the studio, I’ll give him the match!”
Nonetheless, the subsequent day, Vacation went to confront Lewis — and smacked him within the face.
“I hit him so laborious that I spun round. And I didn’t imply to,” she stated. “Possibly down deep I did. However he walked off the set and sulked for an hour. He stated I did it on objective.”
It was then that manufacturing was halted as a result of Lewis was each the director and star.
“He lastly got here again and didn’t speak to me,” Vacation revealed. “He by no means spoke to me once more.”
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