The Patsy
1964
Action / Comedy

The Patsy
1964
Action / Comedy
Plot summary
Eccentric bellhop Stanley Belt is recruited unexpectedly by the comedy team of a recently deceased entertainer. Stanley struggles to become a song-and-dance man as the team grooms him to become a star. But as the date of a high-stakes appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show grows near, they begin to fear that the only astonishing thing about Stanley is his utter lack of talent.
Director
Top cast
Movie Reviews
Jerry Lewis plays the fall guy
Extremely funny
An extremely funny Jerry Lewis movie in which Lewis plays a bellhop who happens to be the lookalike of a famous (very Jerry Lewis-like) celebrity. When the celebrity dies, the bellhop steps in...of course. In no time he's made into a superstar by handlers Peter Lorre, Phil Harris, etc. Not in a league with THE DISORDERLY ORDERLY or THE NUTTY PROFESSOR, but still a very worthy piece of work from the prolific Lewis (he co-wrote the script and directed as well). Lewis is hysterical and he's surrounded himself with a lot of great talent, none of whom gets short shrift in the mix...a very funny Hans Conried, a bizarre Nancy Kulp, and Richard Deacon pop up and Lewis's leading lady is the effervescent Ina Balin. With a really clever ending proving why Lewis was such an innovative film-maker. George Raft makes one his many '60s cameos playing himself along with Ed Wynn, Mel Torme and, of course, Hedda Hopper.