Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla
Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla also known as The Boys from Brooklyn is a 1952 American comedy horror science fiction film directed by William Beaudine and starring horror veteran Bela Lugosi and nightclub comedians Duke Mitchell and Sammy Petrillo in roles approximating the then popular duo of Martin and Lewis.
During the 1950s, comedian Sammy Petrillo had established something of a career imitating comedian Jerry Lewis, whom he closely resembled. Petrillo worked for Lewis at one point after an agent set up a meeting with Lewis who then cast him in a sketch on the NBC show The Colgate Comedy Hour. For 60, he played Jerry Lewis as a baby in a crib. Petrillo went on to form a musical comedy team in the style of Martin and Lewis with singer Duke Mitchell. With Mitchell in the Dean Martin role and Petrillo as Jerry Lewis, the team played in various clubs in Las Vegas among other cities. Maurice Duke, who managed the duo, had pitched the idea of Petrillo and Mitchell starring in a movie to several studios. Duke eventually pitched the idea to Realart Pictures Inc. coowner Jack Broder and his assistant, producer Herman Cohen. Duke then took Broder to see Petrillo and Duke perform in Culver City. While Broder thought the duo was hilarious, Herman Cohen who saw the duos act later said he thought Petrillo and Mitchell stunk. Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla was to be the first in a series of films starring Mitchell and Petrillo, but wound up as their only film together.According to Herman Cohen, Jerry Lewis was furious when he heard that Sammy Petrillo and Duke Mitchell had formed a team that was imitative of his act with Dean Martin and that they were to appear in a film together. Gary Lewis, Jerrys eldest son was quoted, When Sammy and the other guy played in that gorilla movie, I remember my dad and Dean saying, We got to sue these guys this is no good. Lewis, who knew Jack Broder through the Friars Club of Beverly Hills, showed up at Jack Broders office. The two got into a screaming match over the film and Lewis stormed out yelling obscenities. Paramount Pictures producer Hal B. Wallis, who then had Martin and Lewis under contract and also knew Broder through the Friars Club, threatened to sue Broder for releasing a film that featured a duo that closely rese
Source: Wikipedia
