What was with Jerry Lewis’s infatuation with Count Basie’s band? Something in the charts spoke to him and drove him to develop probably his best routines–watching Jerry pantomime to Basie’s music is infinitely better than watching Jerry be sentimental with children, right? The above is from ‘Cinderfella’ (directed by Frank Tashlin, 1960). It’s Jerry dancing/miming/interacting with the famous Neal Hefti chart known as ‘Cute’. Given yesterday’s post featuring Sir John Gielgud this may seem like an oddly steep slope to be skiing down…but both are masters of comedy and if Jerry couldn’t play Shakespeare as well as Sir John, then Sir John would probably be the first to admit he couldn’t pantomime as well to Basie as Jerry could. So there!