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1960s comedies including 'Bellboy' set for remake

By DAVE MCNARY

Jerry Lewis runs amok in 1960’s 'The Bellboy,' which will be remade by Artificial Intelligence Entertainment and Social Capital Films.

Remakes of a trio of the most successful Jerry Lewis comedies from his heyday during the '60s -- "The Bellboy," "Cinderfella" and "The Family Jewels" -- are headed for the bigscreen.

Projects are being developed by Artificial Intelligence Entertainment and Social Capital Films. The banners have acquired remake rights from Lewis to the titles in Lewis' Paramount library, including "The Errand Boy," "The Patsy" and "Who's Minding the Store."

Christopher Tuffin, John Baca and George Paige will serve as producers on the films and are aiming to develop each as a franchise for a major comedy star. Projects have not yet been set up at a studio, and the producers have been starting to set meetings with actors, writers and directors.

Tuffin, who made half a dozen trips to Las Vegas to persuade Lewis to agree to the deal, told Daily Variety, "What we're aiming to do is combine the spirit of the originals with a modern sensibility."

German distributor Square One Entertainment is co-financing the development and has acquired German rights to the remakes. Jerry Lewis, Renee Tab, Martin Shore and Al Munteanu will exec produce.

"Our goal is to reboot each picture as a stand-alone comedy franchise, drawing heavily from Lewis' comedic genius, as well as his heart-warming storytelling," said Baca of Artificial Intelligence.

"The Bellboy" is a slapstick take on a dysfunctional bellboy who runs amok in a five-star hotel. When Paramount decided to delay the release of "Cinderfella" for the holiday season and insisted that Lewis produce a film for the summer of 1960, Lewis came up with the idea for "The Bellboy," shooting on a tight schedule by day and performing at the hotel in the evenings at the Fountainbleau in Miami.

Tuffin noted that Lewis is credited with developing the technique of video assist through his use of video cameras and closed circuit monitors to review his performance instantly on "The Bellboy."

"Cinderfella" is a comedy version of the Cinderella story, with several of the roles reversed, including Ed Wynn as the fairy godfather and Anna Maria Alberghetti as the princess.

"Family Jewels," released in 1965, centers on a dim-witted limo driver charged with helping a young orphaned heiress figure out which of her eccentric uncles should be her new father. Lewis directed, co-wrote the script and played all six uncles and the driver.

Par ended its association with Lewis in the 1970s, and subsequently the rights to these films were given back to Lewis by then-Paramount CEO Barney Balaban as a way of thanking Lewis. Those titles included "The Nutty Professor," which Universal remade successfully in 1996 with Eddie Murphy, followed four years later with the sequel "Nutty Professor II: The Klumps."

Santa Monica-based Social Capital has been a film financier, including on the recently wrapped Halle Berry thriller "Dark Tide."

Lewis earlier announced that he planned to star in indie drama "Max Rose" for Lightstream Pictures, portraying a widower who revisits key moments in his life to unlock the mysteries of his marriage and family. Pic has not yet begun production.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“THE ARCHITECT: RISE AND FALL OF A MUSICAL EMPIRE”

MICHAEL JACKSON’S FATHER BREAKS SILENCE IN TELL-ALL DOCUMENTARY 

Exclusive Documentary Slated for Release in 2012

DECEMBER 2, 2011 (LOS ANGELES, CA) – GPA Entertainment announced today the pending release of an exclusive documentary featuring 84-year old Joe Jackson, father of pop icon Michael Jackson and self-proclaimed architect of the Jackson family musical empire. The Architect: Rise and Fall of a Musical Empirte is compiled from hours of exclusive interviews conducted over a two-year period.  The feature-length film will offer a fascinating and chilling look at one of the most controversial fathers in show business history. Told from Joe Jackson’s unique perspective, the film will cover the Jackson family history from the formation of the Jackson 5 through Michael’s tragic death and the subsequent trial and sentencing of his physician, Dr. Conrad Murray. Principal photography is almost completed and GPA is currently meeting with distributors. The film's release is planned for 2012, as is the publication of “The Architect,” Joe Jackson’s autobiography from Atria Books, a division of Simon and Schuster.

The Architect: Rise and Fall of a Musical Empire is produced by Johnny West and award-winning producer George Paige, whose credits include the "Motown on Showtime" series featuring the special  "Michael Jackson...the Legend Continues," "The Doors: Dance on Fire," and scores of other TV programs and feature films.  “For the first time, Joe Jackson lifts the veil and airs the dirty laundry, like it or not,” says Paige.  “If you think you know the Jackson history, think again.”

Filmed partially on location at the Jackson family Havenhurst estate in Encino, the documentary will give viewers a never-before-seen look at Michael Jackson’s personal theatre and the special room where the Jackson family and Michael’s children were home schooled.  “We filmed in Gary, Indiana too,” says West, who also directed.  “Seeing the Jackson house and hearing the voices of people who knew them before, during and after their rise to stardom sheds new light on a family that rose from slavery to global celebrity in only four generations.”

Of special interest to Jackson enthusiasts will be the newly uncovered audio recording of The Jackson 5 in their first ever studio session.  “Big Boy” was recorded at Steel-town Records by Gordon Keith, who appears on camera to talk about guiding the dynamic young performers in those early sessions.  “There is a huge appetite for our cultural heritage,” says Paige, “and the birth of the nation’s most fascinating musical dynasty holds a special place in the hearts of fans of all ages.”

 Media tie-ins with Atria Books will include exclusive bonus footage from the documentary, which will be available to purchasers of the Jackson biography through QR codes printed in the book.

The documentary will have a limited engagement theatrical release in 2012 before a nationwide home entertainment blu-ray and DVD release.

The trailer will be available shortly at www.jacksondocumentary.com