Why Did Jerry Lewis Disinherit His Sons
Gary Lewis, the eldest, tried to mend fences. No dice. In fact, their relationship became a public soap opera.
Gary wrote a book in 2005 called Everything I Know About Women I Learned from My Wife. In it, he hinted at a cold, distant father who preferred the spotlight to his kids. Jerry didn’t just ignore the book—he went nuclear.
He called Gary a “bad son” in interviews. He told a reporter, “I don’t hate my kids, but I don’t owe them anything.” Can you imagine hearing that from your dad? Yikes.
Jerry Lewis Disinherited His 6 Sons - His Daughter Became Homeless
The 1995 Will That Started It All
Here’s the real bombshell. Jerry actually disinherited his sons way back in 1995. He wrote them out of his will twenty-two years before he died. That’s not a spur-of-the-moment decision.
Why? According to his lawyer, Jerry felt his sons were “always asking for money.” He said they treated him like an ATM. Jerry, who grew up poor, hated that more than a bad review.
He told 60 Minutes, “They didn’t appreciate what I did for them.” Appreciation, apparently, had a price tag.