80 Years of Martin and Lewis: The Caddy (1953)

Cinema / Film

July 2026 marks eighty years since the formation of Martin and Lewis, and seventy years since their break up, exactly a decade later. It’s difficult to overstate their success in this period; at the height of their fame in the early fifties, the pair were a showbiz phenomenon who incited levels of hysteria reserved in popular memory for fans of Elvis or The Beatles. The Martin and Lewis empire spread everywhere: from the nightclub scene where they originated into television, radio, comics and, of course, Hollywood. The Caddy remains one of the better works for understanding their volatile, magnetic chemistry. It was their ninth of sixteen films together, one of three Martin and Lewis films released in 1953 alone. The film was a massive commercial success and became the fourteenth highest grossing film of the year. But it also marked the beginning of the end for the pair, as Lewis grew increasingly egotistical and controlling and, emboldened by the commercial success of That’s Amore, Martin became convinced of his ability to go it alone. By the summer of 1954, whispers of a rapidly fracturing partnership, even a feud, began to spread through Hollywood like wildfire. ​ Martin and Lewis went on to release seven more films after The Caddy, and in the three years after its release, they remained a mainstay of popular television and film until their acrimonious split in 1956, after which both went on to enjoy successful solo careers. The film will be preceded by an introduction reflecting on the shared career and legacy of Martin and Lewis.