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Jerry Lewis - MDA

Jerry Lewis MDA

Jerry has been honorary chairman of the Muscular Distrophy Association for many years.

The MDA National Headquarters is in Tuscon, Arizona.

An Annual Televised Labor Day Telethon has provided funding for many years.

There are over 180 Network affiliates that broadcast the telethon.

Jerry Lewis has never been compensated for his work on the telethon.

Who's been on the telethon ?

1952 - The first Martin and Lewis 16.5 hour telethon in March - $1,148,419 Pledged to HEART HOSPITAL

There are 40 Neuromuscular Diseases included in the MDA program.

Telethon proceeds

1959 - (November) 19 hour local telethon raises 575,208 dollars for the Institute of Muscle Disease, NY, NY

1966 - September - 19 hour telethon on WNEW TV (Channel 5, New York) $1,002,114

1967 - September - 19 hour telethon on WNEW TV (Channel 5, New York) "Broke record for telethons"

1968 - "Star-studded Fun-fest"

1969 - 5th Annual Telethon September 6 & 7 - $2,039,139

1970 - Coast-to-Coast and New York Jets make appearance - $5,093,385

1971 - 121 stations - Television's Mike Douglas auctions his own flag flown on the moon - $8,125,387

1972 - 9.2 Million dollars (last show in New York, WNEW origination)

1973 - $12,395,983(Mrs. Gil Hodges to be New Vice Chair; telethon from Las Vegas)

1974 - $16,129,213 - From Las Vegas - 171 stations (Mrs. Gil Hodges, Vice Chair)

1975 - $18,868,499 - 10th Annual - 195 stations - (Mrs. Gil Hodges, Vice Chair)

1976 - 23 Million dollars (Martin and Lewis reunion)

1977 - $26,841,419 (Nobel nomination)

1978 - $29,074,405

1979 - $30 Million

1980 - (August 31, Frank Sinatra sang, My Kind of Town, You and Me, New York, New York)

1981 - $31.5 Million

1989 - $42,209,727

1996 - $49.2 Million (Los Angeles)

1997 - $50.5 Million

1998 - 51,577,023

1999 - $53.1 Million (Los Angeles)

2000 - $54 Million+ (Los Angeles)

2001 - $56.8 Million (Los Angeles)

2002 - $58,276,118 (Los Angeles)

2003 - $60,505,234 (Los Angeles)Won Prime-Time Emmy for Outstanding Choreography

2004 - $59.4 Million (Los Angeles)

2005 - $$54,921,586 ($1 Million to Katrina victims - Los Angeles)

2006 - $61,013,885 - All-time high to date! (South Coast Hotel on Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas) In the opening, Jerry Lewis conducted the Las Vegas Philharmonic Orchestra playing Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide.”

2007 - 64 million! "We did it, We did it." - Jerry Lewis on the telethon.

Since July 1996, this web page has undergone many updates. . . .:-)