The Catskills were more than my family’s summer escape—they were where my passion for show business and teamwork took root. From performing in casino halls as a kid to running talent shows, magic acts, and even scrubbing pool gutters at Brown’s Hotel as a teen, I grew up wearing every possible hat in the lively world of Catskill hospitality.

A popular myth claims Jerry Lewis got his start working the Catskills, but here’s the truth: Jerry Lewis never actually performed there. His face was everywhere at Brown’s Hotel thanks to genius marketing, but his comedy career grew elsewhere. While Jerry’s generation turned the Catskills into a comedy workshop, and his image made him the honorary face of the "mountains," his fame was borrowed, not built, in the New York Catskill resorts.

Unlike Jerry’s billboard persona, my Catskills experience meant hands-on hard work, big laughter, and deep connections. The Catskills made me the entertainer—and person—I became by virtue of the wonderful hotel owners who put their faith and trust in me. Of course, Jerry Lewis became an international superstar, and as explained in this chapter, it all started for him in Lakewood, New Jersey, and not in the Catskills.