Jerry Lewis, the legendary Hollywood actor and comedian, was taken ill last night in Sydney, and was unable to take the stage. E! Online reported that 85 year-old Jerry Lewis, who shot to fame as the comedy partner of Rat Pack star Dean Martin in the 1940's, was unable to get out of his car and was hospitalised on Friday evening. He had been due to appear on a fundraising tour for the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation Australia - Lewis has been the chairman of the U.S Muscular Dystrophy Association for many years. David Jack, the Ceo of the Australian organisation, said: "We would like to apologize to people who purchased tickets for tonight's show.in unforeseen circumstances Jerry was not well enough to take the stage."

USA Today reported that Lewis is now out of hospital and feeling much better. Lewis' publicist, Candi Cazau, released a statement that read: "He's fine from what I understand.he was just feeling under the weather." Lewis spent three hours in hospital, Cazau stated, with doctors concluding that he was simply suffering from exhaustion. Lewis' entourage had been cautious because he suffered viral meningitis some years before, and has been plagued by a back condition, heart problems and pulmonary fibrosis. Cazue concluded: "He looks, he sounds great - 85 going on 50." Lewis has won several lifetime achievement awards, including those from the Los Angeles Critics Association and the Venice Film Festival, and has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.