Veteran entertainer Jerry Lewis said on Monday he is retiring as host of the annual Labor Day telethon on behalf of muscular dystrophy research after 45 years and will make his final appearance on the U.S. show in September.
Lewis, 85, the zany comedian and actor who starred in more than 45 films in a career spanning five decades, made the announcement in a statement posted by the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), on its website.
"As a labor of love, I've hosted the annual telethon since 1966, and I'll be making my final appearance on the show this year by performing my signature song, "You'll Never Walk Alone,'" he said in the statement.
Lewis did not say why he was retiring at this stage.
Lewis has turned the ballad from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Carousel" into an anthem for MDA by performing it at the conclusion of each telethon over the years.
It was not immediately clear whether Lewis would serve once more as on-air host of the upcoming telethon on September 4 before he retires, but the announcement said this year's show was planned as a six-hour prime-time broadcast.
Lewis said he would continue to serve as national MDA chairman, adding, "I'll never desert MDA and my kids."
The program has raised in excess of $2 billion for the fight against muscular dystrophy through 900 hours of live broadcasts over the years, and has become an annual Labor Day weekend institution on U.S. television.
