Joe E. Lewis Comedian

• Gender: Male
• Citizenship: United States
• Born: Jan 12, 1902
• Died: Jun 4, 1971

Joe E. Lewis (January 12, 1902 - June 4, 1971), born Joseph Klewan in New York City, was an American comedian and singer.

In 1927, Lewis refused the request of Jack "Machine Gun" McGurn (an Al Capone lieutenant) to renew a contract that would have bound him to sing and perform at the "Green Mill Cocktail Lounge", which was partly owned by McGurn. After refusing, because he had been offered more money by a rival gang to appear at their own club, "The New Rendezvous", he was later assaulted one morning in November 1927 in his 10th floor Commonwealth Hotel room, mutilated and left for dead. It took him a few years to learn to speak again. Capone, who was fond of Lewis, was displeased with the assault, but wasn't about to take action against one of his top lieutenants. He proceeded to provide Lewis with $10,000 to allow him to recover properly and eventually resume his career.