Lewis remained at Paramount and started off with his first solo film The Delicate Delinquent (1957) then starred in The Sad Sack (1957). Frank Tashlin, whose background as a Looney Tunes cartoon director (for Warner Bros.) suited Lewis's brand of humor and came on board. The pair did new films, first with Rock-A-Bye Baby (1958) and then The Geisha Boy (1958). Billy Wilder asked Lewis to play the lead role of an uptight jazz musician, who winds up on the run from a mob in Some Like It Hot, but he turned it down. Lewis then appeared in Don't Give Up The Ship (1959) and cameoed in Li'l Abner (1959).
lewis remained at paramount and started off with his first solo film the delicate delinquent (1957) then starred in the sad sack (1957) frank tashlin whose background as a looney tunes cartoon director (for warner bros) suited lewis's brand of humor and came on board the pair did new films first with rock-a-bye baby (1958) and then the geisha boy (1958) billy wilder asked lewis to play the lead role of an uptight jazz musician who winds up on the run from a mob in some like it hot but he turned it down lewis then appeared in don't give up the ship (1959) and cameoed in li'l abner (1959)