- Associated Press - Friday, June 24, 2011

SYDNEY (AP) - Jerry Lewis canceled a show here Friday due to poor health, according to officials with the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation Australia.

The actor and comedian was hospitalized in Australia, but administrative assistant Violet Ostrowski at Lewis’ film company in Las Vegas said the company had not received any updates on his condition.

The Muscular Dystrophy Foundation Australia said the comedian’s show was sold out.

Foundation CEO David Jack apologized in a statement, saying the 85-year-old was “not well enough to take the stage.” It didn’t give details.

The Muscular Dystrophy Foundation in Australia is separate from the American association where Lewis serves as national chairman.

Lewis was touring the country to raise funds for the Australian foundation. The statement said he arrived in Australia on Monday and had performed Wednesday in Brisbane.

In recent years, Lewis has battled a debilitating back condition, heart issues and pulmonary fibrosis.

Lewis is the longtime chairman of the U.S. Muscular Dystrophy Association. He announced last month he was retiring as host of the Labor Day telethon that is synonymous with him.

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Associated Press writer Oskar Garcia reported from Las Vegas.

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