The first Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day Telethon in nearly a half century that did not include Jerry Lewis brought in $61.4 million -- $2.5 million more in roughly one-third of the time on air. In controversial moves this year, the annual television event was cut from 21.5 hours to just six and ran without Lewis the day before Labor Day.

The show’s four hosts opened with a tribute to the famed comedian and former MDA national chairman. The show also closed with mentions of Lewis. In each case the script was clear that a transition had occurred and that there was no going back. MDA issued an 88-word press release this past August titled “Jerry Lewis Completes Run as MDA National Chairman,” to announce that he would not be appearing in the telethon.

“Jerry Lewis is a world-class humanitarian and we’re forever grateful to him for his more than half century of generous service to MDA. We will not be replacing him as MDA national chairman, and he will not be appearing on the telethon,” MDA Chairman of the Board of Directors, R. Rodney Howell said in the statement.

In May, the MDA announced that the 85-year-old Lewis would be retiring as host of the annual telethon but make one final appearance this year to perform his signature song, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” and remain as the national chairman. He first hosted the telethon in 1953 with Dean Martin. What changed between May and August remains unclear.

MDA $61,491,393, up from the $58,919,838 brought in during the prior year’s 21½-hour telecast but is not a record. The record is 2008 when $65 million was raised.

The new co-hosts were Nigel Lythgoe of “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance,” Nancy O’Dell from “Entertainment Tonight,” Alison Sweeney of “The Biggest Loser” and author of “The Mommy Diet” and Jann Carl, an Emmy-winning journalist and independent producer. Also missing from the telecast was the long-time New York area host Tony Orlando. He was replaced by Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Ace Young,

The show also never showed a final amount, as had been a trademark of the shows Lewis hosted. There was always a drum roll when a new million rolled in. The show, which was previously live, was tape delayed in various time zones.

In addition to funding more than 300 research projects worldwide, MDA maintains a national network of some 200 hospital-affiliated clinics; orchestrates hundreds of support groups for families affected by neuromuscular diseases; and facilitates local summer camp opportunities for thousands of youngsters fighting progressive muscle diseases. Known globally for the MDA Labor Day Telethon, the Association is the first nonprofit organization to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Medical Association “for significant and lasting contributions to the health and welfare of humanity.”

The telethon is by far MDA’s biggest fundraiser, generating approximately one-third of the organization’s almost $180 million in annual revenue.

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