Jerry Lewis, the rubber-faced, squeaky-voiced comedy legend who starred in movies and musicals and also was known for his unflagging work on behalf of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, died on Sunday, his publicist confirmed. He was 91 years old.

Lewis' publicist confirmed the news to The Associated Press. The Las Vegas Review-Journal columnist John Katsilometes first reported Lewis' death.

Lewis "passed peacefully at home this morning of natural causes at the age of 91 with his loving family by his side," manager Mark Rozzano said.

Lewis had gone through a series of health problems and scares in recent years. In June 2012 he was hospitalized for two nights in New York after collapsing with what was reported to be a low blood sugar problem.

He was forced to cancel a fund-raising showin Australia due to poor health in June 2011.

Lewis had been touring Australia to raise money for the country's Muscular Dystrophy Foundation, which is separate from the American Muscular Dystrophy Association, where he served as president.

He announced in 2011 he was retiring as host of the association's Labor Day Telethon, which he began hosting in 1966.

“MDA would not be the organization it is today if it were not for Jerry’s tireless efforts on behalf of ‘his kids.’ His enthusiasm for finding cures for neuromuscular disease was matched only by his unyielding commitment to see the fight through to the end. Jerry’s efforts on the annual MDA Telethon transformed the broadcast into an American tradition each Labor Day weekend for 45 years," the organization said in a statement. “Though