A work-copy of the "Lost" Jerry Lewis film "The day the clown cried" has now been sold.

A quick AI translate from Swedish television:

"After the Revelation: Hans Crispin Has Sold the Legendary Jerry Lewis Film
Updated yesterday at 22:31, Published yesterday at 10:03

– I received a modest sum, says Hans Crispin to Kulturnyheterna. But I can't tell who bought "The Day the Clown Cried."

Hans Crispin's pirate copy of the legendary Jerry Lewis film is the only known complete version.

Swedish actor and TV personality Hans Crispin recently revealed to the magazine Icon that in 1980 he stole a film reel of the legendary Jerry Lewis film "The Day the Clown Cried" and made a pirated copy, which he has kept for 45 years.

After that, he also invited SVT Kulturnyheterna to view the film.

The news gained international attention and was covered by Newsweek and Vulture, among others.

Only Known Copy
The film, which is about a clown in Auschwitz during the Holocaust, has never been publicly shown and is considered a "holy grail" for film enthusiasts. It has long been regarded as lost; the copy Crispin has is the only known version with intact editing and sound.

Hans Crispin, who at the time worked copying porn films to VHS at Europafilm, stole the film along with a co-conspirator and kept it in secret for decades.

In the Kulturnyheterna interview a few weeks ago, he said he was now done with the secret and ready to pass it on to the next generation. And he has done so.

– I have sold it. For a modest sum. I can't reveal more. They came here and watched it. They made an offer. I accepted it, signed a paper, and promised not to tell anything more.

"You're not supposed to do that"
When asked how he feels about having sold something he in a "Jönssonligan-like" scheme stole and pirated so long ago, he responds that he has reflected on it over the years.

– Yes, I stole it. I did. And I've thought about it — you're not supposed to do that. That's how it is. But I really wanted to preserve it. And I looked up the statute of limitations a long time ago. Two years. And the rights to this film are so tangled that no one really knows who has rights to this copy.

How does it feel now, that your big secret is out?

– A bit empty, actually. I mean, I can't watch the film anymore. I’ve always been able to before. Or show it to someone. You and Caroline Hainer were the last to see "The Day the Clown Cried" at my place.

Kulturnyheterna's freelance critic Caroline Hainer shared the story of Hans Crispin in the magazine Icon. However, she believes that the film will likely be accessible to a wider audience in the future.

– Of course, there are financial interests. Jerry Lewis was one of the biggest comedians in the US in the 1950s. I guess it has fallen into the hands of someone who wants to distribute it. I would say there’s a risk that the public might see it. It’s a bad film."

Source: Hans ”Jönssonligan-kupp” blev en världsnyhet – nu har han sålt den legendariska filmen | SVT Nyheter