The Nutty Professor franchise consists of American science fiction-slapstick comedies,[1][2][3] including three theatrical films, one straight-to-home video release, and a musical stage play.

Based on an original story by Jerry Lewis, inspired loosely by Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886) by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Upon meeting beautiful women, they develop potions that transform them into attractive, confident, albeit villainous alternate personalities who attempt to take over their original counterparts.

[10] Lewis continued involvement with the franchise as executive producer for the remake film and its sequel and then later served as director of a musical stage production in 2012.

His new suave alter ego named Buddy Love, is challenged with winning Stella's affections before his short-supply of potion is depleted.

After a number of appearances, Klump extracts his alternate personality's genes and decides rid the world of his pesky partner, at the risk of his own psychological decline.

A laboratory incident including the accidental combination of the genes with dog hair, result in Buddy Love taking on his own existence outside of Klump's body.

In a final effort to defeat Buddy Love, the Professor develops a new and more potent formula that will degenerate the villain back to his state of genetic material.

As Klump slips away, Denise helps him drink the genetic matter, restoring his genius intellect and resetting everything back to normal.

After coming into conflict with a group of angry individuals involved in one of his demonstrations, Harold decides to attend a science academy run by his grandfather, Professor Julius Kelp.

[17][23][19] A musical comedy adaptation ran on Broadway after a tryout production that opened at the Nashville Tennessee Performing Arts Center from July to August 2012.

[38] The accompanying novel written by the author of the musical's script, Rupert Holmes, received praise for its use of comedy as well as for the meaningful underlying message.