Posted on 02/04/2006 11:43:23 AM PST by lunarbicep
NEW YORK -- Al Lewis, the cigar-chomping patriarch of "The Munsters" whose work as a basketball scout, restaurateur and political candidate never eclipsed his role as Grandpa from the television sitcom, died after years of failing health. He was 95.
Lewis, with his wife at his bedside, passed away Friday night, said Bernard White, program director at WBAI-FM, where the actor hosted a weekly radio program. White made the announcement on the air during the Saturday slot where Lewis usually appeared.
"To say that we will miss his generous, cantankerous, engaging spirit is a profound understatement," White said.
Lewis, sporting a somewhat cheesy Dracula outfit, became a pop culture icon playing the irascible father-in-law to Fred Gwynne's ever-bumbling Herman Munster on the 1964-66 television show. He was also one of the stars of another classic TV comedy, playing Officer Leo Schnauzer on "Car 54, Where Are You?"
But Lewis' life off the small screen ranged far beyond his acting antics. A former ballplayer at Thomas Jefferson High School, he achieved notoriety as a basketball talent scout familiar to coaching greats like Jerry Tarkanian and Red Auerbach.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Addams Family was far,far better.Gomez,Morticia,Lurch,Fester,Grandmama,Cousin It... great stuff.
I can't recall what night it was on, but I do remember my dad roaring with laughter at that show. It was so New York.
ping....
Absolutely, positively, must see if you are a salesman of any type.
"Three hundred bucks? Ahhhh, I don't think so, old man. I gotcha card."
"UUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHH" (Luke Fuchs vapor locks)
I roll on the floor every damn time...
RIP
Yeah... it WAS New York.
I almost forgot how hot Pat Priest was in her day.
"Contrary to what is listed in some sources, Al Lewis was born in 1923 and not 1910. He changed his birthdate to 1910 when he was cast in the role of "Grandpa" on the television series "The Munsters" so that he would appear to be older than Yvonne DeCarlo, who played his daughter "Lily"."
Why don't you see for yourself Judge!
Interesting that Fred Gwynne's last movie role was a judge.
"We don't inherit the world from our ancestors, we borrow it from our kids." With those words in late August, Grandpa Al Lewis accepted the Green Party nomination for Governor of New York. "
Oh brother - the GREEN PARTY!!
Who's Butch?
Did you mean Eddie?
The girl who played Marilyn Munster was really pretty but she looked far older than the high school-college age character she portrayed.
We all know that celebrity bad news comes in threes. First Leif Garrett gets busted. Then Lance and Sheryl Crow break up. And lastly, Grandpa Al passes on.
We need to lean on each other to get through these calamitous times. I wonder if Bush will address the nation tonight?
That would make sense - can't believe a guy who was married for 20 years each to 2 different women would wait until he was 46 to tie the knot for the first time; 33 years old sounds a lot better. So he was 82, not 95. I'd accept kicking off at 82.
Wow, didn't know that Yvonne De Carlo was actually one year older than Lewis. Never would've guessed. Very attractive lass in her own right. And so was Beverely Owens, the first Marilyn. Says at imdb.com that she left the show to get married. Interesting times.
Now this is sad. Used to hear him every once in awhile on the Alan Handelman show. He seemed pretty cool for an older gentleman.
When I was a boy, I ran into Grampa at the Waldorf Astoria parking lot in Kansas City. As soon as he noticed I recognized him, he told me to come over to him and ask me all about school and my friends. When we finished talking, he thanked me for talking to him and told me I was a fine young man. He probably told every kid that, but I felt special for a couple of years. Cheesy, but true.
Where did you hear this?
Give him credit he actually ran against Hitlery under the Green Party in 2000.
Where did you hear this?
-I didn't hear it, I read it. Can't hear to well, ipod and all.
(Any hungry lawyers reading this?)
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