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 ...
That would be quite a feat.
And on top of that Betty Friedan dies. How will we ever cope?
I was just thinking the same thing... Measuring the cars!
Mark
That statement is an "add-on", which is at odds with the mention earlier in his Wiki biography that Lewis received his PhD in 1941.
BYW: His wife, Sylvia, was played by Charlotte Rae. Better known as Mrs. Garrett on The Facts Of Life. The most excruciatingly painful sitcom known to man.
That leaves Butch Patrick, Yvonne DiCarlo, and Pat Priest as the surviving cast members of "The Munsters".
No doubt there will a debate between which show was better, "The Munsters" or "The Addams Family". I liked them both but the Munster's had a cooler house.
Also Carolyn Jones, who played Morticia on The Addams Family and is also deceased, played the role of Teddy(Theodora) in the classic 1956 movie "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and she was also a villainess(can't remember which) on the 60's Batman series.
And also gave George(raving liberal bigmouth) Clooney his start in Hollyweird.
That picture sure stirred up some cobwebbed memories.
I think my folks brought me to the premier of the movie, "Munster's Go Home" in the mid 60's. I believe Al Lewis as "Grandpa" was there signing autographs, and I distinctly remember that blue/green make up. I was all of about 3 years old.
No matter how zany or looney left you were, RIP, Grandpa.
I 'gotta glimpse of Butch Patrick on something-or-other recently. The years have been hard on him.
Euhw! Euhw! Jumpin' Jehosofat!
Euhw! Euhw!
Maybe so, but I voted for him instead of George Pataki once :)
RIP, Grandpa.
Actually, there were two different actresses who played Marylyn.
The first one left after a season or two, I remember reading one time.
His progeny lives on...
and vaguely remember that this is the picture he would give out.
I grew up in Palm Springs, CA. I remember that he lived on Racquet Club Dr. just around the corner from us.
I watched Addam's Family on KCET out of Los Angeles. I distinctly remember that AF did not come on that day, but this new program the Munsters did. I was fairly angry, for a young lad. After watching the Munsters, I was ok with the change.
That's pretty cool, actually.
Basketball junkie...
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