From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Al Lewis (actor)
Al Lewis (actor)
Al Lewis most of the information comes from interviews he gave,
but there are inconsistencies in his statements. Some-
times he gave his birth year as 1910, other times 1923.
Ted Lewis, his son, said his father was born in 1923. Dan
Barry of the New York Times wrote in reference to Lewis:
"Actors who lie about their age usually subtract, not add,
years, and few would have the nerve to fudge those years
by more than a decade."[4] Al may have been born under
the name Albert Meister or Alexander Meister[5] to a
Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York.[6]
Other sources place his birth in Wolcott, New York,[5]
but no official record of his birth has been published to
date (2006), and officials in Wolcott say they have no
record of any Meister. The Times wrote: "Lewis was born
Albert Meister, probably in 1923, although he insisted
that he was born in 1910. This, and Lewis’s many other
questionable stories, means that much of the actor’s life
Al Lewis as Grandpa in The Munsters
is a broth of conjecture that his fans will no doubt squab-
Born Albert Meister ble over for years to come."
April 30, 1923(1923-04-30) On his application for a Social Security number, com-
New York City, New York, U.S. pleted sometime between 1936 and 1950, Lewis gave a
Died February 3, 2006(2006-02-03) (aged 82) date of birth of 30 April 1923.[1] The date of birth must be
New York City, New York, U.S. verified by a birth certificate for the enrollee to receive
age-related benefits.
Other "Grandpa" Al Lewis
names As to why Lewis might have lied about his age, the
most common theory is that in 1964 he might have been
Occupation Character Actor concerned about being a year younger than Yvonne De
Years 1949–2006 Carlo, who was cast to play his daughter, Lily.
active In a 1998 interview with Walt Shepperd, Al Lewis said:
Spouse Marge Domowitz Lewis (m. 1956–1977)
«start: (1956)–end+1: (1978)»"Marriage:
My mother was a worker, worked in the garment
Marge Domowitz Lewis to Al Lewis (actor)" trades. My mother was an indomitable spirit. My
Location: (linkback://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ grandfather had no sons. He had six daughters.
Al_Lewis_(actor)) They lived in Poland or Russia, every five years it
Karen Ingenthron (m. 1984–2006) would change. My mother being the oldest daugh-
«start: (1984)–end+1: (2007)»"Marriage:
Karen Ingenthron to Al Lewis (actor)"
ter, they saved their money, and when she was
Location: (linkback://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ about 16 they sent her to the United States, not
Al_Lewis_(actor)) knowing a word of English. She went to work in the
garment center, worked her back and rear-end off
Al Lewis (April 30, 1923[1] – February 3, 2006) was an and brought over to the United States her five sis-
American character actor best known for his role as ters and two parents. I remember going on picket
"Grandpa Munster" on the television series The Munsters lines with my mother. My mother wouldn’t back
and its subsequent film versions. Later in life, he was also down to anyone.[7]
a restaurant owner, political candidate, and radio broad-
caster.[2] Education
Lewis said he moved to Brooklyn, New York, with his
Early life family as a child and attended Thomas Jefferson High
School, from which he left in his junior year. He later
Lewis was born Albert Meister on April 30, 1923.[1][3] Few
attended Oswego State Teachers College (now SUNY
other facts about Lewis are known with any certainty;
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Al Lewis (actor)
Oswego). He also claimed he earned a Ph.D. in child psy-
chology from Columbia University in 1941. The universi-
ty, though, has no record of this.[7] In other interviews
he also claimed he joined the Merchant Marine prior to
World War II and spent time in Italy.
Career
Acting
Lewis on his WBAI radio program Al Lewis caricature by Jim McDermott
His acting career begins the well documented portion
which was broadcast live on the air, Lewis repeatedly
of his life. He worked in burlesque and vaudeville the-
shouted "fuck the FCC!" until Stern was able to take the
aters, then on Broadway in the dramas The Night Circus
microphone away from him. Stern and the station were
(1958) and One More River (1960), and as the character Moe
not punished for his actions.
Shtarker in the musical comedy Do Re Mi (1962). His ear-
From 1987 to 1989, Lewis hosted an afternoon horror
liest television work includes two episodes of The Phil Sil-
movie show on the Turner Broadcasting network in his
vers Show in 1959, and four episodes of Naked City from
Grandpa Munster outfit. This would later be parodied in
1959 to 1963. His first well-known television role was
the film Gremlins 2: The New Batch, with the character of
as Officer Leo Schnauser on Car 54, Where Are You? from
"Grandpa Fred" (Robert Prosky).
1961 to 1963 (also in the 1994 movie), although he is best
In 1987 he opened an Italian restaurant called Gram-
remembered as Grandpa on The Munsters, which ran on
pa’s Bella Gente at 252 Bleecker Street in Greenwich Vil-
American television from 1964 to 1966 and for years lat-
lage, New York City. In September 1989, he also opened
er in re-runs. He had a guest role as a clumsy space ma-
and ran a comedy club called "Grandpa’s" on New Dorp
gician in a Lost in Space episode called "Rocket To Earth."
Plaza in the New Dorp section of Staten Island .
His first role in a movie was playing Machine Gun Man-
Al Lewis was featured in the Atari 7800 game Midnight
ny in Pretty Boy Floyd (1960). He played the role of a bank
Mutants,[8] an action-adventure title with a Halloween
robber in Green Acres (1968). He also played the character
theme. His appearance in the game mirrored his Grandpa
Turkey in They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? (1969). Lewis had
persona in the Munsters television series.
also played the role of a stern judge in Used Cars (1980)
Unlike some actors, such as Rob "Meathead" Reiner,
His last role in a movie was Father Hanlon in Night Terror
Leonard "Spock" Nimoy and Ron "Horshack" Pallilo,
(2002).
Lewis did not mind being typecast. He enjoyed acting out
In 1991, he appeared in a low-budget New Zealand
his "Grandpa" character...in the original costume...and
family movie called My Grand-dad’s a Vampire (Grandpa in
got a surprising amount of mileage from such a short-
the US version) wearing much the same costume as he
lived role. "Why not?" he said. "It pays the bills."
did in The Munsters. The costume designer was Ngila Dick-
son, who went on to win an Oscar for her costume de-
signs for Lord of the Rings. Politics
He was also a recurring guest on The Howard Stern Lewis has claimed that he was a member of the Sacco and
Show. In 1987, during a "Howard Stern Freedom Rally" Vanzetti Defense Committee in 1927 and that he worked
against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Al Lewis (actor)
He died on February 3, 2006, of natural causes in a hospi-
tal. He was cremated, and his funeral was held at River-
side Church in New York City. His favorite gospel music
was played, and he was buried on February 18, 2006 in his
favorite cigar box.[citation needed]
References
[1] ^ Record of "Al Lewis"; April 30, 1923 – February 3,
2006; SSN: 050-18-4924. Social Security
Administration. Social Security Death Index. Provo,
Utah: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2006.
[2] "Al Lewis, 95, Is Dead; Played Grandpa on ’The
Munsters’". The New York Times.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/
Lewis during his Green Party of New York campaign for Gover- fullpage.html?res=9D0DE4DE173EF936A35751C0A9609C8B63&scp=
nor. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
[3] ^ "Actor and storyteller famous for his role as
in the 1930s to free the Scottsboro Boys. However, both of Grandpa Munster.". London: Times Online. 2006.
these occurrences would be unlikely if he had been born http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/
in 1923. 0,,60-2027770,00.html. Retrieved 2008-03-20. "Lewis
In a 1997 interview, Lewis also claimed that he was an was born Albert Meister, probably in 1923,
organizer in the Food, Agricultural and Tobacco Workers although he insisted that he was born in 1910. This,
Union in North Carolina in the 1930s. Once on his WBAI- and Lewis’s many other questionable stories,
FM radio program Lewis said, "If anything I consider my- means that much of the actors life is a broth of
self an anarchist." conjecture that his fans will no doubt squabble
As an activist, he hosted a politically oriented radio over for years to come. ... He is survived by his
program on WBAI, and ran as Green Party candidate for second wife, Karen, and by three sons from his first
Governor of New York in 1998. In that race he sought marriage."
to be listed on the ballot as Grandpa Al Lewis, arguing [4] Barry, Dan (11 February 2006). "Hey, Whose
that he was most widely known by that name. His request Grandpa Didn’t Tell Some Tales?". New York Times.
was rejected by the Board of Elections, a decision upheld http://query.nytimes.com/gst/
in court against his challenge. Despite this setback, he fullpage.html?res=940CE0D8153EF932A25751C0A9609C8B63&sec=&
achieved one of his campaign objectives. His total of Retrieved 2007-07-21. "Newspapers across the
52,533 votes exceeded the threshold of votes set by New country, including this one, published a small
York law (50,000), and hence guaranteed the Green Party correction a few days ago. Al Lewis, the actor who
of New York an automatic ballot line for the next four played Grandpa in The Munsters, died on Roosevelt
years. (See Election results, New York governor.) He said Island last week at the age of 82. He was not,
that, with no political machine and no money backing repeat, not 95. A 13-year discrepancy in the age of a
him, the likelihood of winning the governorship would minor celebrity poses no threat to the well-being
be like climbing Mount Everest barefooted.[9] of our nation. Nor does it silence the laughter that
Mr. Lewis continues to coax from us through
sitcom perpetuity, or diminish the passion he
Family life demonstrated as an advocate for reform and the
Lewis married Marge Domowitz in 1956, with whom he Green Party candidate for governor in 1998, when
had three sons. The marriage ended in divorce in 1977, he was 88 — that is, 75."
and in 1984 he married actress Karen Ingenthron, his [5] ^ "Al Lewis, 95, Dies; Portrayed Grandpa on ’The
wife for the remainder of his life.[3] Munsters’". Associated Press in New York Times.
February 5, 2006. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/
02/05/nyregion/05lewis.html. Retrieved
Death 2007-07-21. "Al Lewis, the cigar-chomping
He lived on Roosevelt Island. In 2003, he was hospitalized patriarch of "The Munsters" whose work as a
for an angioplasty, and complications from the surgery basketball scout, restaurateur and political
led to an emergency bypass and the amputation of his candidate never eclipsed his role as Grandpa from
right leg below the knee and all the toes on his left foot. the television sitcom, died on Friday after several
years of failing health. He was 95 [sic] and lived on
3
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Al Lewis (actor)
Party political offices
Preceded by Green Party Nominee for Governor of New Succeeded by
York Stanley Aronowitz
1998
Roosevelt Island. Mr. Lewis died with his wife at his Party’s candidate and has formed a Senate
bedside, said Bernard White, program director at exploratory committee."
WBAI-FM in New York City, where the actor had
been the host of a weekly radio program for
years."
External links
[6] ’Grandpa Munster’ Al Lewis dies. 05/02/2006. The • Al Lewis at the Internet Movie Database
Space: Arts News • Al Lewis at the Internet Broadway Database
[7] ^ "Al "Grandpa Munster" Lewis runs for governor". • TV’s Grandpa Munster dies at 82 BBC, 5 February
New Times. Archived from the original on 2006.
2006-02-18. http://web.archive.org/web/ • Goodbye ’Grandpa’ - ’Munsters’ icon Lewis dead Daily
20060218095845/http://newtimes.rway.com/1998/ News, 5 February 2006
102898/cover.shtml. Retrieved 2007-02-14. "Al • New Times Interview
Lewis figures he could be the next governor of New • Shadow Interview, 21 October 1997
York state if he had a million dollars. All he needs, • Munster Mansion Memorial for Al Lewis
he says, is six television commercials and 25 to 30
radio spots running across the state for a month. Persondata
Then he could turn the governor’s mansion into a Name Lewis, Al
day-care center and kick every member of the state
Legislature out of Albany." Alternative names Meister, Albert
[8] AtariAge - Atari 7800 - Midnight Mutants (Atari) Short description Actor, radio personality, politician
[9] "Al gets fangs into Big Apple.". BBC. August 11, Date of birth April 30, 1923
1999. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/
Place of birth New York City, New York, U.S.
417321.stm. Retrieved 2008-03-20. "The 89-year-
old, who played Hermann Munster’s blood-sucking Date of death February 3, 2006
father-in-law, is hoping to become the Green Place of death New York City, New York, U.S.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Al_Lewis_(actor)&oldid=466407780"
Categories:
• American anarchists
• American film actors
• American television actors
• American radio personalities
• American actor–politicians
• New York Greens
• Jewish actors
• Jewish American politicians
• People from Brooklyn
• People from Roosevelt Island
• 1923 births
• 2006 deaths
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