Grandpa Al Lewis has passed away (announced on WBAI radio) n/t

[clitzpah queen]

[sasha031]

1. Oh, he was a terrific actor

I loved the Munsters when I was a kid. May he rest in peace.

[Kadie]

2. Actor, Politician Al Lewis Dies at 95 - Yahoo! links...

Actor, Politician Al Lewis Dies at 95
By LARRY McSHANE, Associated Press Writer
53 minutes ago


NEW YORK - Actor 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 several years of failing health. He was 95.

more..,.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060204/ap_on_re_us/obit_lewis_1


'Grandpa Munster' Al Lewis Dies at 95

snip...
Just two years short of his 90th birthday, a ponytailed Lewis ran as the Green Party candidate against incumbent Gov. George Pataki. Lewis campaigned against draconian drug laws and the death penalty, while going to court in a losing battle to have his name appear on the ballot as "Grandpa Al Lewis."

He didn't defeat Pataki, but managed to collect more 52,000 votes.

more...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060204/ap_en_tv/obit_lewis_7

[LuCifer]

12. Truer words were never spoke: "FUCK THE FCC!!!"

I was wondering how long the poor guy would hold on. Shit man, 95 years old! Musta been doing SOMETHING right!!!

ONE LAST TIME, GIMME A "FUCK THE FCC" FOR AL!!!!!!!!!!!!

My 2 favorite parts of that yahoo obit are:

At one point during the '90s, he was a frequent guest on the Howard Stern radio show, once sending the shock jock diving for the delay button by leading an undeniably obscene chant against the Federal Communications Commission.

and

A year later, he was back offering his recollections of a seminal punk band on the DVD "Ramones Raw."

We will truely miss him...

[FreedomAngel82]

31. Oh gosh I adored him

:cry: I love "The Munsters."

[Joe Fields]

3. You sure he didn't just turn into a bat? n/t

[CatWoman]

6. that was NOT funny

[Joe Fields]

14. And just what do you find so funny about my responding

to the wrong person? Now THAT'S just wierd.

[CatWoman]

16. I think you need to calm down.

[MuseRider]

4. He was a good man.

RIP Al Lewis you will be remembered well.

[Joe Fields]

7. Hey, I liked Al Lewis probably long before you were born. Lighten up.

[CatWoman]

9. LOL

Methinks you responded to the wrong poster.

Consider me "lightened" up :D

[Joe Fields]

13. I may have replied to the wrong person, but I WAS talking to you.

[CatWoman]

15. I know that. I thought I was making that clear.

as I said "consider myself lightened up".

Chill.

It's all good.

[Joe Fields]

19. Okay, sorry, meant no harm. Was only trying to lighten up a sad day.

Not every joke is a gem. Truce?

[CatWoman]

20. Truce!!

:hi:

[MuseRider]

29. Watch who you are talking to!

LOL, I wish I had a nickel for every time I have done that. I had to go back and look at what I had said, your reply really stung me for a second!

Peace.

[CatWoman]

5. oh nooooooooooooooo

He was such a wonderful man.

A true Liberal to boot!!

[clitzpah queen]

8. He'd probably bristle at the term "Liberal" -- I think he identified more

as an old time radical -- socialist, anti-racist, etc.
Definetely of the ilk: Don't Mourn, Organize!

[radio4progressives]

38. Yep, Al was a hard core New York Socialist to the nth degree

I met him once during the Pacifica Wars. he was one of the "fired and banned" wbai during the bad ole days of massive purges, (the xmas palace coup of 2000) when the network got hijacked by democratic party functionaries and corporate hacks (mid nineties) who intended to "tone" down and dumb down programming content among other things

there's a photo tribute of grandpa lewis at the website

http://www.wbai.org/

[latebloomer]

40. Hey, I was there, too!

Protesting outside the building on Wall street, right after the coup, when they wouldn't let certain programmers into the building.

How do you feel about the current BAI regime? I must say I'm not too happy with what happened after they regained power. I find BAI virtually unlistenable these days.

[ovidsen]

10. One of a kind

I was living in NYC when Al Lewis opened a pizza restaurant in Greenwich Village in the mid 1980s. He was not an absentee owner! Al was always there, schmoozing and joking with diners...

And the food was GREAT!! I'll miss ya, Al....

[no_hypocrisy]

11. "Grandpa" was quite the activist and anti-politician.

Here's an interview to memorialize him.
http://shadow.mediafilter.org/shadow/S43/S43grand.html

He got the Green Party a permanent ballot spot on New York elections by running for governor.

He was a bodyguard for W.E.B. DuBois.

His radio program on WBAI in NYC (Pacifica Radio) was the most no holds-barred format EVER. I remember him bellowing on the air during the Clinton years, "Can someone please tell me what is the BIG DEAL about a fucking BLOW-JOB?!" He spoke frequently at prisons as well.

He tirelessly worked to repeal the NYS Rockefeller drug laws.

He raised money to fund appeals of death row inmates.

More, so much more.

Grandpa's words for us to live by: "NOTHING WILL BE CHANGED UNTIL YOU GET THE ASSES OF THE MASSES OUT IN THE STREET."

We have truly lost a great man.

Sympathy cards may be sent to Karen Lewis, P.O. Box 277, NY, NY 10047.

[tatertop]

21. very interesting interview

[KittyWampus]

17. What an admirable charcter and activist for Truth!

:toast:

[CatWoman]

18. I remember seeing this news/documentary about him

and I was in awe of him and his energy level.

This guy was kicking ass when he was in his 90's.

[buddhamama]

22. bummer !

from what i knew of him he was a good person.

[proud patriot]

23. the world just lost a great man

:-(

[Straight Shooter]

24. I have no words to express how I feel.

Great man, and one of the most memorable characters ever on a sitcom.

Fly in peace, Al, to your new home amongst the stars.

[CatWoman]

25. Butch Patrick said that when he was at his lowest, being an out of work

former child actor, he could always look to Al to help him out.

[Loge23]

26. Irreplacable

We just don't see people like Al Lewis anymore.
These are the last of the schtick guys - the Borsch circuit crowd.
Great character actors who leave a mark - their act sticks with you.
Jerry Stiller is another - and Doris Roberts for that matter.
You can't help but smiling when you think of Grandpa, what a great legacy. RIP.

[Smarmie Doofus]

27. I voted for him for Governor, but only because...

I wanted to be able to SAY that I voted for Grandpa Munster , and the DEM candidate was either the contemptible Vallone or someone else who could not possibly win.

In reality, Lewis said a lot of nutty things ( eg. "John Gotti isn't such a bad guy. What's the big deal?") and would not have made a good governor.

*Herman* Munster, maybe; but not Grandpa.

[GreenPartyVoter]

28. He was a funny guy. RIP, Grandpa!

[Dr Fate]

30. "The Munsters" is probably my very favorite TV show...

That and the "Monkees" and the Adam West Batman are all burned on my brain from after-school TV...

I rent The Munsters on Netflix all the time- funny as hell- I mean good old-fashoined, out-loud belly laughs.

RIP Grandpa!!!!

[bananas]

32. He was also on "Car 54, Where Are You?"

Bye, Grandpa.

[BigBearJohn]

34. What's funny is both Gramps and Herman starred in Car 54

[DainBramaged]

33. Shit shit shit shit, more reasons to be unhappy

It's bad enough Buckaroo Bushai is fucking the planet over, but we keep losing great people during his reign.


Maybe it's all good in the end. They don't have to see him invade Iran and cause WWIII.

[MrSlayer]

35. Grandpa Al was a great guy. He was so great on the Stern show.

FUCK THE FCC!
FUCK EM!
FUCK EM!

R.I.P. Grandpa Al!

[dave123williams]

36. That guy was a senior citizen since the 60's. What a run!

[stevietheman]

37. I went to this restaurant in Greenwich Village once... and he was...

actually there greeting the patrons. Seemed like a very friendly old man.

RIP Grandpa.

[no_hypocrisy]

39. Sympathy cards to:

Karen Lewis
P.O. Box 277
New York, NY 10044

(Note: I had the wrong zipcode in the my prior post. Sorry!)

[Ohio Joe]

41. RIP Grandpa

[La Coliniere]

42. I'll miss him,

a unique man, that's for sure. Rest in peace Al!

[BattyDem]

43. I'm so sorry to hear that. He was such a sweet man!

I met him several times when he owned "Grampa's", an Italian restaurant in Greenwich Village. He would always sit outside in a director's chair, smoking a cigar. We'd say, "Hey Grandpa!" and he'd say, "Hey kids, howya doing?" He made you feel like a friend even though he had no idea who you were, LOL! He talked with us a couple of times while we were dining - he was very funny and friendly. He always had a good story to tell. :-)

A toast to a great guy! :toast: He'll be missed.