Politician- Actor Grandpa 'Munster' dies at age 82

[Clara T]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/04/lewis.obit.ap/index.html

Grandpa 'Munster' dies at age 82

Al Lewis was also a basketball scout, political candidate

Sunday, February 5, 2006; Posted: 11:45 p.m. EST (04:45 GMT)

Al Lewis died Friday at the age of 82.

NEW YORK (AP) -- 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 82. The actor was widely reported to have been born in 1910, but his son Ted Lewis said Saturday that his father was born in 1923.

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. He operated a successful Greenwich Village restaurant, Grandpa's, where he was a regular presence -- chatting with customers, posing for pictures, signing autographs.

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.

[Wetzelbill]

1. RIP

:)

[BeyondGeography]

2. Nice guy

Among other things, he really knew his basketball. I bumped into him during halftime of a Knicks-Bulls playoff game in the mid-90's and he was totally into it. Can't remember what was said, only that he knew his shit and enjoyed bantering with us non-celebrities from the blue seats. A classic New Yorker...

[Kire]

3. He was 95

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0506891/

CNN seems to still have the wrong age:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/2/4/18719/73644

[Edgewater_Joe]

4. That's A Life I Hope To Lead

The Chicago Sun-Times did an article on his basketball scouting. Apparently he was one of the first guys to discover Oscar Roberston, and well into his 80s he was still paid by a colleges, his views were so respected.

Plus, unlike so many stars who got angry for being known for one role, he relished it and simply used the notoriety to live other parts of his life.

That's a lesson others should learn.

Godspeed, Grandpa. Take a well-earned spin on the Dragula for us.

[MrSlayer]

5. R.I.P Grandpa Al. Fuck the FCC!!!

Your words will echo forever.

[Swamp Rat]

6. Bye bye Grandpa Al!

:hi:

[Diogenes2]

7. A cool guy

Grandpa we hardly knew ye...

[McKenzie]

8. RIP Grandpa - I loved The Munsters

I have the theme tune on this computer.

The Munsters shows represented gentle humour of a kind that is all but gone.

[Historic NY]

9. Cripe sakes CNN can't even get the guys age right........

[Karmakaze]

10. To the people who say CNN got is age wrong...

Did you actually read the article? They clearly say: "The actor was widely reported to have been born in 1910, but his son Ted Lewis said Saturday that his father was born in 1923."

1910 would make him 96 - and 1923 would make him 83, the age they reported. Now either the son did NOT say he was born in 1923, or CNN did in fact get his age right and it is everyone ELSE who is getting it wrong.

[fishwax]

11. what an interesting life

RIP, Al Lewis ...

[rucky]

12. He lived in Albuquerque for awhile.

We'd always see him at the UNM basketball games. Nice guy.

[jzodda]

13. sad

He used to own a comedy club here in Yonkers NY called shooting stars back in the mid to late 80s. On Fri and Sat nights he would be the MC. I went many, many times in the few years it was open. He was a really nice and funny guy. He would talk to the people after the show and as they left he would sign autographs.

My friend was an aspiring comic and went there to perform on the open mic night each week. Grandpa sat him down one night around 1989 or so to help him with his material after the show. I also gave some advice (to my friend) from an audience perspective. Then we started to talk about Mike Tyson and the heavy weight boxing division. I'll not forget that night soon. It was an interesting night and an eye opening one for my friend who went on to become a fairly big comic performing all over the country before he died of aids in 1996.

[Clara T]

14. RIP Al

A good man who made people laugh and cared about others.

[dad]

15. dude was 82

According to an interview with his family members, the 1910 date is a "story" and the real date is 1923, which is apparently backed up by official paperwork (hat tip to the site "Who's Alive and Who's Dead").

From Who's Alive and Who's Dead:
Q. Wasn't Al Lewis really born in 1910?
A. No, he was born on 23 April 1923. This has been documented on his birth certificate and college application. These documents were shown on an episode of "A&E Biography" in 2000. I know, he claims to have been in the circus in the 1920s and in the merchant marine in the 1930s, but he wasn't really. He lied about his age to get the part of
Grandpa, and he's been lying about it ever since.

[Javaman]

16. Nothin' muffins!!!

My favorite episode of the Munsters is when Herman becomes a hit rock star with his version of the song "Dem Bones". He goes on to become a pompous ass. Lily and Grandpa have to do something to reign him in. Grandpa suggests "Nothin' Muffins". They turn anything good into Nothin'!

So sure enough they easily cajole Herman into singing his famous hit song. And as he hits the high note, the back door of the kitchen opens, there is Grandpa dressed as Napoleon beside a small cannon. He fires! A muffin flies through the air and right into Herman's mouth. He swallows it. His once baritone voice becomes a squeaky high pitched castrati LOL

I still think of that episode and it still cracks me up.

God bless you Al, you will always be Grandpa Munster to me.

Rest in Peace.