CineScope
Al Lewis picture

Al Lewis

Acting
Known For

82 Years Old

An American character actor best known for his role as Count Dracula lookalike "Grandpa", opposite Fred Gwynne's and Yvonne De Carlo's characters on the CBS television series The Munsters from 1964 to 1966 and its subsequent film versions. Later in life, he was also a restaurant owner, political candidate, and radio broadcaster. His acting career begins the well-documented portion of his life. He worked in burlesque and vaudeville theaters, then on Broadway in the dramas The Night Circus (1958) and One More River (1960) and as the character Moe Shtarker in the musical comedy Do Re Mi (1962). His earliest television work includes appearances on the Beverly Garland crime drama Decoy and The Phil Silvers Show. From 1959–63, he appeared in four episodes of Naked City. Lewis' first well-known television role was as Officer Leo Schnauser on the NBC sitcom Car 54, Where Are You? from 1961–63, also starring Fred Gwynne (Lewis reprised the role in the 1994 movie of the same name). In the series, Lewis first played Al Spencer the Auto Body Man in two early first-season episodes before landing the more familiar role of Officer Schnauser. But he is best remembered as "Grandpa" on The Munsters, which ran on CBS from 1964–66. In 1967, Lewis played the part of Zalto the wizard in the Lost in Space episode, Rocket to Earth. His first role in a movie was as Machine Gun Manny in Pretty Boy Floyd (1960). He had small roles in The World of Henry Orient (1964), They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969), They Might Be Giants (1971). He appeared as Hanging Judge Harrison in Used Cars (1980) and had a minor role in Married to the Mob (1988). His last film role was in Night Terror (2002). Lewis was a recurring guest on The Howard Stern Show. In 1987, during a "Howard Stern Freedom Rally" against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that was broadcast live, Lewis repeatedly shouted "F*** the FCC!" until Stern was able to take the microphone away from him. Stern and the station were not punished for Lewis' comments. Unlike some actors, Lewis did not mind being typecast. He enjoyed acting out his "Grandpa" character—in the original costume—and got a surprising amount of mileage from such a short-lived role. "Why not?" he said. "It pays the bills." In 1991, he appeared as Grandpa Munster in an episode of Hi Honey, I'm Home on ABC. In 1991, he appeared in a low-budget New Zealand family movie called Grampire (My Grandpa Is a Vampire in the U.S. version), wearing much the same costume as he did in The Munsters. From 1987–89, Lewis hosted Super Scary Saturday on TBS in his Grandpa Munster outfit. This would later be parodied in Gremlins 2: The New Batch with the character of "Grandpa Fred" (Robert Prosky). [Biography from Wikipedia]

Born

New York City, New York, USA on 30th April 1923

Died

3rd February 2006

All Credits

Love, American Style Image
Love, American Style
The Merv Griffin Show Image
The Merv Griffin Show
Self
Here's Lucy Image
Here's Lucy
Mr. Barker
The United States Steel Hour Image
The United States Steel Hour
Route 66 Image
Route 66
American Experience Image
American Experience
Self
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Image
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Harry Whipple
The Phil Silvers Show Image
The Phil Silvers Show
Bruno the Mobster
The Phil Silvers Show Image
The Phil Silvers Show
The Munsters Image
The Munsters
Grandpa
Car 54, Where Are You? Image
Car 54, Where Are You?
Officer Leo Schnauser
Decoy Image
Decoy
Chi Chi
Green Acres Image
Green Acres
Charlie
Baseball Image
Baseball
Various (voice)
Night Gallery Image
Night Gallery
Mishkin (segment "Make Me Laugh")
Taxi Image
Taxi
Security Guard
Naked City Image
Naked City
Mr. Carrari
Naked City Image
Naked City
Mr. Tanner
Naked City Image
Naked City
Gus
Naked City Image
Naked City
Mr. Pike
Hi Honey, I'm Home! Image
Hi Honey, I'm Home!
Lost in Space Image
Lost in Space
Zalto
Best of the West Image
Best of the West
Death Wish Image
Death Wish
Guard at Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
Married to the Mob Image
Married to the Mob
Joe Russo
They Shoot Horses, Don't They? Image
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Turkey
Used Cars Image
Used Cars
Judge Harrison
Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy Image
Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy
Self
The Night Strangler Image
The Night Strangler
Tramp
Coonskin Image
Coonskin
The Godfather (voice) (uncredited)
Munster, Go Home! Image
Munster, Go Home!
Grandpa Munster
Car 54, Where Are You? Image
Car 54, Where Are You?
Leo Schnauzer
Lust of the Vampire Image
Lust of the Vampire
Assistant (uncredited)
They Might Be Giants Image
They Might Be Giants
Messenger
Here Come the Munsters Image
Here Come the Munsters
Restaurant Guest
The World of Henry Orient Image
The World of Henry Orient
Store Owner
The Munsters' Revenge Image
The Munsters' Revenge
Grandpa
The Boatniks Image
The Boatniks
Bert
South Beach Academy Image
South Beach Academy
Uncle Gene
Ring of Passion Image
Ring of Passion
Mike Jacobs
Bum Rap Image
Bum Rap
Mr. Wolfstadt
Fast Money Image
Fast Money
Poon
Coney Island Image
Coney Island
Self - Actor
Pretty Boy Floyd Image
Pretty Boy Floyd
Machine Gun Manny
Marineland Carnival: The Munsters Visit Marineland Image
Marineland Carnival: The Munsters Visit Marineland
Grandpa Munster
My Grandpa Is a Vampire Image
My Grandpa Is a Vampire
Vernon Cooger
Midnight Blue, Vol. 3: Celebrities Edition Image
Midnight Blue, Vol. 3: Celebrities Edition
Self (archive footage)
The Mini-Munsters Image
The Mini-Munsters
Grandpa
Ramones: Raw Image
Ramones: Raw
Himself
Night Terror Image
Night Terror
Father Hanlon
No Image
Auto-Tune the Munsters: A Rock Opera
Grandpa Munster (archive footage)
No Image
Save the Dog!
Fright House Image
Fright House
Captain Levi
White House Madness Image
White House Madness
Judge Cirrhosis
The Munsters - Family Portrait Image
The Munsters - Family Portrait
Grandpa
Al Lewis: Forever Grandpa Image
Al Lewis: Forever Grandpa
Self
No Image
Howard Stern's U.S. Open Sores
Himself
No Image
Porn King: The Trials Of Al Goldstein
Goodbye, America Image
Goodbye, America
Himself
Grampa's Sci-Fi Hits Image
Grampa's Sci-Fi Hits
Grampa
Grampa's Silly Scaries Image
Grampa's Silly Scaries
Grampa
Grampa's More Silly Scaries Image
Grampa's More Silly Scaries
Grampa
Black Starlet Image
Black Starlet
Sam Sharp
Midnight Blue: Vol. 5: Porn King Image
Midnight Blue: Vol. 5: Porn King
No Image
Comic Cabby
The Munsters: America's First Family of Fright Image
The Munsters: America's First Family of Fright
self
Al Lewis in the Flesh Image
Al Lewis in the Flesh
No Image
Grampa Presents Carnival Of Souls
Grampa
No Image
Grampa’s Monster Movies
Grampa