February 5, 2006

Al Lewis, 1923 - 2006.

Al Lewis
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.

[...]

In 1998, a ponytailed Lewis ran as the Green Party candidate against incumbent Gov George Pataki. Lewis campaigned against what he said were 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 than 52,000 votes.

The AP's Larry McShane.



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Posted by dwhudson at February 5, 2006 11:06 AM

Comments

As someone I know points out, Al Lewis died the night before Betty Friedan. And they look an awful lot alike.

Posted by: tb at February 5, 2006 8:05 PM

One of the less pleasant aspects of Lewis' post-Munsters life was the years he spent trolling kids' basketball games all around New York as a talent peddlar for shoe companies. He was in essence a scout for Nike, Adidas, etc., locating young talent and being paid for signing kids to the companies.

Posted by: Shawn at February 6, 2006 7:54 AM

Al Lewis was not born in brooklyn in 1923, as variously reported. He was born in 1910 in Wolcott, NY (east of Rochester). He was 95 when he died, not 82.

Hey folks...check your facts before reporting/copying information blindly.

Posted by: olen soifer at February 14, 2006 7:28 AM

Olen, I did actually double-check that day; the wires (Reuters, the AP) were initially reporting 1910; a family member evidently insisted that it was 1923 and all the wires switched to that date, so I considered that the correction. I have have to admit that I didn't know they'd switched back, so thanks.

Posted by: David Hudson at February 14, 2006 9:53 AM