{"id":4359,"date":"2006-02-05T03:54:53","date_gmt":"2006-02-05T07:54:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/formerlyknownas\/2006\/02\/05\/al-lewis-from-meister-to-muns"},"modified":"2011-08-05T14:54:11","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T18:54:11","slug":"al-lewis-from-meister-to-munster-much-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2006\/02\/05\/al-lewis-from-meister-to-munster-much-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Al Lewis: from Meister to Munster & much more"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Vampires live long and play many roles, and <\/FONT>Al Lewis<\/FONT><\/A> <\/FONT>was no exception.  <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
His Grandpa Munster<\/A><\/EM> character was so original, and lovably-grumpy, that <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
he turned a two-season <\/FONT>tv series<\/FONT><\/A> into a true <\/FONT>cult classic<\/FONT><\/A>, and will forever <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
be known as “Grandpa.”  But, this “generous, cantankerous, engaging <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
spirit” did so many things well, and with style and wit, that we can only <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
admire his full life as we mourn his passing. (Washington Post\/AP, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
Munster’s Al ‘Grandpa’ Lewis Dies at 95<\/FONT><\/A>, by Larry McShane, Feb. 4, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
2006). <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n
curtain call<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
for Grandpa Munster — <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
supine ovation<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
                  dagosan<\/FONT><\/EM><\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
\n
\"AlLewis\"<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
Let’s compare the curriculum vitae<\/EM> of Al Lewis, nee<\/EM> Alexander Meister, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
with the aspirations of so many of the best and brightest law students — <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
you know, the track that goes from college to law school to BigLaw to very <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
comfy retirement near a famous golf course.  Before he ever played the <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
roles of  Officer Schnauzer in “<\/FONT>Car 54 Where Are You?<\/FONT><\/A>” and Grandpa in <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
“The Munsters,” Al Lewis [see <\/FONT>Starpulse bio<\/FONT><\/A>]<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n

\n
– had been a circus performer, a school teacher, and a <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
vaudevillian, plus a hot dog vendor at Ebbets Field<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
– had earned a doctorate in child psychology from Columbia <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
University, authored two children’s books, and served as a<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
high school basketball scout<\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
\n
Later, he produced a kid-oriented home video, and hosted a series of <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
Saturday morning television shows on WTBS.  He has also owned and <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
haunted Grandpa’s Restaurant in Greenwich Village for many years.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
                                                                                                                              \"MunstersRevenge\"<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
                                                                                                                                 <\/FONT>Munster’s Revenge<\/EM><\/FONT><\/A> (1981)<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
Long after The Munsters<\/EM> ended its original run, Grandpa Lewis reprised his <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
role in a feature movie <\/FONT>Munster Go Home<\/FONT><\/A> (1966), and a made-for tv sequel <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
Munster’s Revenge<\/FONT><\/A> (1981).  He has also hosted a weekly radio talk show on <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
WBAI-FM in New York right up to his death, and was well-known for his <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
irreverent and raunchy appearances on various tv and radio shows. <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
Al Lewis came back into focus for me, 7 years ago, when (per <\/FONT>AP<\/FONT><\/A>):<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n

\n
“Just two years short of his 90th birthday, a ponytailed Lewis ran <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
as the Green Party candidate against incumbent Gov. George <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
Pataki. Lewis campaigned against draconian drug laws and the<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
 death penalty, while going to court in a losing battle to have his <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
name appear on the ballot as “Grandpa Al Lewis.”  <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
“He didn’t defeat Pataki, but managed to collect more 52,000 <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
votes.”<\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
\n
All in all, a pretty amazing life. When <\/FONT>asked<\/FONT><\/A> what accomplishment he is <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
proudest of, he firmly replied, “My three sons.”  On working with a young <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
Robert Zemeckis on one of Zemeckis’ first films, Used Cars<\/EM> (1980): <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
“That kid couldn’t direct traffic.”<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
One of a kind.  Al, I’m glad to have been on this planet while you were <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
here.  Thankgoodness you didn’t go to law school.  Sure wish I had <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
done a little circus and vaudeville.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n

\n

\n
\"GranpaMunster\" I wonder what Grandpa thinks of the CNN.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
International\/Entertainment headline that has been online <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
all this evening: “<\/FONT>Grandpa ‘Munster’ dies at age 82<\/EM><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/A>” (Feb. 4, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
2006).   A dozen years taken away — radio show host, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
Green Party candidate for Governor, long-suffering patient. <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
I bet he wouldn’t have traded the good and interesting times <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
to avoid the pain.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
\n

\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
“snowflakeL”<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
grandpa drags his daybed<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
to the front porch. . . <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
mockingbird’s songs<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n
coffee shop . . .<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
   the only empty seat<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
   still warm<\/FONT><\/DIV><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n

\n
<\/EM><\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n

\n
the pinwheel stops<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
     grandpa catches<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
     his breath<\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/EM><\/FONT>
\n
<\/EM><\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT><\/EM> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT><\/EM> <\/DIV>
\n

\n
<\/EM><\/FONT><\/DIV><\/FONT><\/EM><\/DIV>
\n

\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n

\n
funeral procession . . .<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
snowflakes blowing<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
into the headlights<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n
cedar walking cane<\/EM><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
hangs from the coat rack<\/EM><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
dust on the handles curves<\/EM><\/FONT><\/DIV><\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
\n
<\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/FONT><\/DIV><\/DIV>
\n

Randy Brooks<\/STRONG><\/FONT><\/A> <\/EM> <\/FONT>from<\/FONT> <\/FONT><\/EM><\/FONT><\/FONT>School’s Out<\/FONT><\/A><\/EM> (Press Here, 1999)<\/FONT>  <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/P><\/DIV><\/DIV>
\n


\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
                                                                                                       \"AlLewis\"<\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
\n

\n

\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Vampires live long and play many roles, and Al Lewis was no exception.  His Grandpa Munster character was so original, and lovably-grumpy, that he turned a two-season tv series into a true cult classic, and will forever be known as “Grandpa.”  But, this “generous, cantankerous, engaging spirit” did so many things well, and with style and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":94,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2926],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pre-06-2006"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6kP1R-18j","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4359","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/94"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4359"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4359\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12795,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4359\/revisions\/12795"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}