thebaldian: Al Lewis
He was born in Wolcott, New York in 1923, but his family moved to Brooklyn very shortly afterwards.
Some of the many trades he supposedly plied were as a salesman, a barman, a teacher, a detective, a trade union organiser, a trapeze artist, a writer and a sailor.
It is impossible to distinguish between reality and fiction in his biography. For instance, he claimed to have formed part of the Sacco and Vanzetti Defence Committee but he was clearly a child at the time.
He made his debut appearance in film as the gangster Pretty Boy Floyd in 1955.
In 1964, he began working in the role that brought him fame; a s the grandfather in the Munster Family.
The TV series only ran for two seasons but Al Lewis was able to benefit from the role as a grandfather vampire for the rest of his career thanks to the show’s cult status.
In 1989, he opened the famous Grandpa’s restaurant in New York and in 1998, remaining true to his left-wing ideology; he was a candidate in the election for Governor of New York.
He received 52.000 votes and lost the election, but he continued to fight for prison reform, against police brutality and for the legalisation of marihuana until his death in 2006.
Some of the many trades he supposedly plied were as a salesman, a barman, a teacher, a detective, a trade union organiser, a trapeze artist, a writer and a sailor.
It is impossible to distinguish between reality and fiction in his biography. For instance, he claimed to have formed part of the Sacco and Vanzetti Defence Committee but he was clearly a child at the time.
He made his debut appearance in film as the gangster Pretty Boy Floyd in 1955.
In 1964, he began working in the role that brought him fame; a s the grandfather in the Munster Family.
The TV series only ran for two seasons but Al Lewis was able to benefit from the role as a grandfather vampire for the rest of his career thanks to the show’s cult status.
In 1989, he opened the famous Grandpa’s restaurant in New York and in 1998, remaining true to his left-wing ideology; he was a candidate in the election for Governor of New York.
He received 52.000 votes and lost the election, but he continued to fight for prison reform, against police brutality and for the legalisation of marihuana until his death in 2006.
