An American character actor best known for his role as Count Dracula lookalike Grandpa, opposite Fred Gwynnes and Yvonne De Carlos 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, Dont 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, Im 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]
Mike Jacobs
Film 1978
Grandpa
Film 1981
Tramp
Film 1973
Himself
Film 2007
Grandpa
Film 1973
Grandpa Munster
Film 1966
Self
Film 2001
Vernon Cooger
Film 1992
Film 1987
Store Owner
Film 1964
Restaurant Guest
Film 1995
Self (archive footage)
Film 2006
Poon
Film 1996
Guard at Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
Film 1974
Grandpa Munster (archive footage)
Film 2015
Film 1988
Captain Levi
Film 1989
Self - Actor
Film 1991
Judge Cirrhosis
Film 1975
Himself
Film 1989
Sam Sharp
Film 1974
Grampa
Film 1988
Grampa
Film 1988
Grampa
Film 1989
Grampa
Film 1989
Himself
Film 2004
Uncle Gene
Film 1996
Machine Gun Manny
Film 1960
Film 2006
Mr. Wolfstadt
Film 1988
Assistant (uncredited)
Film 1957
Film 2005
Grandpa Munster
Film 1965
Film 1993
The Godfather (voice) (uncredited)
Film 1975
Father Hanlon
Film 2002
Grampa
Film 1988
self
Film 2004
Tv 1965
Tv 1969
Tv 1960
Tv 1991
Tv 1981
Self
Tv 1962
Zalto
Tv 1965
Tv 1953
Tv 1955
Mishkin (segment "Make Me Laugh")
Tv 1970
Bruno the Mobster
Tv 1955
Self
Tv 1988
Various (voice)
Tv 1994
Officer Leo Schnauser
Tv 1961
Harry Whipple
Tv 1964