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]
2015
as Grandpa Munster (archive footage)
2007
as Himself
2006
2006
as Self (archive footage)
2005
2004
as Himself
2004
as self
2002
as Father Hanlon
2001
as Self
1996
as Uncle Gene
1996
as Poon
1995
as Restaurant Guest
1994
as Various (voice)
1994
as Leo Schnauzer
1993
1991
1991
as Vernon Cooger
1991
as Self - Actor
1989
as Captain Levi
1989
as Grampa
1989
as Himself
1989
as Grampa
1988
as Grampa
1988
as Self
1988
as Grampa
1988
as Mr. Wolfstadt
1988
as Joe Russo
1988
1988
as Grampa
1987
1981
1981
as Grandpa
1980
as Judge Harrison
1978
as Security Guard
1978
as Mike Jacobs
1975
as The Godfather (voice) (uncredited)
1975
as Judge Cirrhosis
1974
as Sam Sharp
1974
as Guard at Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
1973
as Grandpa
1973
as Tramp
1971
as Messenger
1970
as Mishkin (segment "Make Me Laugh")
1970
as Bert
1969
as Turkey
1969
1968
as Mr. Barker
1966
as Grandpa Munster
1965
1965
as Zalto
1965
as Grandpa Munster
1964
as Harry Whipple
1964
as Grandpa
1964
as Store Owner
1961
as Officer Leo Schnauser
1960
1960
as Machine Gun Manny
1958
as Mr. Pike
1958
as Gus
1958
as Mr. Tanner
1958
as Mr. Carrari
1957
as Chi Chi
1957
as Assistant (uncredited)
1955
1955
as Bruno the Mobster
1953