# Grandpa Munster, Al Lewis, Dead at 95 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 4, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020 "2006-02-04T20:07:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/1 "2006-02-04T20:07:17Z")
[Link](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060204/ap_on_en_tv/obit_lewis). Dang, I didn’t know he was still alive. He was a cool Munster. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/2 "2006-02-04T20:11:36Z")
Now, that’s a nice, long life. Refreshing after hearing about so many celebrities dying in the fifties or sixties. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/3 "2006-02-04T20:12:45Z")
He was quite a character. I always enjoyed his interviews on various programs. (I actually did know he was still alive). Funny guy, His campaign for Governor of NY was fun at least. Jim ---
**Author:** ![mikeargo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@mikeargo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikeargo)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/4 "2006-02-04T20:24:06Z")
Goodbye, Grandpa. Thanks for all the laughs. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/5 "2006-02-04T20:27:03Z")
Oh man, that is sad, I will always remember him saying one of the few lines that was funny from a movie of the Munsters: Paraphrased: “Grandpa, don’t tell me you are going to drink [blood]! You are supposed to abstain!” “Of course I am! But sometimes I would give everything for a bloody mary!” RIP. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/6 "2006-02-04T21:04:47Z")
Grandpa, you were a Gentleman and a Spook. We shall miss thee. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/7 "2006-02-04T21:06:29Z")
I can’t remember now, but I may have voted for him for Governor of New York in 2000. ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/8 "2006-02-04T21:33:16Z")
Car 54, where are you? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/9 "2006-02-04T22:24:50Z")
He was actually 83, though he lied about his age. Still, though, 83 is not too shabby. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/10 "2006-02-04T22:30:12Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > He was actually 83, though he lied about his age. Still, though, 83 is not too shabby. Cite please? Obits and IMDB place his birth in 1910. Thank you, Jim ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/11 "2006-02-04T22:37:30Z")
He was very funny as the judge in _ **Used Cars** _. He had a little minature guillotine and hanging scaffold right on his desk. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/12 "2006-02-04T23:15:13Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > Cite please? Obits and IMDB place his birth in 1910. > > Thank you, > Jim CNN says 83 [http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/04/lewis.obit.ap/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/04/lewis.obit.ap/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2006, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/13 "2006-02-04T23:41:25Z")
CNN’s AP article is exactily the same as the OP’s linked article (Yahoo, which is also AP). The only difference is the age. Neither give a year of birth or a reason to think he would have had to lie about his age. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/14 "2006-02-05T00:11:24Z")
The IMDB gives the year of birth as 1910. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/15 "2006-02-05T01:27:10Z")
The Munsters was on in the mid-60s, which would have made him in his early 40s then if he’s 83 now. I don’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Wrong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@Mr.Wrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Wrong)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/16 "2006-02-05T02:03:14Z")
I worked with Al on a commercial for TBS about 16 years ago. Nice guy, funny guy. Hit on just about every woman on the set, but he seemed more charming than Dirty Olde Man. Rest In Peace ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/17 "2006-02-05T02:36:35Z")
Ed Feldman and Joe L’Erario used to have Grampa Al on their shows from time to time (including “ **F** urniture **t** o **G** o”-- Best Show Name Ever!). When those guys idolize you, you know you have made it. ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/18 "2006-02-05T02:54:48Z")
What a great multi-faceted life Al led ! A toast to Grandpa. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/19 "2006-02-05T03:22:02Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > He was actually 83, though he lied about his age. And about a lot of other things. He had a reputation as a pathologically lying eccentric. Among other things he claimed 1- to have been born a gypsy and grown up in the circus (nope) 2- to have doctorates in education and child psychology (nope) 3- to rent three apartments in NYC, one for himself one for his wife and one for his books (nope) 4- to have been a descendant of Sarah Bernhardt (nope) And other things. This aspect of him is even brought out on his A&E biography. Still, it was considered part of his charm and it’s not like he ever went on Oprah swearing it was true or anything. One thing that was true is that he’s one of the few celebrities that fans were surprised to learn how _tall_ he was (usually it’s the latter) because starring with Fred Gwynne in his two most famous TV series didn’t emphasize his own height. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2006, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020/20 "2006-02-05T04:27:04Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > And about a lot of other things. He had a reputation as a pathologically lying eccentric. Among other things he claimed > > 1- to have been born a gypsy and grown up in the circus (nope) > 2- to have doctorates in education and child psychology (nope) > 3- to rent three apartments in NYC, one for himself one for his wife and one for his books (nope) > 4- to have been a descendant of Sarah Bernhardt (nope) > > And other things. This aspect of him is even brought out on his A&E biography. Still, it was considered part of his charm and it’s not like he ever went on Oprah swearing it was true or anything. No, he just gave out misinformation in every interview. 1989, UPI interview: he ran away at 12 to join the circus, did radio(“The Shadow” and worked with Orson Wells on the Mercury Theater), got his doctorate in Child Psychology from Columbia and practised for two years. What a guy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grandpa-munster-al-lewis-dead-at-95/343020.md?page=2)