Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Death of Al Lewis

Topic Closed

my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

»	Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE » Community » Film-Yak » Death of Al Lewis (Page 1)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2

Author

Topic: Death of Al Lewis

Leo Enticknap
Film God

Posts: 7474
From: Loma Linda, CA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 10-03-2005 07:35 AM

quote: Los Angeles Times
Al Lewis, 97, award-winning sound engineer for motion picture theaters, died Sept. 25 in his Cupertino, Calif., home of kidney failure.

Born Sept. 7, 1908, in Holdrege, Neb., Lewis grew up building radio sets and working as a theater projectionist. He moved to Sacramento in 1935 to work for Altec, and later Ampex and ElectroSound, installing and maintaining sound systems.

He equipped Radio City Music Hall in New York City, the Samuel Goldwyn Theater at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and many old Hollywood movie palaces. He also set up sound systems for premieres, including that of "Funny Girl" at the Egyptian Theatre.

In 1986, the Academy of Motion Picture of Arts and Sciences awarded him a medal of commendation. Four years later, the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers gave him the Samuel L. Warner Award for his lifetime work.

| IP: Logged

Sam D. Chavez
Film God

Posts: 2153
From: Martinez, CA USA
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 10-03-2005 11:03 AM

Al was the father figure and example for all theatre technicians that followed in his foot steps. He personified class and style in an end of the business that could use all it can get.

I'll bet no theatre manager ever asked Al to fix the popcorn machine. One thing about Al is that he did not suffer fools gladly.

His best work was in his days at Ampex, particularly the tube based equipment. The product was by far the best one could get anywhere in terms of build quality and the fidelity of the audio coming from it.

The solid state equipment that came later had all the style but not the audio quality of his earlier work.

Al had a great life.

| IP: Logged

Bob Koch
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 183
From: williams ca
Registered: Nov 2001

posted 10-03-2005 12:57 PM

I cannot improve on Sam`s comments on Al. I knew him for over 50 years starting when I came to Sacramento for RCA Photophone in 1950 and guess who my competitor with Altec was? Right. He was already a legend in No Ca. Anyway, he helped me with everything technical, as I was very green. I soon learned from him not to pay any attention to our company`s entreaties to go after the others business. Al was an old IA man joining in Beatrice Nebraska in the very late 20`s.He said we`re both getting the same scale to do the best work for our customers. I`ve known many people in the technical end of the business but none with the memory of this man. He remembered details of early Western Electric equipment the same way he explained to me every thing aboutIMAX. One of my last conversations with him was a discussion of Western Electric motor control cabinets of 1930 which he explained to me; I never did know how the damned things worked.
He is all the good things Sam posted, maybe more.I will miss him terribly.

| IP: Logged

Michael Coate
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1904
From: Los Angeles, California
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 10-03-2005 04:34 PM

Before reading, I expected the thread to be about "Grandpa Munster"

| IP: Logged

David Stambaugh
Film God

Posts: 4021
From: Eugene, Oregon
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 10-03-2005 05:00 PM

[original text removed by author]

[ 10-03-2005, 10:59 PM: Message edited by: David Stambaugh ]

| IP: Logged

Sam D. Chavez
Film God

Posts: 2153
From: Martinez, CA USA
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 10-03-2005 05:03 PM

Both Al Lewis's are probably chuckling about this. The one I knew had a pretty impish sense of humor.

| IP: Logged

Frank Dubrois
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 896
From: Cleveland, OH
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 10-03-2005 05:06 PM

Is grandpa munster still alive?

| IP: Logged

Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-03-2005 06:19 PM

I've seen Al's photo in alot of old theatre magazines over the years. There was one photo if him taken in the Cinerama Dome back when it opened and he was in front of the new Ampex sound rack in that install. I'm sure that he will be missed by many in the industry and there were but a handful of engineers since the 20's that were on Al's level!!

Mark

| IP: Logged

Bill Gabel
Film God

Posts: 3873
From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 10-03-2005 06:48 PM

quote: Frank Dubrois
Is grandpa munster still alive?

Yes, Grandpa munster is still alive. He's 95 years old this year.

imdb

| IP: Logged

Bob Koch
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 183
From: williams ca
Registered: Nov 2001

posted 10-03-2005 07:47 PM

As we used to say in my day:what a pile of horses asses. What a complete insult to this man, who none of you have enough expertise or talent to carry his equipment upstairs. I realize, upstairs means nothing to morons whose idea of a full house encompasses all of 75 people.

| IP: Logged

David Stambaugh
Film God

Posts: 4021
From: Eugene, Oregon
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 10-03-2005 08:55 PM

No disrespect was meant to the memory of the Al Lewis who is the actual subject of this thread. Since I'm not familiar with the man or his contributions to film exhibition, I'll take the word of others that Mr. Lewis was a giant in the business.

Condolences to all.

quote: Sam D. Chavez
Both Al Lewis's are probably chuckling about this. The one I knew had a pretty impish sense of humor.

| IP: Logged

Bob Koch
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 183
From: williams ca
Registered: Nov 2001

posted 10-03-2005 09:30 PM

Since you are not familiar with the man; why did you feel qualified to make any comment? People like you are what is wrong with the world.

| IP: Logged

Frank Dubrois
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 896
From: Cleveland, OH
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 10-03-2005 09:40 PM

Bob,

Whats your problem? Seeing the name Al Lewis instantly sparks pictures of grandpa munster for A LOT of people. Seeing as though they are roughly the same age..I see no disrespect in confusing the two. Lighten up...no one was trying to be nasty. [beer]

| IP: Logged

Bob Koch
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 183
From: williams ca
Registered: Nov 2001

posted 10-03-2005 09:45 PM

Frank:
It sure as hell sounds nasty to me.

| IP: Logged

Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-03-2005 10:31 PM

Bob: You're going to get this nice tribute thread locked if you don't quit griping at people.

It's nobody's fault if they got the names confused. When I first saw the thread title, I too thought it was about Grandpa Munster and I've been in this business 30 years. So forcripesake, lighten up.

It's been great to read about this engineer who I knew nothing about beforehand, probably because I'm here in the boondocks of Montana and had no reason/ability to ever meet him. I look forward to more stories and great memories.

| IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2

Printer-friendly view of this topic

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.