Edward Lewis (producer)

Edward Lewis (December 16, 1919 – July 27, 2019)[1] was an American film producer and writer.

Biography

Lewis was born in Camden, New Jersey to Max Klein and Florence (Klein) Lewis. Before graduating, Lewis went to Bucknell University, and then to dental school. Before graduating, he served in the United States Army in England as a Captain, at a military hospital. After World War II, he lived in Los Angeles, where he married Mildred Gerchik; they had two daughters.[2] He died at his home in Los Angeles, California.[1]

Career

He was known for his collaborations with John Frankenheimer, producing or executive producing nine films with him. He is best known for producing Spartacus (1960) with Kirk Douglas. Lewis also wrote several books.

With Spartacus, Lewis contributed to ending the Hollywood blacklist by commissioning Dalton Trumbo to write the screenplay and 'fronting' for him, only revealing the subterfuge to Universal-International when Spartacus was nearly completed.[2] Trumbo is reported to have written of Lewis that he "risked his name to help a man who’d lost his name".[3]

Film Credits

Spartacus (1960)
The Last Sunset (1961)
Lonely Are the Brave (1962)
The List of Adrian Messenger (1963)
Seven Days in May (1964)
The Fixer (1968)
The Gypsy Moths (1969)
The Extraordinary Seaman (1969)
The Horsemen (1971)
Executive Action (1973)
Missing (1982) He shared an Academy Award nomination for best picture with his wife, Mildred Lewis.
Crackers (1984)
The River (1984)

Other work

Drama

1963 Broadway adaptation of Ken Kesey's novel "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", co -produced with David Merrick.

Television

Executive producer of the mini-series The Thorn Birds. The series won an Emmy.

Books

Brothers (1977), co-authored with Mildred Lewis (fictionalized account of the relationship between black activist Angela Davis and George Jackson, a prison inmate).
Heads You Lose (2002) co-authored with Mildred Lewis
Masquerade (2006)
I am Spartacus! Making a Film, Breaking the Blacklist. (2012)

References

Barnes, Mike (August 12, 2019). "Edward Lewis, Producer of Spartacus, Missing and Grand Prix, Dies at 99". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
Roberts, Sam (August 15, 2019). "Edward Lewis, 'Spartacus' Producer Who Defied Blacklist, Dies at 99". New York Times. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
Smith, Harrison (August 13, 2019). "Edward Lewis, Spartacus producer who helped break the blacklist, dies at 99". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 14, 2019.

External links

Edward Lewis at IMDb

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[THRobit-1] Barnes, Mike (August 12, 2019). "Edward Lewis, Producer of Spartacus, Missing and Grand Prix, Dies at 99". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 14, 2019.

[:0-2] Roberts, Sam (August 15, 2019). "Edward Lewis, 'Spartacus' Producer Who Defied Blacklist, Dies at 99". New York Times. Retrieved September 4, 2019.

[3] Smith, Harrison (August 13, 2019). "Edward Lewis, Spartacus producer who helped break the blacklist, dies at 99". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 14, 2019.