My Train of Thought

AND NOW....GEORGE J. LEWIS

He is probably best known/remembered as the patriarch of the De La Vega line, whose hacienda was located just outside the pueblo of Los Angeles.  For those who may have just discovered Disney's Zorro series on COZI-TV, they may not be aware of George J. Lewis' extensive acting career.

He was born in Guadalajara, Mexico where two dates appear on records - December 10 and 12, 1904; however, at the age of six, he and his family relocated to Brazil to avoid the Mexican Revolution.  George's two brothers, Carroll and Victor Jr. were also born in Guadalajara.  His father, Victor Courtenay Lewis was born in New York, while his mother, Maria de la Luz Garcia was born in Spain.  Victor's work demanded that he travel and sometimes move the family - from Wisconsin to Long Beach, California where he was stationed in WWI; to Rio de Janeiro representing U.S. business interests; to Princeton, Illinois, Nogales, Arizona, and Coronado, California after his government service ended.  It was in Coronado that his son, George J. Lewis would finish high school.

 









During the 1920s, as with most starting actors, George's appearances were mostly uncredited/minor in silent films.  In 1926 he did a four year stint in two-reel films called The Collegians, a series following the same actors in the roles during their college years.  George's character was Ed Benson.  Once silent films gave way to the "talkies", Lewis left this project to take on more character roles.  The 1930s afforded more opportunities for him in various genres - westerns, comedy, and mystery/crime dramas.  Some of his co-stars were established actors like Clara Bow, Gilbert Roland, Bela Lugosi (in a non-Dracula role), Robert Young, Ward Bond, Charles Middleton (Ming the Merciless in Flash Gordon),  and Gene Autry.  The 1940s brought Republic serials to movie theaters and Lewis had his share of screen time in them.  As one source indicated, Lewis was seen "sporting a mustache in most of his talkie appearances", where he "played a steady stream of society villains, weaklings...and cads, at both Republic Studios and the Columbia short-subjects unit." (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/george_j_lewis/biography).

 One of his best serial works was Federal Operator 99 in which he was cast as a diabolical villain plotting the death of the hero while playing classical piano.  Occasionally, George was on the right side of the law as seen in the 1944 serial Zorro's Black Whip.  How prophetic that after doing this project he would be cast in another feature for "The Fox" thirteen years later!   

His co-stars of this era included Hopalong Cassidy, Duncan Renaldo (who would become The Cisco Kid), Leo Carillo (Pancho of The Cisco Kid), and Clayton Moore (The Lone Ranger), to name just a few.

He continued in films during the 1950s, but was now a familiar face on the small screen.  His first television appearance was actually in 1949 when he was reunited with Clayton Moore in the premiere episode, "Enter the Lone Ranger".  He was cast as a the half-breed scout Collins, who betrayed the Texas Rangers and led them to be massacred by the Cavendish gang.  Lewis guest starred throughout The Lone Ranger series.  Some of his other television shows were The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok, Roy Rogers Show, The Range Rider, The Gene Autry Show, The Adventures of Superman, The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, and later on,  77 Sunset Strip and Daniel Boone.

 

Whether it was the fact that Lewis had so much screen time, that he had been in many Hispanic films, or had a history with the Zorro character, Disney decided he was perfect as Don Alejandro de la Vega.  In many of his films and TV series, Lewis was cold as steel, calculating and a devious villain, while his Don Alejandro was impassioned, emotional, loyal to the Spanish crown, and a devoted father.

Once he retired from acting, George kept busy as a real estate broker.  He had previously obtained his real estate license in the 1940s, which had supported him in between acting jobs.  He was so successful that he was able to close his realty office in the 1970s and turned to golfing.  He also took the opportunity to appear at film and B-western conventions.  Just two days shy of his 92nd birthday, Lewis died of a stroke.   According to BillionGraves.com, Mr. Lewis was laid to rest in the Danville National Cemetery, Danville, Illinois. 

¡Descansa en paz, Señor Lewis!
Rest in peace, Mr. Lewis!