Geoffrey Bond Lewis (July 31, 1935 – April 7, 2015) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 200 films and television shows, and was principally known for his film roles alongside Clint Eastwood and Robert Redford. He often portrayed villains or eccentric characters.
Life and career Lewis was born July 31, 1935, in Plainfield, New Jersey, but spent much of his youth in Wrightwood, California. He studied theater arts at San Bernardino Valley College for two years, then worked as a truck driver and at other odd jobs before launching his career as an actor. He took acting classes at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City and performed off-Broadway and at regional theaters in Massachusetts. He tried breaking into Hollywood in the 1960s.
Lewis appeared in TV series including Bonanza, Gunsmoke, Mannix, Mission: Impossible, Cannon, Barnaby Jones, Mork & Mindy, The Golden Girls, Lou Grant, Mama's Family, Magnum, P.I., The A-Team, Titus, Murder, She Wrote, The X-Files, Little House on the Prairie, Highway to Heaven, Starsky & Hutch, Walker, Texas Ranger, Law & Order: Criminal Intent and The Return of The Man From U.N.C.LE 1983 as Janus of Thrush. In 1979, he appeared in Salem's Lot. He also played opposite Polly Holliday in the Alice spin-off Flo (1980–81) for which he received a Golden Globe nomination. He co-starred with Fred Dryer in Land's End (1995–96).
His film credits include such movies as Down in the Valley, The Butcher, Maverick, and When Every Day Was the Fourth of July.
Lewis worked frequently with actor-director Clint Eastwood in several films, including Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Pink Cadillac, Any Which Way You Can, Bronco Billy, Every Which Way but Loose, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, and High Plains Drifter.Geoffrey Lewis profile, The New York Times; accessed April 8, 2015.
In the 1980s, Lewis was also a member of musical storytelling group Celestial Navigations with musician and songwriter Geoff Levin.
Personal life and death Lewis was married three times and had numerous children, with news outlets variously reporting that he had nine or ten surviving children. One of his children is actress Juliette Lewis with whom he acted in at least two films, Blueberry and The Way of the Gun. His other children include his daughters Brandy, Hannah and Dierdre Lewis and Emily Colombier; his sons Peter, Lightfield, Miles and Matthew; and nine grandchildren.
On April 7, 2015, he died of a heart attack at age 79. He had suffered the heart attack while working out at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital, according to his family. Miles Lewis told Variety he had been suffering from Parkinson's disease and dementia.
Selected filmography Year Title Role Notes 1963 The Fat Black Pussycat Man in Park Uncredited 1971 The Todd Killings Mr. Carpenter's son Welcome Home, Soldier Boys Francis Rapture, motel owner 1972 The Culpepper Cattle Co. Russ Bad Company Hobbs 1973 High Plains Drifter Stacey Bridges Dillinger Harry Pierpont My Name Is Nobody Leader of the Wild Bunch 1974 Thunderbolt and Lightfoot Eddie Goody Macon County Line Hamp 1975 The Great Waldo Pepper Newt The Wind and the Lion Samuel Gummere Smile Wilson-Shears Lucky Lady Captain Mosely 1976 The Return of a Man Called Horse Zenas 1978 Shoot the Sun Down Scalphunter Silver Saddle 2 Strike Snake Every Which Way but Loose Orville Boggs 1979 Centennial Sheriff Bogardus Tilt Truck Driver Human Experiments Doctor Hans R. Kline 1980 Tom Horn Walter Stoll Bronco Billy John Arlington Heaven's Gate Trapper Fred Any Which Way You Can Orville Boggs 1983 10 to Midnight Dave Dante 1984 Night of the Comet Carter 1985 Lust in the Dust Hard Case Williams Stitches Ralph Rizzo 1988 Time Out Mr. Steve Smith Out of the Dark Dennis 1989 Fletch Lives KKK Leader Pink Cadillac Ricky Z Catch Me If You Can Mr. Johnson Tango & Cash Captain Schroeder Uncredited 1990 Disturbed Michael Kahn 1991 Double Impact Frank Avery 1992 The Lawnmower Man Terry McKeen Wishman Hitchcock the Genie 1993 Point of No Return Drugstore Owner Joshua Tree Sheriff Cepeda The Man Without a Face Chief Wayne Stark Only the Strong Kerrigan 1994 White Fang 2: Myth of the White Wolf Heath National Lampoon's Last Resort Rex Carver Maverick Matthew Wicker / Eugene, banker The Dragon Gate Shin'ichi 1995 The Janitor Janitor Animated short, voice 1996 An Occasional Hell Draper Jewett 1997 American Perfekt Willy Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil Luther Driggers 1999 Five Aces Sloan 2000 The Prophet's Game Guest #1 The Way of the Gun Abner Mercer Highway 395 2001 Sunstorm Browner 2002 A Light in the Darkness Stanley Melnick The New Guy Principal Zaylor 2003 Mind Games Melvin Reeves A Painted House Mr. Spruill 2004 Blueberry Greg Sullivan (released in USA on DVD as Renegade) 2005 Social Guidance Lucky Marshall Down in the Valley Sheridan The Devil's Rejects Roy Sullivan 2006 Fingerprints Keeler Wicked Little Things Harold 2007 Cold Ones Felton Jones Moving McAllister Crazy Old Martin Uncredited 2008 I Am Somebody: No Chance in Hell Lewis Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage Butch 2009 The Butcher Naylor 2010 Pickin' & Grinnin''' || Cletus || |- | Miss Nobody || Mr. Ketchum || |- | 2012 || Mommy's Little Monster || Stanley Melnick || |- | 2016 || Retreat! || Sullivan || |- | 2018 || High and Outside'' Len Harding (final film role)
Television +YearTitleRoleNotes1972Moon of the WolfLawrence BurriforsTV film1972MannixErnestEpisode: "Days Beyond Recall"CannonJames BancroftEpisode: "Nobody Beats the House"MannixKillerEpisode: "Cry Silence"Mission: ImpossibleLuskEpisode: "Committed"1973-1980Barnaby JonesVarious3 episodes1974Honky TonkRoperTV film1974The Gun and the PulpitJason McCoyTV film1974The WaltonsElwood DobbsEpisode: "The Runaway"1974The Great Ice Rip-OffArchieTV film1975Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux KlanEd DuncanTV film1975The Streets of San FranciscoHarrisEpisode: "School of Fear"S.W.A.T.Jack BonelliEpisode: "The Killing Ground"Harry OSenator John EltonEpisode: "Mayday"Starsky & HutchAllen "Monk" PhilosEpisode: "The Fix"1976-1983Little House on the PrairieSam Galendar/Cole Younger2 episodes1976The New Daughters of Joshua CabeDuttonTV film1976The Great HoudiniDr. CrandonTV film1976Monster SquadThe SkullEpisode: "The Skull"1976The Rookies RitchieSeason 4, Episode 23 "Journey to Oblivion"1977The Deadly TriangleRed BaylissTV film1977The Hunted LadyMr. EckertTV film1977Hawaii Five-OCommander NolanEpisode: "Deep Cover"1977-1980Lou GrantSheriff/Jim Lawrence2 episodes1978When Every Day Was the Fourth of JulyAlbert “Snowman” CavanaughTV film1979The Jericho MileDr. Bill JanowskiSamuraiHarold TignerSalem's LotMike RyersonMiniseries1980Belle StarrReverend MeeksTV film1980-1981FloEarl Tucker1981Skyward ChristmasKoupTV film1982The Shadow RidersMajor Cooper Ashbury, Comanchero LeaderTV filmLife of the Party: The Story of BeatriceCaptain Charley RawlinsTV film1983Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.JanusTV filmMama's FamilyClaude Cainmaker2 episodesTravis McGeeJohn TuckermanTV filmSeptember GunSheriff JohnsonTV film1984Highway to HeavenHonest EddieEpisode: "Another Song for Christmas"1984-1985The A-TeamKale Sykes/Colonel Mack Stoddard2 episodes1985Stormin' HomeScooter LeeTV filmThe Fall GuyMatt BarrisEpisode: "The King of the Stuntmen"1986Dallas: The Early YearsEd PorterTV filmAnnihilatorProfessor Alan JeffriesTV filmSpot Marks the XDirty JerryTV filmMacGyverDavid CraneEpisode: "Silent World"1987The Golden GirlsChuckEpisode: "Empty Nests"Designing WomenDr. Davis JacksonEpisode: "Mary Jo's Dad Dates Charlene"1988Desert RatsDel RainsTV filmPancho BarnesBen CatlinTV film1989Desperado: The Outlaw WarsOliver OstrowTV film1990 Gunsmoke: The Last ApacheBodineTV filmMatters of the HeartFrank HarperTV film1994Day of ReckoningMattTV filmWalker, Texas RangerSheriff Beau LangleyEpisode: "Badge of Honour"Gambler V: Playing for KeepsLynchTV film1995When the Dark Man CallsJohn "Parmenter"TV filmKansasJ.D.TV film1996Trilogy of Terror IIStubbsTV film1997Rough RidersEliMiniseriesThe UnderworldJoeTV film1999The X-FilesAlfred FelligEpisode: "Tithonus"2001TitusCalvinEpisode: "Dave Joins the Army"2003Dawson's CreekUncle Bill2 episodes2004Law and Order: Criminal IntentButchEpisode: "In the Dark"2006Wild HeartsHankTV filmCriminal MindsCoronerEpisode: "The Boogeyman"2007House, M.D.Older ManEpisode: "One Day, One Room"
References
External links
Geoffrey Lewis; Aveleyman.com Celestial Navigations official website