George J. Lewis

The 'brains' and 'action' heavies who had meaty roles and lots of dialog ... and the players who were fathers, ranch owners, lawman, mayors, judges, lawyers, storekeepers, newspaper editors, wardens, etc.

George J. Lewis is a very familiar face to fans of the western and serial. Born in Mexico, his silent and sound screen credits number in the hundreds, and his Hollywood film work began in the 1920s and continued through the early 1960s. While he often portrayed bad guys, he occasionally had the lead/hero role, such as in THE WOLF DOG (Mascot, 1933) and ZORRO'S BLACK WHIP (Republic, 1944) cliffhangers.

Les Adams has Lewis identified in about 200 sound era films, of which 82 are westerns and 25 are serials. Lewis worked in about 35 films at Republic Pictures from 1936-1951, and roughly half of those appearances were in chapterplays. As with many of the B western supporting actors, Lewis also did some shorts including the Three Stooges.

He turned up on the TV screen in the 1950s and 1960s in shows like ANNIE OAKLEY, RIN-TIN-TIN, WILD BILL HICKOK, SGT PRESTON, WYATT EARP, GENE AUTRY, RANGE RIDER, ROY ROGERS, LONE RANGER, and more. His best remembered small screen role is that of the father of ZORRO on the Walt Disney TV show of the same name which starred Guy Williams.

You may want to go to the In Search Of .. page on the Old Corral, and check the California Death Records database. There you will find a record for George Joseph Lewis, born 12/10/1903 in Mexico, and he passed away on 12/8/1995. There is a corresponding record in the Social Security Death Index (SSDI).

Above is George J. Lewis as "Don Alejandro de la Vega", the father of the masked hero in the ZORRO TV show.

Above are George J. Lewis (without his customary moustache) and heroine Linda Stirling in the serial, ZORRO'S BLACK WHIP (Republic, 1944).

Above, from L-to-R, Helen Deverell looks on as George J. Lewis has the drop on Three Mesquiteers' hero Tom Tyler in THE BLOCKED TRAIL (Republic, 1943).

In this lobby card, from L-to-R are: Smiley Burnette, Bud Geary, star Bob Livingston, George J. Lewis and Leander de Cordova in THE LARAMIE TRAIL (Republic, 1944).

Although some of the data is incomplete or inaccurate, the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) has information on George J. Lewis. Click HERE.