Andy Lewis Dies: Academy Award-Nominated Screenwriter Was 92

Andy Lewis, an Academy Awards nominee for co-writing the 1971 thriller Klute, has died. He passed away at his Walpole, New Hampshire home of natural causes on Feb. 28 at age 92.

Lewis co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Dave for Klute, which won Jane Fonda an Oscar for her portrayal of call girl Bree Daniels and also starred Donald Sutherland.

Born in Lexington, Massachusetts, Lewis served in the Army’s 86th Blackhawk Division in World War II. He returned from the war and finished his college career at Harvard, graduating in 1949.

Lewis worked odd jobs to support his early writing career, getting his break when he was offered a TV writing job for Omnibus. While working on a segment, he met Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy, and soon picked up speechwriting opportunities for JFK and several cabinet members.

In addition to speech writing, Lewis worked on TV drama series, writing episodes for Encounter, The DuPont Show with June Allyson, The Kraft Suspense Theater and Profiles in Courage. He also contributed to series like The Virginian, The FBI and Dr. Kildare while dabbling in theatre, producing the stage play, The Infantry, that ran off-Broadway in New York.

By 1985, Lewis retired from writing and began exploring architecture and a variety of other interests. He built his own home in New Hampshire and lived there until his death.

Lewis is survived by six children, their spouses, their children and grandchildren, by his partner, France Menk, and by their cat, Anteros.

Donations in his memory may be made to the New Hampshire Food Bank, 700 East Industrial Park Drive, Manchester, N.H. 03109.