Stephen Lewis, Star Of ‘On The Buses’ Comedy Series, Dies At 88 Singing, Joking, & Quoting Show [Video]

Stephen Lewis became known as the memorable Inspector Cyril “Blakey” Blake of On the Buses, which was a popular ITV comedy in the 1970s. Stephen, who died at 88, will be forever remembered both for that character and for his success both as a playwright and as an actor, reported the Guardian.

Although Lewis’ most notable success came as an actor, Stephen initially worked as a playwright. He authored Sparrers Can’t Sing and penned the screenplay for the movie version as well.

But it was On the Buses that came to be almost synonymous with Lewis’ name, not only for the series itself, which stretched out over more than 70 episodes, but for three films based on the comedy series.

Stephen initially worked as a merchant seaman, but as soon as Lewis experienced Theatre Workshop productions and discussed his views, he nabbed the chance to audition. And the rest made history.

In addition to acting and writing, Stephen was a political activist. He also appeared in Mutiny on the Buses (1972), Holiday on the Buses (1973), The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins (1971), and The Last Remake of Beau Geste.

Lewis retired in 2007 after battling arthritis. Stephen remained in a positive mood, said Rebecca Lewis, his niece, according to ITV News.

https://youtu.be/w5dEBoqYYWY

Stephen died in an East London nursing home, added Lewis.

“He was always singing and joking,” she revealed.

Rebecca shared the news on social media.

“Sadly my uncle ‘Blakey’ Stephen Lewis passed away yesterday. Very sad time for family,” Lewis wrote.

Family members mourning his loss included Stephen’s nephew Peter Lewis, who described his death as peaceful after worsening health in recent years.

“I’ll remember him as being a funny man,” said Peter. “He had terrible arthritis in one knee which really badly affected him, and many years ago he had prostate cancer – and whether that had come back we don’t know.”

And the nursing home manager Rashid Ebrahimkhan noted that Lewis loved to offer up quotes from On The Buses.

https://youtu.be/tlnUWcfve1c

“I’ll get you Butler,” Lewis would say,”Get these buses out Butler.”

Until his final days, Stephen kept his sense of humor, said Rashid.

“He was still quite funny. He still had his sense of humour, very much so, like he was on On The Buses. He had the sense of humour until the last.”

As the Inquisitr reported, actor George Foghorn Winslow recently died after rising to fame as Marilyn Monroe’s young co-star.

And like Lewis, he enjoyed his life until the end, said his friend Kevin Braafladt, who revealed that his friends knew him as Wally.

“The nicest guy you could ever know,” summed up Braafladt. “I think he was genuinely happy with where his life was.”

[Image Via On The Buses Fan Club]