Emmanuel Lewis (born March 9, 1971) is an American actor, famous for playing the title character in the 1980s television situation comedy “Webster”. He’s 4ft 3in (1.30m) tall. He’s frequently compared to Gary Coleman, star of “Diff’rent Strokes”.
When Diff’rent Strokes became a hit on NBC with Gary Coleman in the starring character, ABC attempted, with a few success, to duplicate that show’s convention of depicting a little African American boy being raised in a white family. The resulting show, Webster, made Lewis a star. Lewis was nominated for four Young Artist Awards. In 1985, he was nominated for the exact same award but it went to Billy Jayne of It Is Challenging. In once, Lewis also was the kid representative for the Burger King Whopper. He’s a professional of taekwondo. He’s also mentioned as the Antichrist in the 1996 tune “Fire Water Burn” by The Bloodhound Gang.
Webster , The Tallest 40 Inches in Hollywood , Manny , エマニエル
Awards
People's Choice Awards for Favorite Young TV Performer
Record Labels
Emmanuel Lewis Entertainment
Nominations
Young Artist Award for Best Young Actor
Movies
“A Midsummer Night's Dream” (1982), “Webster” (1983-1989), “A Christmas Dream” (1984), “The New Adventures of Mother Goose”, “Family Matters” (1997), “Lost In London” (1985),
TV Shows
The Surreal Life: Fame Games, The Surreal Life, Webster, 100 Greatest Kid Stars, Black in the 80s
Star Sign
Pisces
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Trademark
1
Chipmunk laugh, turned asthmatic laugh after growing up
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His height
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Quote
1
[on Alex Karras]: Alex was a really cool guy, he was the 'gentle giant,' with me. He was very intimidating because he was the lineman for the Detroit Lions. I wasn't even born in the era that he actually played football. Everybody that was older knew how [much] of a scary guy he could be, but when dealing with him on the set he was very protective of me. We would always have lunch together, on more occasions than not, and we would sit at the dining room table on the set, we would go to one of our rooms and we would have our own meals and we would run lines and do stuff together.
2
[on his off- and off-screen chemistry with Alex Karras, who played George Papadapolis]: He was a giant of a man with a big heart, a great sense of humor, and very grounded outlook on life. He might have towered over you... but he had a knack of being able get down to your level without being small about it.
3
[on the death of Alex Karras]: My heartfelt condolences goes out to Susan, Katie, George, Renny, Peter and the entire Karras & Clark family. My prayers are forever with you guys. I had a very heavy heart this morning and I did not know why. I understand now. Rest in Peace, my friend.
4
I was a workaholic basically at the time, and loved every single second of it.
5
When asked who is the president of his corporation: "Mom. But as for treasurer, I don't know. But *I'm* the owner."
6
I want to produce, direct, write. Learning as I go. Learn this area, do that. Learn that area, do that. And I plan to go to college and study business. Understanding the business is a *must*. So you can be on top of things all the time. You have to think one step, two steps, three steps ahead. You can't just sit still.
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[on how he was 16 and still playing a child in the series, 'Webster']: "There was no reason for me to get frustrated, because I was an actor, and that's what my job said: actor. So you don't play yourself. You're playing a character."
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[on Michael Jackson]: He said I was his form of inspiration. He loved our humor and just hanging out and having fun, with not just me, but my whole family.
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I could not go anywhere. I would get mobbed. Once on a shopping trip with my mom, there was a crowd of people in front of the door yelling, 'Bring out Webster! Bring out Webster!' And they're ranting and they're chanting, and all of a sudden, we heard this thing go '{CLASH!}', and they busted the front display window.
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The only time I've ever gotten nervous was at the White House. I was singing 'White Christmas.' And I had to think, 'Well, Mrs. Reagan is sitting there and all these kids are watching--if I mess up, they're going to hate me.' And the Main Man was just sitting on my shoulder saying, 'Lots of luck, kid'.
11
I don't want Webster to be bad. I've had lots of kids come up to me and talk to me like I'm Webster and say, 'You're so bad.' But Webster should be a role model.
12
I've had my production company for a few years, but I've just started bringing it out in the last year. I've been thinking up new things to do with it. Last year we did 'Lost in London' [a CBS TV-movie]. Now I'm looking to move into the feature-film field. We're all working hard on our own ideas for a story, and we're looking for good writers. Where are the good writers? They seem to be hiding.
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[on his family]: We weren't rich and we weren't poor. We were just happy if we got 50 cents for the week just to go get some snacks every once in a while.
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It was never a shock to me. It was never a thing where I'd say, 'Oh, my God! What's going on here?' You know, I'm short. Alright. - on his slow growing process
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My mom is extremely protective of me. Wherever I went, my mom and my family went.
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I would never really expose any of my girlfriends to the Press. Everything that I would have with them would be very private. I didn't want to put them through what I had to go through. *I* had to do it. *They* didn't.
17
I love the concept that if I ever wanted to walk away from show biz without having to depend on any past money, I can have current money being taken care of all the time.
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Fact
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Founded his own music label, Emmanuel Lewis Entertainment (June 2000)
His physical size combined with his age made his Hollywood clout all that more incongruous.
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Had no entourage or limo during his Webster (1983) fame. His mother drove him to work and home.
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According to endocrinologists, he has all the potential for normal growth.
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Remained friends with Michael Jackson up until his death, though they rarely saw each other.
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Became a budding entrepreneur, dabbling with both a limousine company and a car wash service.
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Chooses his projects very carefully. He turned down an offer to play an urban gang-banger.
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His tight-knit family kept him off the destructive path traveled by so many child stars.
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His contract was renegotiated by his agent and attorney after the first season of Webster (1983) to commit him to five more seasons and give him a share of the profits, including syndication money.
Was 12 years old when Webster (1983) first premiered. The series finale premiered just one day after his 18th birthday.
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Was often mistaken for Gary Coleman because of the 3 things he had in common with the Diff'rent Strokes (1978) child star: he's African-American, short, and has starred in a sitcom about trans-racial adoptions.
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Has one sister and two brothers: Lizziebeth (b. 1964), Roscoe (b. 1968), and Chris (b. 1970).
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His parents divorced when he was only 2 years old.
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Is the youngest of 4 children.
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Mother's name is Margaret.
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Returned to show business after graduating college in 1997, but his options were limited. He was just over 4 feet tall and still looked like the little boy from Webster (1983).
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His college years stretched from 1989 until 1997. He took time off for occasional acting gigs.
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Was a contestant on "The Weakest Link". His first question was "What month has the least amount of days?" He unfortunately guessed "May", but was not voted 'the weakest link' until much later on the show.
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Graduated from Clark Atlanta University in 1997 with a theatre arts degree
$500,000
