Hollywood Child Stars

Emmanuel Lewis Biography

Actor Emmanuel Lewis, known affectionately to friends and family as Manny, was born in Brooklyn, New York on March 9th, 1971. He is most famous for his role on the 1980’s sitcom Webster, his claim to fame being his 4’3” stature. Although his mother had him examined by several doctors, no medical reason could be found as to why he remained so small.

Lewis’ career took off when he got some advice from a childhood friend who suggested he contact the Shuller Talent Agency, an agency that placed children in television commercials. His mother followed through, and the agency signed up Lewis on his first visit; putting him in commercials within a week. Lewis went on to star in several commercials, from cars to glue to stereos.

Emmanuel Lewis steals the show
When Webster first premiered, it was to be focused on the two characters of George (Alex Karras) and Katherine (Susan Clark). However, the television audience became so enamored with Lewis’ character that the show’s producers decided to make some changes. Not only was Emmanuel Lewis a hit in the United States, but he also became a household name overseas in the mid-1980’s when he released the song titled ‘City Connection’. The video depicted Lewis gracefully showing off his dance moves; it was this video that earned him the nickname “the dancer” in Japan. Aside from Webster, Lewis has kept his career colorful and varied with numerous guest appearances on television sitcoms, reality shows and talk shows. He also appeared in variety shows, such as ‘Circus of the Stars’ and ‘Bob Hope’s Christmas Special’. In 1987, Lewis produced his own show titled ‘Emmanuel Lewis: My Very Own Show’.

Side projects
Lewis is a graduate of Clark Atlanta University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts. He attended university from 1989 until his graduation in 1997; he frequently took time off to pursue occasional acting gigs. In 1985, Lewis had founded a production company, Emmanuel Lewis Entertainment Enterprises, and subsequently worked on various film and television projects. In the year 2000, he expanded the company to include a record label.

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Filmography