Lew Saunders

{{short description|American film and television actor}}

{{Infobox person

|name = Lew Saunders

|birth_date = October 6

|occupation = Film and television actor

|years_active = 1975–1998

}}

Lew Saunders (born October 6){{Cite journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_UEDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA41|title=Jet (Vol. 59, No. 4)|journal=Jet|page=41|date=October 9, 1980|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|issn=0021-5996|via=Google Books}} is an American film and television actor. He is known for playing Officer Gene Fritz in 28 episodes of the American crime drama television series CHiPs from 1977 to 1979.{{Citation|title=CHiPs (1977–1983) Episode Guide}}

Saunders played for the Atlanta Falcons football team.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/562904932/|title=How Actors Play Against Rams: Very Carefully|work=Sunday News|location=Lancaster, Pennsylvania|date=September 25, 1977|access-date=February 19, 2022|page=95|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Closed access}} He began his acting career in 1975, when he appeared in the police procedural television series Bronk. Saunders guest-starred in television programs including The A-Team, L.A. Law, Riptide, Trapper John, M.D., Hunter, Hardcastle and McCormick, Murder, She Wrote, Quincy, M.E., Jake and the Fatman, Dynasty and Matt Houston. He also appeared in the films Cocktail, Terror Among Us and Demonoid (as Sergeant Leo Matson).{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fFQbAQAAIAAJ|title=The Nevada Filmography: Nearly 600 Works Made in the State, 1897 Through 2000|page=50|first=Gary|last=DuVal|publisher=McFarland|date=July 29, 2002|isbn=9780786412716|via=Google Books}} From 1977 to 1979 Saunders played Officer Gene Fritz in the first two seasons, and one episode of the third, in the NBC crime drama series CHiPs. He retired in 1998, last appearing in the drama television film The Rat Pack, playing Big John.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/lewis_saunders|title=Lewis Saunders|work=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=January 18, 2025}}