Cecil Lewis; Broadcasting Pioneer, Oscar-Winning Screenwriter

Cecil Lewis, 98, Academy Award-winning writer and British broadcasting pioneer. Lewis began his varied career as a pilot in Britain’s Royal Flying Corps. He was wounded and earned the Military Cross in World War I. His autobiographical book about the war, “Sagittarius Rising,” was reprinted in its fifth edition in 1993. Lewis went to China to manage a British commercial aviation company and helped form and train a Chinese air force. In 1922 he returned to Britain as program manager of the fledgling British Broadcasting Co., forerunner of the British Broadcasting Corp., helping to start the country’s first national radio broadcasting service. The versatile Lewis won his Oscar in 1938 for his screenplay adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s play “Pygmalion” for its British film version. He taught flying in World War II, tried sheep farming in South Africa, wrote for the London Daily Mail and retired to the island of Corfu to write 19 books, including his autobiography, “Never Look Back.” On Monday in London.