Mary Tyler Moore Show actor and activist Ed Asner has ed away at the age of 91. Asner played Lou Grant on the classic sitcom and its spinoff Lou Grant, showing off his chops as he transitioned seamlessly from comedy to drama. The iconic actor has charmed audiences young and old since he began working in the industry in the late 50s. He amassed nearly 400 credits to his name in addition to a three-and-a-half-year stint as President of the Screen Actors' Guild, his contributions to many causes including California One Care and The Survivor Mitzvah Project, and cracking jokes on Twitter.
Asner was born in 1929 in Kansas City, where he lived until he went to college at the University of Chicago. He worked a General Motors assembly line before ing the U.S. Army Signal Corps, where he acted in plays entertaining troops in Europe. After serving, he worked as an actor in Chicago then New York, starring in the Off-Broadway revival of Threepenny Opera while getting his television career off the ground. This career would then lead him to win seven Emmys across 17 nominations.
Per Variety, Asner ed away today, surrounded by his loving family. He is survived by his four children. Tributes are already pouring in on Twitter from people who have worked with him and those who ire him. Cobra Kai, on which Asner has appeared multiple times, said, "RIP to a legend. It was an honor for the entire Cobra Kai family whenever Mr. Asner visited our dojo. His sense of humor was contagious both on and off camera."
Asner will be ed for generations to come for his indelible work. On camera, he has most recently seen on Elf.
Being such a prolific actor, Asner has many projects in development that are now up in the air, with no word yet arriving on their release status. These include the documentary The Gettysburg Address, the holiday film A Fargo Christmas Story, and the thriller Deadly Draw, three titles that once again prove how versatile his talents were. However, what is known is that his loss will echo around the world of entertainment for years to come. He will be missed greatly, and his contributions to the industry and to the lives of everyone he touched will never be forgotten.
Source: Variety
