American actor Ed Asner, who rose to fame with the role of journalist Lou Grant in the 70s series “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and starred in numerous television productions, died this Sunday, according to informed local media and their relatives. He was 91 years old.
“We are sorry to say that our beloved patriarch died in peace this morning. Words cannot express the sadness we feel. With a kiss on your head: good night dad. We love you,” their children communicated today through the your official Twitter account.
According to The New York Times, he died at his home in Tarzana, California.
Asner is the most award-winning actor in Emmy history with seven awards, five of which went to his portrayal of Lou Grant, first in Mary Tyler Moore’s “sitcom” (1970-1977) and then in a spin-off drama. and titled in his name, which aired from 1977 to 1982.
Born in 1929 in Kansas City, Arkansas, into a family of Orthodox Jewish immigrants, Asner began his acting career in the theater and came to Broadway in 1960, sharing the stage with Jack Lemmon in “Face of a Hero.” “, to finally be released in 1957 on the small screen, where he would achieve his greatest successes.
“The Mary Tyler Moore Show” marked his career, but Asner was also acclaimed for his performance in the “Roots” and “Rich Man, Poor Man” series, which earned him two Emmys, and he participated as bender on numerous tapes, including “Up” from the Pixar animation studio, in which he was the endearing Carl Fredricksen.
Among his nearly 300 titles, which also earned him five Golden Globes and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, are also the film “Elf” and his performances in recent years in the series “Cobra Kai”, “Grace and Frankie” or “The Good Wife”.
Asner was remembered today by his colleagues, including the important actors’ union SAG-AFTRA, to which he belonged for six decades and which he chaired between 1981 and 1985. In 2001, the organization awarded the prize to a lifetime.
He was also known for his philanthropy and activism, speaking out publicly on political issues for years and participating in actions in rejection of the U.S. government war against Iraq or in support of the five Cuban agents arrested for espionage.