Ed Asner, legendary actor, activist and philanthropist, passed away peacefully Sunday morning, surrounded by family. He was 91.
Asner, former president of the Screen Actors Guild, is best known for his role as Lou Grant during the 1970s and early 1980s, on both The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spinoff series Lou Grant, making him one of the few television actors to portray the same character in both a comedy and a drama.
Asner’s long list of credits also include the movies Elf, one of several movies in which he played Santa Claus, and Pixar’s Oscar-winning Up, in which he voiced the lead, Carl Fredricksen. He was most recently seen on the Emmy-nominated comedy series Cobra Kai.
Ed Asner has 416 credits in his filmography as an actor alone. His more geeky roles include an amazing list of productions. He’s played Santa a bunch of times, and is the only actor to have played both J. Jonah Jameson and Perry White.
- American Dad! (TV Series) Narrator / TV Guide Editor-in-Chief / Mailbox #2 / …
- Lost Boys (2019) … Narrator (voice, as Ed Asner)
- Rabbit Ears (2019) … TV Guide Editor-in-Chief (voice, as Ed Asner)
- There Will Be Bad Blood (2010) … Grandpa Smith (voice)
- Doom Patrol (TV Series) Hospital Patient – “Flex Patrol” (2019)
- SpongeBob SquarePants (TV Series) Angry Old Timer “Whirly Brains/MermaidPants” (2016)
- The Boondocks (TV Series) Ed Wuncler
- Stinkmeaner: Begun the Clone War Has (2014) … Ed Wuncler (voice)
- The Block Is Hot (2006) … Ed Wuncler (voice) –
- The Itis (2006) … Ed Wuncler (voice)
- All-Star Superman (Video) 2011 Perry White
- Young Justice (TV Series) Kent Nelson
- Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (Video) Granny Goodness (voice)
- Up – Carl Fredrickson – Pixar, 2009
- 2008 The Spectacular Spider-Man (TV Series) Ben Parker – “Intervention (2008”) … Ben Parker (voice)Enter
- 2004-2005 Justice League Unlimited (TV Series) Granny Goodness / Hephaestus – “The Ties That Bind” (2005) … Granny Goodness (voice, as Ed Asner) – “Hawk and Dove” (2004) … Hephaestus (voice, as Ed Asner)Enter
- 2004 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords (Video Game) Master Vrook Lamar (voice)
- 2004 X-Men Legends (Video Game) Healer (voice, as Ed Asner)
- 2003 Elf – Santa
- 2003 The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (TV Series) Mr. Voorhees – “Grim for a Day/ChickenBall” Z/Max Courage!
- 2003 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Video Game) Master Vrook Lamar (voice)
- 2000 Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (TV Series) “The Return of XL (2000)” … Fixer
- 2000 Max Steel (TV Series) Chuck Marshak – 4 episodes
- 1998-2000 Superman: The Animated Series (TV Series) Granny Goodness – Legacy: Part II (2000) … Granny Goodness (voice) – Legacy (2000) … Granny Goodness (voice) – Little Girl Lost: Part II (1998) … Granny Goodness (voice) – Little Girl Lost (1998) … Granny Goodness (voice)
- 1999 Olive, the Other Reindeer (TV Movie) Santa (voice)
- 1997-1998 Jumanji (TV Series) The Judge – The Ultimate Weapon (1998) … The Judge (voice) – The Trial (1997) … The Judge (voice) 1998Hercules (TV Series) Mentor – Hercules and the Disappearing Heroes (1998) … Mentor (voice)
- 1994-1998 Spider-Man: The Animated Series (TV Series) J. Jonah Jameson – 35 episodes
- 1996-1997 Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles (TV Series) Hudson / Pilot / Burbank – 10 episodes
- 1995-1997 Freakazoid! – Sgt. Mike Cosgrove – 17 episodes
Probably best known for his character Lou Grant, originating in the The Mary Tyler Moore Show TV series, Ed Asner went on to star in his own spin-off series that racked up 114 episodes. He is the most awarded male performer in Emmy history with seven wins — five of them for playing Lou Grant.
Asner was married to Nancy Sykes from 1959 to 1988. They have three children: twins Matthew and Liza, and Kate. In 1987, he had a son named Charles with Carol Jean Vogelman. Asner was a parent and a grandparent of a child with autism and was involved with the 501(c)(3)nonprofit organizationAutism Speaks.
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