Ed Asner, legendary actor, activist and philanthropist, passed away peacefully Sunday morning

[ZonkerHarris]

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.

He is the most awarded male performer in Emmy history with seven wins — five of them for playing Lou Grant.

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.

https://deadline.com/2021/08/ad-asner-dead-lou-grant-mary-tyler-moore-1234823859/

[babylonsister]

1. ...Actor killed by internet death hoax

https://en.mediamass.net/people/ed-asner/deathhoax.html

[ProfessorGAC]

4. I'm Going With Alive

Your link is pretty convincing.

[babylonsister]

10. Me, too. I googled, and no one else is reporting this. nt

[ZonkerHarris]

21. and you were wrong.

[babylonsister]

62. Yes, I was. You were on top of it.

Sad for him/us, props to you.

[catbyte]

15. Variety is reporting it & said his publicist confirmed his death.

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/ed-asner-dead-lou-grant-1235051373/

[tenderfoot]

16. Afraid not...

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/ed-asner-dead-lou-grant-1235051373/

[berniesandersmittens]

3. The answer to so many crossword clues

[renate]

5. Oh no

He was a mensch.

[yaesu]

6. Great actor, great guy, R.I.P

[whathehell]

73. A great actor, a great Democrat

RIP.

[efhmc]

7. Grace and Frankie

[sarchasm]

40. Yes! Did what he loved right up to the end.

Gotta love that! A great actor, and human being.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

8. RIP

Link to tweet

[BlancheSplanchnik]

80. Geee it's nice to see that pic. We will miss you, Ed! ❤️

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

9. So sorry

Great guy.

[LonePirate]

11. His Twitter avatar is Carl wearing a mask. RIP, Ed.

https://twitter.com/TheOnlyEdAsner

[ShazzieB]

61. That's so cute! I love it.

And I love Ed Asner. He will sorely missed.

[Treefrog]

12. Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Abraham Lincoln.

[catbyte]

18. That may be true, but his publicist confirmed it.

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/ed-asner-dead-lou-grant-1235051373/

[Treefrog]

19. Wherever he is, he's laughing!

Only Betty White is left.

[PSPS]

13. The "Lou Grant" series was one of the best dramas ever on television. Yes, he really died today.

And, yes, he really died;

Link to tweet

[orleans]

20. very sad -- and touching. thanks for posting nt

[AngryOldDem]

27. I feel gutted by every loss of those I grew up watching.

“Lou Grant” was an excellent series that deserved a longer run. It was a very true depiction of a newsroom. He and Nancy Marchand were brilliant.

[calimary]

67. Yep. Sure was. I loved that show.

Loved him on “Mary Tyler Moore“ too.

A mensch for sure. Probably Upstairs with Cronkite, Huntley and Brinkley, by now (even though he only played one on TV), and Mary, Ted, and “Murr” too.

R. I. P., Mr. Grant.

[Fritz Walter]

51. Indeed. But there's more

From the NBC News story:

Asner was never shy to express his opinion was one of Hollywood's leading liberal voices, as president of the Screen Actors Guild between 1981 and 1985, a time often spent criticizing a former SAG president, Ronald Reagan.

The actor has long blamed conservative activists connected to Reagan with the surprising 1982 cancellation of "Lou Grant." Not long before the show was taken off the air, Asner helped formed a group that rushed medical supplies to rebels in El Salvador.

Emphasis added.

As a "J-School" graduate, I admired his work on the Lou Grant series. Yes, I know: it was a drama series, not a documentary, but still he portrayed the integrity, diligence and commitment to the truth that is so sadly lacking in journalism these days.

Rest well, "Mr. Fredericksen!" (His much-beloved character on the animated movie "Up" in 2009).

[irisblue]

14. From his twitter acct 🕯️

Link to tweet

[John1956PA]

17. During the 1976 Democratic Convention TV coverage, he appeared in a clever bit about the party.

Last edited Sun Aug 29, 2021, 05:32 PM - Edit history (1)

In his performance, he did us Democrats proud.

Also, I recall watching those awards shows in his heyday when was winning Emmys and Globes year after year. He livened up the ceremonies every time.

[Botany]

22. Oh Mr. Grant

[paleotn]

57. Blast from the past.

[niyad]

63. Thank you. That was the first thing that I thought of.

[FoxNewsSucks]

23. That's really sad

I really liked both MTM and Lou Grant shows. I didn't know he was born in Kansas City.

I also didn't know that Cobra Kai was a "comedy" series. I watched it and didn't recognize Asner.

At times like this, I just don't know why so many good people die and vile, greedy evil scum like Cheneys and tRumps still stalk the earth.

[chowder66]

24. What an awful loss. I thought he was going to live to be 120. nt

[blogslug]

25. Aw, damn!

I follow him on Twitter and he was giving trolls & wingnuts hell till the very end.

Here is his very good charity, benefitting persons with special needs:

https://edasnerfamilycenter.org/

[Tomconroy]

26. Of course he was great in MTM but I really enjoyed

The spinoff The Lou Grant Show too.

[AngryOldDem]

28. Dammit. Just dammit.

RIP, Mr. Asner. You will always be a treasure.

[GPV]

29. One of the good ones

[lambchopp59]

30. Legacy narrator of this I've shared, and again today.

[burrowowl]

41. Yes, TAX THE RICH!

RIP Ed Ashner, a good man!

[MANative]

31. I adored him and was very fortunate to have a couple of...

Lovely exchanges with him on Twitter a couple of years ago. A beautiful man. ❤

[Auggie]

32. Wonderful actor could do it all. I loved watching him.

[Auggie]

33. Time for all five seasons of Lou Grant to be restored ...

and available for streaming. One of the best television dramas ever.

[markie]

34. it was a treat

seeing him in "Grace and Frankie" the other night awesome to the end!

[Liberal In Texas]

35. Oh damn, that makes me sad. I met he a couple of times in my union activist days.

He would fly in to support us when we are organizing or once when the newsroom I was in was on strike.

[bahboo]

36. great actor...greater man....

[Brother Buzz]

37. I hate spunk

[turbinetree]

38. Ed Asner.....

and...

[Hekate]

48. Why did I not know that was Ed Asner? I loved that animation!!

[turbinetree]

54. Pixar in my opinion changed animation presentation

and this animation was just wonderful with him playing that man...

[House of Roberts]

39. Right now, an episode of The Untouchables is playing

on Heroes and Icons channel, with Ed Asner and Barbara Stanwyck as Chicago cops trying to trace a John Doe death. The story eventually entwines with an investigation by Eliot Ness, hence the story being on The Untouchables.

[Clash City Rocker]

42. He benefited from the Mary Tyler Moore fountain of youth

Fun fact about Mary Tyler Moore… some of her TV costars from the Dick Van Dyke Show and the MTM Show are still alive. Betty White is 99, Dick Van Dyke is 95, John Amos is 81, and Larry Matthews is 66. Of those who have passed away, Carl Reiner died at the age of 98, Rose Marie and Cloris Leachman lived to be 94, Ed Asner was 91, Gavin McLeod was 90, Morey Amsterdam and Ann Morgan Guilbert were 87, and Valerie Harper and Mary were 80. Only Ted Knight, Richard Deacon and Jerry Paris died before they could turn 70; Georgia Engel died at the age of 70.

It seems that working with her was good for your lifespan.

[PCIntern]

55. Terrific post!!! Thanks!

I’m copying and pasting with attribution.

Thanks again!

[NurseJackie]

43. I guess this means Betty White is the last living cast member of the MTM show.

Rest in Peace, Ed. (I hate spunk, too!)

[Lord Ludd]

76. John Amos (Weatherman Gordy) still hanging in there /nt

[Fla Dem]

44. Just watched him in an episode of "Grace and Frankie".

While he looked pretty good, he looked his age. Was in a motorized wheelchair.

RIP Ed Asner.

You and Mary Tyler Moore will have a lot to reminisce and laugh about.

[ismnotwasm]

45. Aw man...

[Demovictory9]

46. Rip..watched mtm and the show about journalists

[Hekate]

47. Cross gently, Mr Grant, and thank you for everything...

[sinkingfeeling]

50. R.I. P., Mr. Grant.

[liberalla]

52. Darn! I really liked him... RIP Mr. Asner

Thanks for the memories, laughs, and for being such a decent man.

[alphafemale]

53. Loved him.

Does that leave just Betty?

[dflprincess]

59. It does

[LiberalFighter]

56. That is a shame.

[MustLoveBeagles]

58. RIP

I remember watching him on Lou Grant as a kid. Years later I watched The Mary Tyler Moore show on Nick at Nite. It was strange to see the character in a comedy.

[area51]

60. Rest in Peace.

[kacekwl]

64. Great actor

Activist and patriot. Thanks Mr. Asner.

[Scottie Mom]

65. RIP 😢

[crickets]

66. Thanks for all the lovely memories, Ed Asner.

You were one of a kind.

[FakeNoose]

68. Good bye Lou Grant, and thanks for all the laughs

So this means Betty White is the last one left, am I right?



Rest in Peace, Ed Asner...

[BobTheSubgenius]

69. One of my all-time favourite sitcom lines was delivered by Ed Asner.

(Ted Baxter, with a hairdo and yacht club attire)

"Hi Lou." *extends hand* "Meet your new anchoman."

(Lou Grant takes half a beat, then replies)

"Thank God you're here. You wouldn't believe the idiot we've had up till now."

Good night, Ed. You're one of the good ones.

*Fade to black and strike the set*

[BigmanPigman]

70. Man, I was just thinking about him yesterday.

Great actor and strong union leader.

He was in the TV movie "The Girl Most Likely To". It is a classic dark comedy.

[Beartracks]

71. Stayed at Ed's condo once

Back in the 80s, we stayed in a condo that he owned in Jackson Hole. Time-share, maybe? Anyway, they told us he owned that unit, so I always got a kick out being able to say, "Yeah, we stayed in Ed's condo while he was away."

Thank you, Mr. Asner, for the art and the activism over the years -- and for letting us hang out at your place that weekend.

RIP

=========

[left-of-center2012]

72. For any who said his death report was a hoax

You were hoaxed !

Hollywood Reporter:

Ed Asner, the Iconic Lou Grant on Two Acclaimed TV Series, Dies at 91

The seven-time Emmy winner was funny on 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' and serious on his own newspaper drama, then delighted movie audiences with 'Up.'

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/ed-asner-dead-lou-grant-1235004802/

[Danmel]

74. I met him in 1984 at a Mondale/Ferraro rally in Boston

I was a campaign volunteer and got to meet him and Peter, Paul & Mary. Because it was 37 years ago, I have no pictures, but he was very gracious.

[halfulglas]

75. Sorry the picture wouldn't copy from FB.

Baltimore Symphony Musicians
57m ·
We are saddened to hear of the passing of actor Ed Asner, a union advocate and supporter of many causes. He was in a show at the Mechanic Theatre in 1988 during the BSO strike, and joined us on the picket line.

He walked their picket line with the musicians.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

77. He is one of the many wonderful people I have never gotten to meet, alas.

Perhaps in the next life.

[GoodRaisin]

78. Betty's the only one left now from that great sitcom.

Will miss Mr. Grant.

[Maine Abu El Banat]

79. You got spunk

I hate spunk! RIP Mr. Asner.

[PatrickforB]

81. RIP Edward Asner. A good man and good actor. One other thing...

Look at this thread, and consider how very EASY it is to fall prey to conspiracy theories. And, it does not help that search engines like Google try and 'read' your interests and so present sites the bots 'think' that would interest you. You can go pretty deep down a rabbit hole in no time at all.

Just saying.

[ZonkerHarris]

84. So true

[lagomorph777]

82. I'll miss him. He always lit up the screen.

And he was a great guy in real life.

[marieo1]

83. Condolences to family of Mr. Asner

There will never be another Ed Asner.........I have enjoyed him all his life in whatever role he played. A great guy and humanitarian. RIP, Mr. Asner.