Beloved, 7-Time Emmy Award-Winning Actor Ed Asner Dies At Age 91
TARZANA (CBSLA) — Ed Asner, best known and loved for his role as Lou Grant in the hit sitcom "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," died Sunday. He was 91.
Asner, according to published reports, died at his home in Tarzana, though his cause of death was not immediately known.
Asner's family through his verified Twitter account announced his death. Via Twitter, they wrote: "We are sorry to say that our beloved patriarch passed away this morning peacefully. Words cannot express the sadness we feel. With a kiss on your head- Goodnight dad. We love you."
According to Variety.com, his publicist also confirmed his death to the publication.
Asner was known for his long-running role on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," from 1970-1977. He also ventured on to play Lou Grant in the spin-off series, "Lou Grant" through 1982. He also had roles in recent series like "The Good Wife," "Hot in Cleveland," and "ER," amongst others.
During his illustrious career, Asner won seven Emmys, making him "the most honored male performer in the history of the Primetime Emmy Awards," according to the Television Academy. In 1996, Asner was also inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
A longtime advocate for those with developmental disabilities, in 2018, Asner announced the creation of The Ed Asner Family Center.
"This is a dream of mine," he said at the time in news releases, "to establish an oasis of creativity in every special needs community. A place where our most beautiful dreamers of all can have their opportunity to thrive and in doing so learn valuable lessons about themselves and the world and in the same building give families an opportunity to be healthy. This center of enrichment is where we can develop a most important part of our being, character."
Upon learning of his death, the center tweeted:
"Today we mourn the loss of a legend who had a heart of gold. Our beloved namesake, Ed Asner. Many knew him as the gruff comedian with impeccable timing, but for us he was a father, grandfather, friend and champion."
Asner was born in 1929 in Kansas City, and served in the Army Signal Corp before moving to New York to pursue an acting career. He was twice married and had four children.