Ed Asner Obituary, Death: Emmy-Winning Lou Grant Actor Dies at 91

Ed Asner, the Emmy-winning actor whose extraordinary career made him one of the most recognizable television performers of his generation, died on August 29, 2021, at the age of 91.

Best known for playing the gruff but compassionate newsman Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its dramatic spinoff Lou Grant, Asner built a career that stretched from the theater and early television of the 1950s to major film, television and voice-acting roles decades later.

His family announced his death through his official social-media account, describing their beloved patriarch as having died peacefully that morning. Asner died at his home in the Tarzana area of Los Angeles, California.

His death marked the end of a remarkable career spanning more than seven decades, but his work continued to introduce him to new generations of audiences. Long after The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Lou Grant ended, Asner remained a familiar presence through films, television appearances and voice roles.

Who Was Ed Asner?

Ed Asner was an American actor, voice artist and longtime labor and social activist whose career covered television, film and stage.

He became a household name through Lou Grant, a character he first played on The Mary Tyler Moore Show from 1970 to 1977. The character was subsequently developed into the lead of Lou Grant, the acclaimed CBS drama that ran from 1977 to 1982.

Asner achieved an unusual distinction through the role: he won Emmy Awards for playing Lou Grant in both a comedy and a drama. He ultimately won seven Primetime Emmy Awards during his career.

Although Lou Grant remained his signature television character, Asner refused to be defined by a single role. He worked steadily for decades, appearing in dramas, sitcoms, films and animated productions.

Ed Asner’s Death

Ed Asner died on Sunday, August 29, 2021, at his home in Tarzana, California.

He was 91 years old.

His family confirmed the death and remembered him as their beloved patriarch. At the time of the announcement, the family did not publicly provide a detailed cause of death.

Later biographical accounts have listed natural causes as the cause of death.

The news prompted tributes from colleagues, entertainment organizations and fans who had followed his work across several generations.

The Screen Actors Guild-AFTRA community was particularly affected because Asner had played a significant role in the organization beyond his acting career. He served two terms as president of the Screen Actors Guild and remained involved with the union for many years.

Ed Asner and Lou Grant

For millions of television viewers, Ed Asner will forever be associated with Lou Grant.

He introduced the character on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, where Grant served as the gruff news director at the fictional WJM-TV station in Minneapolis.

The character’s rough exterior concealed a more compassionate personality, a combination that became one of the defining features of Asner’s performance.

When CBS developed Lou Grant as a spinoff, the character was transformed from a sitcom news director into the city editor of a Los Angeles newspaper.

The dramatic series allowed Asner to explore a different side of the character and tackle serious issues involving journalism, politics and society.

The performance earned him additional Emmy recognition and cemented Lou Grant as one of the most important characters of his career.

A Seven-Time Emmy Winner

Asner’s career was recognized repeatedly by the television industry.

He won seven Primetime Emmy Awards, including awards for his portrayal of Lou Grant and performances in other acclaimed television productions.

His Emmy-winning work extended beyond sitcoms.

He received awards for roles in Rich Man, Poor Man and Roots, demonstrating his ability to move between comedy and serious drama.

His success as Lou Grant was particularly notable because he became one of the few performers to win Emmy awards for portraying the same character in both comedy and drama.

Ed Asner in Up

A new generation discovered Ed Asner through Pixar’s 2009 animated film Up.

He provided the voice of Carl Fredricksen, a widowed retired balloon salesman who embarks on an extraordinary adventure after attaching thousands of balloons to his home.

Carl’s gruff exterior and emotional vulnerability made the character one of Pixar’s most memorable protagonists.

Asner’s distinctive voice became an essential part of the character.

The film won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and introduced Asner’s work to audiences who may not have known him from his television career.

Pixar paid tribute to Asner following his death, remembering the warmth beneath the gruff persona that had become one of his trademarks.

Other Major Roles

Asner’s acting credits extended far beyond Lou Grant and Carl Fredricksen.

He appeared in films including JFK, Elf and Fort Apache, The Bronx, while also taking roles in numerous television programs.

His television work included appearances on shows such as The Good Wife, Modern Family, ER and many others.

He also became a prolific voice actor, lending his voice to animated productions including Batman, Spider-Man, Superman, Gargoyles and The Boondocks.

His willingness to work across genres helped sustain his career well into his later years.

Early Life and Education

Ed Asner was born on November 15, 1929, in Kansas City, Missouri.

He grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, in a family whose background was rooted in Jewish immigrant heritage.

As a young man, Asner showed an interest in performance and writing. During high school, he played football, worked on the school newspaper and became involved in radio.

He later attended the University of Chicago, where his interest in theater developed further.

His early adult life did not immediately lead to Hollywood.

Before establishing himself as an actor, Asner worked a series of jobs, including selling shoes, driving a cab, working in a steel mill and working on an automobile assembly line.

Military Service

Asner was drafted into the U.S. Army in the early 1950s.

He served in the Army Signal Corps and was stationed in France.

After leaving military service in 1953, he returned to his theatrical ambitions and joined the Playwrights Theatre Club in Chicago.

His Chicago theater experience became an important step in the development of his professional acting career.

From Chicago Theater to Broadway

Asner eventually moved to New York, where he continued working in theater.

He joined the cast of The Threepenny Opera and later made his Broadway debut in Face of a Hero, starring Jack Lemmon.

In 1961, he moved to Los Angeles and began establishing himself as a television actor.

During the 1960s, he appeared in a variety of television programs and films before landing the role that would change his career.

Screen Actors Guild Leadership

Ed Asner’s legacy extended beyond entertainment.

He was deeply involved in the Screen Actors Guild and served as its president from 1981 to 1985.

His tenure was marked by strong advocacy for actors and outspoken positions on social and political issues.

Asner remained involved with the union throughout his later years and was recognized for his long-standing commitment to performers.

The Screen Actors Guild later honored him with its Life Achievement Award.

Activism and Public Life

Asner was also known for his activism.

He was outspoken on issues involving workers, poverty, war, social justice and other political causes.

His willingness to speak publicly about his beliefs sometimes generated controversy, particularly during his years as Screen Actors Guild president.

Nevertheless, he continued to advocate for causes he believed in long after his most famous television roles had ended.

His activism became an important part of his public identity and distinguished him from many actors of his generation.

Ed Asner’s Family

Asner was married to Nancy Lou Sykes from 1959 until their divorce in 1988.

They had three children: twins Matthew and Liza, and daughter Kate.

He also had a son, Charles, with Carol Jean Vogelman.

Asner later married producer Cindy Gilmore in 1998. Their marriage eventually ended, with divorce proceedings completed years later.

He became a father and grandfather and remained closely connected to his family throughout his life.

Ed Asner’s Legacy

Ed Asner’s legacy is unusually broad.

For older television viewers, he remains the unforgettable Lou Grant.

For film audiences, he is the voice of Carl Fredricksen in Up.

For theater audiences, he was a performer whose career began long before his television fame.

For actors and union members, he was a powerful advocate who served as president of the Screen Actors Guild.

And for many fans, he was simply a familiar and dependable performer who continued working long after many actors of his generation had retired.

His career demonstrated that a performer could move successfully between comedy, drama, theater, film and animation without losing the qualities that made him distinctive.

Ed Asner Quick Details

Remembering Ed Asner

Ed Asner died after more than seven decades in entertainment, leaving behind a body of work that crossed generations.

His career began on the stage and eventually took him to some of television’s most influential productions. He became an Emmy-winning dramatic and comedic actor, a respected voice performer and one of Hollywood’s most recognizable character actors.

His portrayal of Lou Grant remains his defining achievement, but his later work in Up demonstrated that his appeal extended far beyond the television audiences who first knew him.

Asner’s death on August 29, 2021, brought an end to the life of an actor who had continued performing, speaking out and working with remarkable consistency well into his 90s.

He is remembered not only for the characters he played, but also for his determination to use his public position to advocate for his fellow performers and causes he believed in.

Ed Asner’s work continues to live through television reruns, films, animated productions and the enduring popularity of Lou Grant and Carl Fredricksen.

Disclaimer

This obituary is based on publicly available biographical information and historical reporting. Details about Ed Asner’s personal life, family, death and memorial arrangements are presented based on information available from established sources. The information is provided for general informational and memorial purposes and should not be treated as a substitute for official family or funeral-home announcements.