“We are sorry to say that our beloved patriarch passed away this morning peacefully,” they wrote. “Words cannot express the sadness we feel. With a kiss on your head- Goodnight dad. We love you.” Asner, who died at home in Tarzana, California, was 91. No cause of death has been provided. According to his representative, Charles Sherman, he was surrounded by family as he passed away peacefully. A winner of seven Emmy awards, he made history as the first actor to win Emmys for playing the same role, newsman Lou Grant, in two different series, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (a sitcom) and Lou Grant (a drama series.) He also won Emmys for Roots and Rich Man, Poor Man. In 1996, he was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame. In a prolific and eclectic career that spanned six decades, Asner first began working in the 1950s. Born November 15, 1929, in Kansas City, Missouri, he attended the University of Chicago and then served in the U.S. Army’s Signal Corps where he performed in plays for troops stationed in Europe. In addition to being a beloved actor, for two terms he was the president of the Screen Actors Guild. Asner was also passionate about his charity charity work with The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, a free speech organization, Rosenberg Fund for Children, Holocaust survivors, Fresh Start and many other organizations. A political activist, he was a champion of animal rights, unions and civil rights. In addition, he worked passionately on several elections. Always working, some of Asner’s more recent credits include the final season of Grace and Frankie, Dead To Me, Cobra Kai, The Good Wife and Hot in Cleveland. He is also known for starring roles in Up and Elf. Asner leaves behind two daughters, two sons and 10 grandchildren. Even in his nineties there was no sign of him slowing down. “Where the work goes, I go,” he quipped in a 2013 interview with USA Today. “Wherever adulation occurs, that’s where you’ll find me.” As news of Asner’s death spread across social media, stars quickly filled feeds with tributes to the acting legend. Here are a few of our favorites: Next, sad movies to watch on Netflix right now.
