Ed Asner Of ‘Mary Tyler Moore Show’ Fame Dies At 91- Celebrity Tributes Pour In

Ed Asner, the actor who won seven Emmy awards and was best known for his role on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” passed away on Sunday at his home in Tarzana, California surrounded by his family. He was 91 years-old. 

Ed Asner Passes Away At 91

“We are sorry to say that our beloved patriarch passed away this morning peacefully,” his family wrote on Twitter. “Words cannot express the sadness we feel. With a kiss on your head- Goodnight dad. We love you.”

Ed Asner’s Life And Career

Born in Kansas City in 1929, Asner got his start in the Chicago Theater company before moving to New York City, where he soon landed his first role on Broadway in 1960.

Throughout the next ten years, Asner appeared on television shows like “Gunsmoke,” “The Fugitive,” and “The Untouchables.”

It wasn’t until 1970 when he was cast as Lou Grant in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” however, that Asner became a household name. After “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” went off the air seven years later, Asner was given his own spinoff show called “Lou Grant.”

Related: Beloved ‘Mary Tyler Moore Show’ Actress Cloris Leachman Dies At 94

When Moore passed away in 2017, Asner spoke out to pay tribute to her. 

“Her diabetes was certainly very evident…but what a prodigious hard worker,” Asner said at the time. “Instead of lunch she had a dance class. She showed up large on the stage…and she made deep footprints whenever she walked.”

Asner continued working right up until the end, and he has various projects that he completed before his death that are still set to come out in the coming months and years.

In fact, Asner died with an astounding 417 film and television credits to his name, according to IMDB. 

Entertainment Tonight remembers the great contributions of Ed Asner in the video below.

Celebrity Tributes Pour In 

Tributes from Hollywood stars have been pouring in for Ed Asner since news of his death broke.

“Edward Asner toiled for years on stage, radio, and television without recognition when ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ made him a household name,” film critic Leonard Maltin told Entertainment Tonight. “He rode that wave for decades to follow, never failing to deliver first-rate performances in both comedies and dramas. Clearly, he loved to act and just as clearly he cared about his fellow actors.” 

“Ed was what we in the business like to refer to as ‘An Actor’s Actor,'” said Lucie Arnaz, the daughter of Lucille Ball. “Both my husband, Larry Luckinbill, and I had enormous respect for him and his body of work. He was the real deal.” 

Related: Watch What Happens When Foster Brooks Falls While Roasting Ted Knight

Other celebrities have paid tribute to Asner as well:

Here’s a little “Mary Tyler Moore Show” clip in his honor. Don’t miss the memorable song by costars Ed Asner, Ted Knight, and Gavin MacLeod.

He certainly was one of the greats. Rest in peace, Ed Asner.