Ed Asner Headshot

Ed Asner

Also Credited As: Edward Asner

Date of Birth: November 15, 1929 (93)

Birth Place: Kansas City, KS, USA

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Ed Asner BIO

Asner is an American actor, voice artist, and a former president of the Screen Actors Guild. He is primarily known for his role as Lou Grant during the 1970s and early 1980s, on both The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spin-off 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 honored male performer in the history of the Primetime Emmy Awards, having won seven, five for portraying Lou Grant (three as Supporting Actor in a Comedy Television Series and two as Lead Actor in a Dramatic Television Series). His other Emmys were for performances in two of the most significant mini-television series of the 1970s: Rich Man, Poor Man (1976), where he won for Outstanding Lead Actor for a Single Performance in a TV series, and Roots (1977), for which he won for Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a TV series.

He played John Wayne's adversary Bart Jason in the 1966 Western El Dorado. He has played Santa Claus in several films, notably in 2003's Elf. In 2009, he starred as the voice of Carl Fredricksen in Pixar's animated film Up and made a guest appearance on CSI: NY in the episode "Yahrzeit." In early 2011, Asner returned to television as butcher Hank Greziak in Working Class, the first original sitcom on cable channel CMT. He starred Michael, Tuesdays and Thursdays, on CBC Television and appeared in The Glades. Asner guest-starred as Guy Redmayne, a homophobic billionaire who supports Alicia Florrick's campaign, in the sixth season of The Good Wife.

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Ed Asner STAGE CREDITS

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 2012
Performer

[Off-Broadway]
2005
Voice of God

[Regional (US)]
Los Angeles Revival, 2003
Narrator [recorded voice only]

[Broadway]
1989
Harry Brock

[Broadway]
1960
Perry Cates

[Off-Broadway]
Return Engagement [off-Broadway], 1955
Sawtooth Bob (Macheath's Gang) [Replacement]

Jonathan Jeremiah Peachum [Replacement]

Mr. J.J. Peachum [Replacement]


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Ed Asner News

David Ellenstein Named Artistic Director & Bill Kerlin Named Managing Director of Laguna Playhouse

North Coast Repertory Theatre’s Artistic Director David Ellenstein, and Managing Director Bill Kerlin, have been named Laguna Playhouse’s new Artistic and Managing Directors respectively, effective immediately.

Discounted Pre-Sale Gold Passes Now Available For The 26th Annual Long Island International Film Expo

The Long Island International Film Expo (LIIFE) has announced that discounted Pre-sale Gold Passes for the 26th Annual Festival and Expo are now available.

THE ARSONIST OF VENICE Comes to the Hollywood Fringe

Just out of prison for a string of inexplicable arsons, a celebrated novelist returns home to Venice, California with a dark and singular goal. Set against the splendor and privation of modern Los Angeles, this dark, poetic drama excavates painful human truths, exploring how early violence and unresolved loss can lead to addiction and madness. Hollow Visions Productions will bring The Arsonist of Venice to the 2023 Hollywood Fringe Festival.

Wake Up With BWW 5/10: Theater Fans' Choice Awards Voting, Plus a Message From Shaina Taub!

Top stories: Voting is now open for BroadwayWorld's Theater Fans' Choice Awards, plus watch an exclusive video message from Shaina Taub in honor of BroadwayWorld's 20th anniversary!

Video: Bernadette Peters, Joel Grey & More Featured in BEING MARY TYLER MOORE Documentary Trailer

Lending their voices to the film are family members, colleagues and those whose lives Mary Tyler Moore impacted including directors Rob Reiner, Michael Lindsay-Hogg, and Jim Burrows, actors Ed Asner, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lena Waithe, Phylicia Rashad, Bernadette Peters, and Joel Grey. Watch the video trailer now!

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company The Cast And Creative Team Of Shakespeare's MACBETH For Shakespeare On The Common

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (CSC) and Steven Maler, Artistic Director, announce the complete cast and creative team for this summer's production of Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth on the Boston Common.

Photos: The Hollywood Museum Presents An Acting Animals Tribute Exhibit

On the evening of April 6th, in advance of “NATIONAL PET DAY,” (April 11th), Founder/President of the Hollywood Museum, Donelle Dadigan, hosted a tribute exhibit to Acting Animals. See photos from the event.

Annette Bening, Laura Dern, Michael C. Hall, and More Join WAR UNFOLDING Documentary

Sypher Studios have announced its upcoming documentary, War Unfolding, narrated by four-time Oscar nominee Annette Bening and featuring an all-star cast including Eliza Bennett, Rachel Bloom, Gary Cole, Abigail Cowen, Oscar-winner Laura Dern, Monique Edwards, SAG Award winner Michael C. Hall, SAG Award winner Kelvin Harrison Jr., Golden Globe winner Paul Walter Hauser, Thurn Hoffman, Richard T. Jones, Jay Lee, Erick Lopez, Sandra Seacat, Oscar-winner Wes Studi, DeWanda Wise, and others.

Joe Spano & More to Star in Rolling Southern California Premiere of THE REALISTIC JONESES

Laguna Playhouse announced, in association with Gare St. Lazare, Ireland and the Rubicon Theatre Company, Faline England, Sorcha Fox, Conor Lovett and Joe Spano starring in the rolling Southern California premiere of THE REALISTIC JONESES, written by Will Eno and directed by Judy Hegarty-Lovett.

BEING MARY TYLER MOORE Documentary to Premiere on HBO in May

Lending their voices to the film are family members, colleagues and those whose lives Mary Tyler Moore impacted including directors Rob Reiner, Michael Lindsay-Hogg, and Jim Burrows, actors Ed Asner, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lena Waithe, Phylicia Rashad, Bernadette Peters, and Joel Grey, writers and producers Allan Burns, Norman Lear, and more.

ONCE to be Presented at Laguna Playhouse in March

LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE will present the fourth show of its season, the Tony Award-winning musical ONCE, book by Edna Walsh, music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, musical direction by Julia Hoffmann, choreography by Paula Hammons Sloan and directed by Steve Steiner.

Kentwood Players Presents ON THE FARCE DAY OF CHRISTMAS Reading Next Month

​​​​​​​Kentwood Players presents a reading of ON THE FARCE DAY OF CHRISTMAS, a comedy written and directed by Ken Levine, on Sunday, February 5 at 7:00pm at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester, CA 90045. 

Listen: Broadway's Lorna Courtney And Shoba Narayan Co-star In NPR Kids' Podcast CIRCLE ROUND

Listen to &JULIET star Lorna Courtney and ALADDIN star Shoba Narayan on the latest episode of children's storytelling podcast Circle Round.

The Laguna Playhouse Receives Funding from Bank of America for the Our Stories Outreach Program

Laguna Playhouse has received support from Bank of America for the Our Stories program for the third consecutive year. Bank of America has voiced its support of this mental wellness outreach program that seeks to improve the lives of local underserved youth.

Christina Applegate Joins Brendan Fraser in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE Reading

The recent Hollywood Walk of Fame recipient joins lead Brendan Fraser (George Bailey) in the role of his wife, Mary Bailey. Primetime Emmy Award® Winner James Cromwell has also been cast as Pa Bailey and autistic actress Sue Ann Pien (Amazon's 'As We See It”) will play Violet for this year’s virtual table read.

TWO JEWS, TALKING Sets Off-Broadway Closing Date

The Off-Broadway comedy Two Jews, Talking, by Ed. Weinberger, directed by Dan Wackerman, starring Josh Mostel and Richard Masur will play its final performance at Theatre at St. Clement’s on Sunday, November 27 at 3pm.

Laguna Playhouse to Present THE SKIVVIES: SLEIGH MY NAME, THE WONDERFUL WINTER OF OZ & More This Holiday Season

Laguna Playhouse will present four magical ways for you to celebrate the holiday season with four extraordinary holiday experiences; THE WONDERFUL WINTER OF OZ: A HOLIDAY PANTO, THE SKIVVIES: SLEIGH MY NAME, and more.

Brendan Fraser & Jean Smart to Lead IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE Table Read

The Ed Asner Family Center returns for their third year retelling the classic holiday tale of “It’s a Wonderful Life” with a star studded virtual table read. The impressive cast includes Brendan Fraser, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, JK Simmons, Jean Smart, Ken Jeong, Jim Beaver, Brent Spiner, Phil Lamarr, Chelsea Darnell, Ben Mankiewicz, and more.

TWO JEWS, TALKING Announces Holiday Schedule Through 2022

Josh Mostel and Richard Masur who recently joined the cast of Ed. Weinberger’s critically acclaimed Off-Broadway comedy Two Jews, Talking, directed by Dan Wackerman at Theatre at St. Clement’s (423 West 46th Street – between 9th & 10th Avenues) will keep talking through 2022 with an expanded holiday performance schedule.

Richard Krevolin's OUR TOWN... BUT WILDER To Hold Special Post Show Talkbacks

Off Broadway's Our Town... But Wilder, a new comedy that centers on a small-town high school theater department in the 1980's and the chaos that ensues from a love affair between a teacher and a student, will be presenting special post-show talkbacks featuring several prominent figures from the worlds of journalism, law, and religion.

Ed Asner FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Ed Asner has appeared on Broadway in 3 shows.

Ed Asner has not appeared in the West End

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