LOS ANGELES Martin Mull passed away on Friday, according to his daughter. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a hipster because to his esoteric comedy and acting, and he went on to become a popular guest star on comedies like "Arrested Development" and "Roseanne."
Maggie Mull, a comic artist and TV writer, said her father passed away at home on Thursday following “a valiant fight against a long illness.”
Mull, who was also a painter and a guitarist, rose to national prominence in the satirical soap opera "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman," which was developed by Norman Lear, and in its spinoff, "Fernwood Tonight."
Maggie Mull wrote on Instagram, "He was known for doing Red Roof Inn commercials and for excelling at every creative discipline imaginable." He would laugh at that joke. He was always witty. My dad's wife and daughter, friends, colleagues, other artists, comedians, musicians, and—as a testament to a genuinely remarkable man—many, many dogs will all mourn him dearly.
Mull, who is well-known for his neatly styled moustache and blonde hair, was born in Chicago, raised in Ohio and Connecticut, and attended art schools in Rhode Island and Rome.
His first venture into show business was as a lyricist, writing vocalist Jane Morgan's 1970 semi-hit song "A Girl Named Johnny Cash."
In the 1970s, he would do a comic and musical act in trendy Hollywood clubs.
Mull said to The Associated Press in 1980, "I was a guitar player and sit-down comic appearing at the Roxy on the Sunset Strip in 1976 when Norman Lear walked in and heard me." He portrayed me in "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" as the husband-beater. After four months, I was given my own show.
The 1973 country rock hit "Lonesome L.A. Cowboy," which included shoutouts to him from the Riders of the Purple Sage and music icons Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge, is a tribute to his time on the Strip.
The song begins, "I know Kris and Rita and Marty Mull are hangin' at the Troubadour."
He portrayed Barth Gimble, the twin of his "Mary Hartman" character and the host of a small talk show in a midwestern town, on "Fernwood Tonight" (sometimes referred to as "Fernwood 2 Night"). His partner was Fred Willard, a regular collaborator with very similar comic instincts. Later on, it was reimagined as "America 2 Night," with a Southern California setting.
As Johnny Carson's replacement on "The Tonight Show," he would get the opportunity to host a legitimate talk show.
Mull, who portrayed Teri Garr's boss and Michael Keaton's antagonist in 1983's 'Mr. Mom', frequently portrayed roles that were a little sleazy, slimy and frequently smarmy. In the 1985 film adaptation of the board game "Clue," he portrayed Colonel Mustard. The film, like many other things Mull starred in, has since become a cult favourite.
The 1980s also saw the release of "A History of White People in America," a mockumentary that debuted on Cinemax and was widely regarded as his best work. In addition to co-creating the programme, Mull portrayed a "60 Minutes"-style investigative reporter who looked into everything banal and mild-mannered. Willard costarred once more.
In 1988, he co-wrote and starred in the film "Rented Lips," directed by Robert Downey Jr., the son of Robert Downey Sr.
Mull was described by his co-star Jennifer Tilly as "such a witty charismatic and kind person" in a Friday X post.
His most well-known job during the 1990s was a recurrent position on multiple seasons of "Roseanne," where he portrayed a friendlier and less sleazy boss to the show's lead character, an out homosexual man whose partner was portrayed by Willard, who passed away in 2020.
Mull went on to play the iconic private investigator Gene Parmesan on the beloved television series "Arrested Development." In 2016, he received his first Emmy nomination for a cameo stint on "Veep."
Mull told the AP following his nomination, "I'm very proud of what I did on 'Veep,' but I'd like to think it's probably more collective, at my age it's more collective." It could possibly trace back to "Fernwood."
His biggest admirers were frequently other performers and comedians.
Paul Feig, the director of "Bridesmaids," stated on X that Martin was "the greatest." "Such a nice guy, so funny, and so talented." I had the honour of performing with him on The Jackie Thomas Show, and I relished every second of spending time with such a legend. Fernwood My life has been greatly impacted by tonight.
0 Comments