Sheree North (born Dawn Shirley Crang ; January 17, 1932 – November 4, 2005) was an American actress, dancer, and singer, known for being one of 20th Century-Fox 's intended successors to Marilyn Monroe .
78-539: Lou Grant is a fictional character played by Ed Asner in two television series produced by MTM Enterprises for CBS . The first was The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970–1977), a half-hour light-hearted situation comedy in which the character was the news director at fictional television station WJM-TV in Minneapolis. A spinoff series, entitled Lou Grant (1977–1982), was an hour-long serious dramatic series that frequently engaged in social commentary , featuring
156-421: A board member and adviser for Aspiritech, a nonprofit organization that trains high-functioning autistic persons to test software and perform quality-assurance services for companies. Asner became engaged to producer Cindy Gilmore in 1991. They married on August 2, 1998. Gilmore filed for legal separation on November 7, 2007. Asner filed for divorce in 2015. Asner died of natural causes at his home in
234-805: A combatant in World War II. He served in both the Pacific and European Theatres . At one point, he was a sergeant in the Pacific-based 2nd Marine Division . During another phase of his wartime service he was injured by a grenade in France, the last remnants of which were removed only in his late 40s. He was also part of a unit that liberated an unknown town in Germany. During the war he met and befriended Walter Cronkite . He attended college (although on several occasions he stated he never had
312-483: A Los Angeles production of Dutchman that coincided with the 1965 Watts riots. The production was controversial and was blamed by conservatives for inciting unrest. It was picketed, ads in newspapers were blocked, and North's car was set on fire. Despite that, the production ran for a year. From the 1960s onward, North focused mainly on becoming a solid and versatile character actress, appearing on almost every television Western, cop show, and medical drama produced from
390-615: A chorus girl in the film Here Come the Girls (1953), starring Bob Hope . Around that time, she adopted the stage name Sheree North. She made her Broadway début in the musical Hazel Flagg , for which she won a Theatre World Award . She reprised her role in the film version, Living It Up (1954), starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis . In early 1954, at age 22, she appeared in a live TV version of Cole Porter 's Anything Goes on The Colgate Comedy Hour , with Ethel Merman , Frank Sinatra , and Bert Lahr . In 1954, North signed
468-755: A dozen more festivals, including a European premiere at the Oxford International Film Festival. In 2013, he played Santa in Christmas on the Bayou . Beginning in 2016, Asner took on the role of Holocaust survivor Milton Salesman in Jeff Cohen 's acclaimed play The Soap Myth in a reading at Lincoln Center 's Bruno Walter Theatre in New York City. He subsequently toured for the next three years in "concert readings" of
546-480: A film with comedian Tom Ewell , hoping to repeat the success he had with Monroe in The Seven Year Itch (1955). Soon thereafter, the studio assigned North and Ewell to appear together in the romantic comedy The Lieutenant Wore Skirts , plotting the story of an army lieutenant whose husband tries to get her discharged. To promote the film, North posed for several publicity shots showing her legs. When
624-463: A four-year contract with 20th Century-Fox . The studio had big plans for her, hoping to groom her as a replacement for the studio's leading—and increasingly uncontrollable—female star Marilyn Monroe . Fox tested North for leading roles in two of their upcoming productions, The Girl in Pink Tights and There's No Business Like Show Business —two films that had been offered to Monroe—while North
702-549: A housewife, and Morris David Asner (1879–1957, from Lithuania ( Vilna Governorate or Grodno Governorate ), ran a second-hand shop and junkyard. His four older siblings were Ben J. Asner (1915–1986), Eve Asner (1916–2014), Esther Edelman (1919–2014) and Labe Asner (1923–2017). He was raised in an Orthodox Jewish family and given the Hebrew name Yitzhak. Asner attended Wyandotte High School in Kansas City, Kansas, and
780-627: A number of TV series and films at the time of his death in August 2021, including three of his final productions released posthumously on the Disney+ streaming service. He returned to reprise his voice role as Carl Fredricksen from the Pixar film Up in the Disney+ animated miniseries of shorts Dug Days (2021), which was the first to premiere, just three days after his death. Asner's cameo appearance as
858-500: A prominent role in the 1980 SAG strike . He was also active in a variety of other causes, such as the movement to free Mumia Abu-Jamal and the movement to establish California One Care, single-payer health care in California , for which he created a television advertisement. He endorsed Dennis Kucinich in the 2004 United States presidential election , and Barack Obama during the 2008 United States presidential election . He
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#1732797439269936-471: A role that Marilyn Monroe had refused. Media attention surrounding Monroe's suspension, and North's hiring resulted in North appearing on the cover of Life with the cover line "Sheree North Takes Over from Marilyn Monroe". How to Be Very, Very Popular did not live up to the hype Fox had generated, though North had appeared on What's My Line? to publicize the film and had been asked point-blank by one of
1014-599: A series of popular television series, including Ben Casey , Burke's Law (1963–65), The Virginian (1964–66), The Big Valley , The Iron Horse (both 1966), and The Fugitive (1965–67). After an eight-year absence from film acting, North accepted a lead role in the B-movie science-fiction film Destination Inner Space (1966). The film opened to only a minor release in 1966 and has rarely been seen since. North co-starred with Elvis Presley in one of his final films, The Trouble with Girls (1969). When she
1092-569: A string of films. She was offered the lead role in a film called The Girl Upstairs , in which she would have parodied Monroe's on-screen persona. When North's agent suggested she decline the film, Fox put her on suspension for two months. When her suspension was lifted one month later, North agreed to appear in The Way to the Gold , but only on the assurance that Elvis Presley would be her co-star. When Presley withdrew due to salary disagreements, he
1170-819: A television actor, having made his TV debut in 1957 on Studio One . In two notable performances on television, Asner played Detective Sgt. Thomas Siroleo in the 1963 episode of The Outer Limits titled " It Crawled Out of the Woodwork " and the reprehensible ex-premier Brynov in the 1965 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea episode "The Exile". He made his film debut in 1962, in the Elvis Presley vehicle Kid Galahad . Before landing his role with Mary Tyler Moore , Asner guest-starred in television series including four episodes of The Untouchables starring Robert Stack ,
1248-576: A thirty-minute award-winning comedy about television journalism, the Lou Grant series was an hour-long award-winning drama about newspaper journalism. For his role as Grant, Asner was one of only two actors to win an Emmy Award for a sitcom and a drama for the same role (the second being Uzo Aduba ). In addition he made appearances as Lou Grant on two other shows: Rhoda and Roseanne . Other television series starring Asner in regular roles include Thunder Alley , The Bronx Zoo , and Studio 60 on
1326-560: A woman named Charlene ( Sheree North ; Janis Paige in "Menage-a-Lou" of Season 6) in particularly Season 5; Mary's best friend Rhoda Morgenstern in Season 4; Mary's next-door neighbor, Paula Kovacks ( Penny Marshall ) in Season 6; Mary's Aunt Flo ( Eileen Heckart ) in Seasons 6 and 7; and even with Mary herself in the penultimate episode. He and Sue Ann Nivens had a drunken one-night-stand. Professionally, his career with WJM-TV ended in
1404-469: Is your cousin, you get my drift?" He was a heavy drinker, with a penchant for hiding whole bottles of scotch in his desk drawers. His personality was outwardly that of a tough loner and a workaholic man's man. The real Lou Grant was somewhat more complicated. He was quick to anger and had a violent streak, at times threatening the barely competent Ted Baxter and once causing him physical injury. However, those who understood him best, like Mary Richards, knew he
1482-581: The Compass Players in the mid-1950s. He later made frequent guest appearances with the successor to Compass, The Second City . In New York City, Off-Broadway roles included Jonathan Jeremiah Peachum in the revival of Threepenny Opera and in Otway's Venice Preserv'd in late 1955. Asner scored his first Broadway role in Face of a Hero alongside Jack Lemmon in 1960, and began to make inroads as
1560-570: The Disney show W.I.T.C.H. , and Kid Potato, the Butcher's dad in the PBS Kids hit show WordGirl . He was even nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program but lost to Eartha Kitt for Nick Jr. 's Wonder Pets! . Asner provided the voice of famed American orator Edward Everett in the 2017 documentary film The Gettysburg Address . Asner provided
1638-492: The Rosenberg Fund for Children , an organization founded by the children of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg , which provides benefits for the children of political activists, and was a board member for the wildlife conservation organization Defenders of Wildlife . Asner also sat on the advisory board for Exceptional Minds , a non-profit school and a computer animation studio for young adults on the autism spectrum . Asner
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#17327974392691716-668: The Screen Actors Guild , in which capacity during the 1980s he opposed United States policy in Central America , working closely with the Alliance for Survival. On March 30, 2012, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) completed a merger of equals, forming a new union SAG-AFTRA . Asner was adamantly opposed to such a merger, arguing that
1794-768: The Tarzana neighborhood of Los Angeles , California , on August 29, 2021, at the age of 91. He was buried at Sheffield Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 12. Numerous celebrities paid tribute to Asner, including Maureen McCormick , George Takei , Mark Hamill , Michael McKean , Bradley Whitford , Josh Gad , Mia Farrow , Andy Richter , Katie Couric , Denis O'Hare , Mira Sorvino , Eric Stonestreet , Niecy Nash , Yvette Nicole Brown , Michael Moore , Rosario Dawson , Rosanna Arquette , Ben Stiller , The Muppets , William Baldwin , Greg Weisman , William Zabka , Ralph Macchio , Bob Peterson , Bill Farmer , and Zooey Deschanel . Sheree North North
1872-577: The University of Chicago . He studied journalism in Chicago until a professor advised him there was little money to be made in the profession. He had been working in a steel mill, but he quickly switched to drama, debuting as the martyred Thomas Becket in a campus production of T. S. Eliot 's Murder in the Cathedral . He eventually dropped out of school, going to work as a taxi driver, worked on
1950-525: The films El Dorado (1966), They Call Me Mister Tibbs! (1970), Fort Apache, The Bronx (1981), JFK (1991), and Too Big to Fail (2011). He also played Santa Claus in several films and voiced Carl Fredricksen in the Pixar animated film Up (2009). Asner starred in the ABC sitcom Thunder Alley (1994–1995), and Michael: Every Day (2011–2017). He also acted extensively in numerous television series such as The Practice , Studio 60 on
2028-632: The syndicated crime drama Decoy , starring Beverly Garland , two episodes of Naked City in 1961, and Route 66 in 1962 (the episode titled "Welcome to the Wedding") as Custody Officer Lincoln Peers. He was cast on Jack Lord 's ABC drama series Stoney Burke and in the series finale of CBS 's The Reporter , starring Harry Guardino . He also appeared on Mr. Novak , Ben Casey , Gunsmoke , Mission: Impossible , The Outer Limits , The Fugitive , and The Invaders . In 1963, Asner appeared as George Johnson on The Virginian in
2106-419: The 100 greatest TV characters. Ed Asner Eddie Asner ( / ˈ æ z n ər / ; November 15, 1929 – August 29, 2021) was an American actor. He is most notable for portraying Lou Grant on the sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show and drama Lou Grant , making him one of the few television actors to portray the same character in both a comedy and a drama. Asner is the most honored male performer in
2184-631: The 1960s through the 1990s. She displayed a talent for comic timing on many of the situation comedies of the era. She was a favorite in several made-for-television movies. She also earned Emmy nominations for appearances on Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969) and Archie Bunker's Place (1979). A favorite of film producer/director Don Siegel , she appeared in four of his films: in Madigan (1968) opposite Richard Widmark; in Charley Varrick (1973) with Walter Matthau; as John Wayne 's long-lost love in
2262-477: The 1990s, she appeared as Cosmo Kramer 's mother Babs Kramer in two episodes of the sitcom Seinfeld . Her last screen role was in John Landis ' black comedy Susan's Plan (1998). North was married four times and had two children. In 1948, at age 16, she married Fred Bessire, a draftsman, with whom she had a daughter, Dawn. The marriage ended in 1953. In 1955, she married television writer Bud Freeman;
2340-685: The ABC miniseries Roots , as Captain Davies, the morally conflicted captain of the Lord Ligonier , the slave ship that brought Kunta Kinte to America. The role earned Asner an Emmy Award , as did the similarly dark role of Axel Jordache in the miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man (1976). In contrast, he played a former pontiff in the lead role of Papa Giovanni: Ioannes XXIII ( Pope John XXIII 2002), an Italian television film for RAI . Asner had an extensive voice acting career. In 1987, he played
2418-593: The Amityville Murders ; a documentary on the 1974 DeFeo murders in Amityville, New York. Asner served as the narrator for the film, which covers a forensic analysis of the murders, the trial in which 23-year-old DeFeo son Ronald DeFeo Jr., was convicted of the killings, and the subsequent "haunting" story which is revealed to be a hoax. Also in 2010, Asner played the title role in FDR , a stage production about
Lou Grant - Misplaced Pages Continue
2496-539: The Fear which addresses HIV/AIDS denialism . The film was released in 2016 with Asner as the narrator. Asner endorsed 9/11 conspiracy theories , including voicing qualified support for the 9/11 truth movement . In 2004, he signed a statement released by the group 9/11 Truth that included a call for a new investigation into some elements of the September 11 attacks that he questioned. Asner confirmed his support for
2574-694: The Fear: The Hidden Story of HIV , directed by Nicole Zwiren, a controversial study on the AIDS debate. A 2014 documentary titled My Friend Ed, directed by Sharon Baker, focused on the actor's life and career. It won Best Short Documentary at the New York City Independent Film Festival . During interviews for a 2019 book on the history of Chicago theater, Asner told the author he preferred to be credited for his work as "Edward" rather than "Ed" because he felt
2652-606: The Ghost of Claude in the Halloween special Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021) was posthumous, and he provided the voice of Grandpa Heffley in the Disney+ animated film adaptation Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (2022), released over a year after his death. The final short film in the Dug Days series, Carl's Date , which includes Asner's recorded voice-over performance as Carl Fredricksen, did not premiere on Disney+, but it
2730-626: The Planeteers (1990–95); Hudson on Gargoyles (1994–96); Jabba the Hutt on the radio version of Star Wars ; Master Vrook from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and its sequel ; Roland Daggett on Batman: The Animated Series (1992–94); Cosgrove on Freakazoid! ; Ed Wuncler on The Boondocks (2005–14); and Granny Goodness in various DC Comics animated series. He also voiced Napoleon, Cornelia's younger sister's cat in
2808-744: The Sunset Strip , The Good Wife , Cobra Kai , Briarpatch , Working Class , and Dead to Me . He also voiced J. Jonah Jameson in Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994–1998), and Uncle Ben in The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008). Asner was born November 15, 1929, in Kansas City, Missouri , and grew up in Kansas City, Kansas . His Ashkenazi Jewish immigrant parents, Lizzie ( née Seliger; 1885–1967, from Odessa , Ukraine ),
2886-525: The Sunset Strip . He also starred in one episode of the Western series Dead Man's Gun (1997), as well as portraying art smuggler August March in an episode of the original Hawaii Five-O (1975) and reprised the role in the Hawaii Five-0 (2012) remake. He also appeared as a veteran streetwise officer in an episode of the 1973 version of Police Story . Asner was acclaimed for his role in
2964-594: The Tail , a documentary film detailing the efforts of Eric Mann and the Campaign to keep General Motors ' Van Nuys assembly plant running. He also recorded for a public radio show and podcast, Playing On Air , appearing in Warren Leight 's The Final Interrogation of Ceaucescu's Dog with Jesse Eisenberg , and Mike Reiss 's New York Story. Asner was the voice-over narrator for the 2016 documentary Behind
3042-640: The actor's final film The Shootist (1976); and in Telefon (1977). She had supporting roles in two Charles Bronson movies, Breakout (1975) with Robert Duvall , and Telefon . Other notable performances were in The Gypsy Moths (1969) with Burt Lancaster and Gene Hackman; and as Burt Lancaster's ex-lover in Michael Winner's Western, Lawman (1971) with Robert Ryan , Lee J. Cobb , Robert Duvall, and Albert Salmi . She also appeared in
3120-618: The assembly line for General Motors , and other odd jobs before being drafted in the military in 1951. Asner served with the U.S. Army Signal Corps from 1951 to 1953 during the Korean War and appeared in plays that toured Army bases in Europe. Following his military service, Asner helped found the Playwrights Theatre Company in Chicago, but left for New York City before members of that company regrouped as
3198-583: The chance to attend), likely after the war. He started his career in print journalism as a copy boy but it is unclear whether this was in Detroit, Minneapolis or San Francisco as he worked for papers in all three cities. In this period of his life, he met and worked with Charlie Hume ( Mason Adams ) for the first time at the San Francisco Call-Bulletin , and worked with Jack Riley ( Eugene Roche ). At some point in his late 30s he made
Lou Grant - Misplaced Pages Continue
3276-641: The credits in Cobra Kai season 4, episode 1, "Let's Begin". In 2020 he guest starred in an episode of the eleventh and final season of Modern Family and in 2021 played himself in a sketch on Let's Be Real . The 2019 feature documentary by Kurt Jacobsen and Warren Leming entitled Ed Asner: On Stage and Off premiered at the American Documentary Film Festival in Palm Springs, which Asner attended, and since screened at
3354-545: The crime drama The Organization (1971) with Sidney Poitier , and in The Outfit (1973) with Duvall, Joe Don Baker , and Karen Black . Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, North appeared in guest spots on TV shows, including Hawaii Five-O , The Streets of San Francisco , McMillan & Wife , Matlock , Family , and Magnum, P.I. . She played Lou Grant 's girlfriend in several episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show . She co-starred with Sheldon Leonard in
3432-772: The documentary film The Oil Factor: Behind the War on Terror . Asner was on the Entertainment Board of Directors for The Survivor Mitzvah Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing direct emergency aid to elderly and impoverished Holocaust survivors in Eastern Europe . Asner was a member of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund , a free speech organization that is dedicated to protecting comic book creators and retailers from prosecutions based on content. He served as an advisor to
3510-655: The episode "Echo of Another Day". In 1968 he was the villain Furman Crotty in the Wild Wild West episode "The Night of the Amnesiac". Asner was best known for his character Lou Grant , who was first introduced on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1970. In 1977, after Moore's series ended, Asner's character was given his own show, Lou Grant (1977–82). In contrast to the Mary Tyler Moore series,
3588-602: The eponymous character, George F. Babbitt, in the L.A. Classic Theatre Works ' radio theater production of Sinclair Lewis ' novel Babbitt . Asner won one Audie Award and was nominated for two Grammy Awards and an additional Audie for his audiobook work. He also provided the voices for Joshua on Joshua and the Battle of Jericho (1986) for Hanna-Barbera , J. Jonah Jameson on the 1990s animated television series Spider-Man (1994–98); Hoggish Greedly on Captain Planet and
3666-490: The fictitious Los Angeles Tribune , His subordinates at that time included staff reporters Joe Rossi ( Robert Walden ); Billie Newman ( Linda Kelsey ); her predecessor, Carla Mardigian ( Rebecca Balding ); and photographer Dennis "Animal" Price ( Daryl Anderson ). His assistant city editor was Art Donovan ( Jack Bannon ). Charlie Hume was now his boss, who ultimately reported to publisher Margaret Jones Pynchon ( Nancy Marchand ). They, like those back at WJM, became his family. In
3744-480: The film. Although critically acclaimed, it was not a box-office success. The following year, she appeared in her final two films for Fox. In Love and War (1958) was a war drama film pairing her again with Jeffrey Hunter, and also with Robert Wagner , Dana Wynter , and Hope Lange . It was not a critical or financial success. Although the musical film genre had declined in profitability, she next co-starred in Mardi Gras (1958) with Pat Boone and Tommy Sands . It
3822-404: The final episode. Lou, along with Mary, Murray, and Sue Ann Nivens , was fired due to low ratings. Lou's sometime-nemesis, the vacuous Ted Baxter—the real cause for the ratings slide—was retained. Lou Grant , a spin-off drama from the comedy show Mary Tyler Moore , opens with Grant relocating to Los Angeles, to work with as City Editor with an old buddy, Charley Hume, who is managing editor of
3900-414: The first time almost immediately after their youngest daughter got married and left the house. Though they reconciled on this occasion, they would occasionally re-separate and seek marriage counseling over the next two years. In about 1973 he and Edie divorced, after which Edie promptly remarried. Lou, who had been consistently portrayed as a devoted husband, tentatively began to date again. He went out with
3978-403: The history of the Primetime Emmy Awards , having won seven – five for portraying Lou Grant (three as Supporting Actor in a Comedy Television Series on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and two as Lead Actor in a Dramatic Television Series on spin-off Lou Grant ) . His other Emmys were also for performances in two miniseries: Rich Man, Poor Man (1976), and Roots (1977). Asner acted in
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#17327974392694056-591: The last episode of season one it is revealed that he has just turned 50, a continuity error from The Mary Tyler Moore Show ; he would have turned 53 in 1978. There is one character on Lou Grant , reporter Rosenthal, who is mentioned frequently but never seen. Lou Grant was cancelled after the star, Ed Asner, publicly protested U.S. interventions into the politics of Latin American countries. Asner won five Primetime Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Lou, with three of these awards for The Mary Tyler Moore Show and two for Lou Grant . Bravo ranked Lou 35th on their list of
4134-570: The life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt ; he subsequently continued to tour the play throughout the country. In January 2011, Asner took a supporting role on CMT's first original sitcom Working Class . He made an appearance in the independent comedy feature Not Another B Movie , and had a role as billionaire Warren Buffett in HBO 's economic drama Too Big to Fail (2011). In 2013, he guest starred as Mr. Finger in The Crazy Ones . Asner also provided voice-over narration for many documentaries and films about social activism, including Tiger by
4212-440: The longer name held the page or screen better. In 2018, Asner was cast in the Netflix dark comedy, Dead to Me , which premiered on May 3, 2019. The series also stars Christina Applegate , Linda Cardellini , and James Marsden . Asner also had a recurring guest role in the 2018–present series Cobra Kai , portraying Johnny Lawrence 's step-father, Sid Weinberg, in seasons one and three. A memorial tribute to Asner preceded
4290-517: The majority of the shots were released, only her legs appeared, with the tagline "Believe it or not, these legs belong to an army lieutenant." The film premiered with much fanfare in January 1956, and became a box-office success, grossing over $ 4 million in the United States. North's follow-up was The Best Things in Life Are Free (1956), a lavish musical in which her singing voice was dubbed by Eileen Wilson . She received fourth billing under Gordon MacRae , Dan Dailey , and Ernest Borgnine . It
4368-447: The panelists if she has been associated with Monroe. The movie received mixed reviews from critics and was a moderate box-office success. Despite this, film historians, then and now, cite North's electrically charged dancing to "Shake, Rattle and Roll" as the film's most memorable scene. In an attempt to promote North, Fox studio executives lobbied to cast her in films surrounded with popular stars. The studio had campaigned to cast her in
4446-452: The planned merger would destroy the SAG's health plan and disempower actors. Asner and a group of fellow actors and voice-actors, including Martin Sheen and Ed Harris , filed (but later dropped) a lawsuit against SAG president Ken Howard and several SAG vice presidents, seeking to have the merger overturned and to have the two unions separated to their pre-merger organizations. In 2021, Asner traveled to Monte Rio, California to support
4524-529: The play in more than a dozen cities across the United States. In 2019, PBS flagship station WNET filmed the concert reading at New York's Center for Jewish History for their All Arts channel. The performance, which is available for free, world-wide live-streaming, co-stars Tovah Feldshuh , Ned Eisenberg , and Liba Vaynberg. In the week before his death, Asner told his frequent collaborators, Greg Palast and Leni Badpenny, that he soon would be doing three one-act plays. Asner had completed several roles in
4602-402: The publicity surrounding them, were the actual root causes for the show's cancellation. In 2011, Asner endorsed Democratic candidate Marcy Winograd who finished 4th in the 16-candidate primary behind eventual winner Janice Hahn , in California's 36th congressional district special election . From 2011 to 2015, Asner worked with filmmaker Nicole Zwiren on the feature-length documentary Behind
4680-422: The reopening, revitalization, and shifted focus of the local Monte Rio Theater. Asner was married to Nancy Lou Sykes from 1959 to 1988. They had three children, twins Matthew and Liza, and Kate. In 1987, he had a son named Charles with Carol Jean Vogelman. Asner was a parent and a grandparent to autistic children and was involved with the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Autism Speaks . He also served as
4758-428: The same character as city editor of the fictional Los Angeles Tribune . Although spin-offs are common on American television, Lou Grant remains one of a very few characters played by the same actor to have a leading role on both a popular comedy and a popular dramatic series. Although the setting of The Mary Tyler Moore Show might have implied that he was a native Minnesotan , Lou Grant in fact established that he
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#17327974392694836-558: The short-lived CBS sitcom Big Eddie in 1975. During the 1980–81 season, North starred in I'm a Big Girl Now with Diana Canova , Danny Thomas , and Martin Short . The series aired 19 episodes. In 1980, she played Marilyn Monroe's mother in the made-for-television film Marilyn: The Untold Story . In 1983, she appeared in the ensemble cast of Steven Bochco 's series Bay City Blues . The hour-long drama series aired eight episodes. North later appeared in two episodes of The Golden Girls as Blanche Devereaux 's sister Virginia. In
4914-428: The statement in 2009. In April 2004, Asner wrote an open letter to "peace and justice leaders" encouraging them to demand "full 9–11 truth" through the organization 9-11 Visibility Project . In 2011, Asner hosted the Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth documentary on the collapse of 7 World Trade Center , which endorses the theory that the building was taken down by controlled demolition . Asner also narrated
4992-596: The title of executive producer, and she reported to him), Ted Baxter as his news anchor and Murray Slaughter as his head writer. Of these relationships, the one with Richards was likely the closest. Except for one abortive attempt at romance, his general attitude towards Mary was paternalistic . A typical display of his affection for Richards came when his nephew, Allen, tried to put the moves on Mary. Lou became infuriated and said "Listen you, let me remind you of something, and remember this forever. I think of this girl here as if she were my own daughter and that means she
5070-434: The transition to broadcast journalism, and by the time of the 1966 elections he was working on a radio news show, as he explained to Mary Richards on the occasion of her producing her first news show all by herself at WJM-TV. He eventually became the head of the WJM news department. He worked in that capacity for 11 years. For most of that period, Mary Richards served as his associate producer (later producer, with Lou having
5148-494: The voice of the main protagonist Carl Fredricksen in the Academy Award -winning Pixar film Up (2009). He received critical acclaim for the role, with one critic going so far as to suggest "They should create a new category for this year's Academy Award for Best Vocal Acting in an Animated Film and name Asner as the first recipient." He appeared in the mid- to late-2000s decade in a recurring segment on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno , entitled "Does This Impress Ed Asner?" He
5226-631: Was a supporter of Humane Borders, an organization based in Tucson, Arizona , which maintains water stations in the Sonoran Desert for use by undocumented migrants, with the goal of preventing deaths by dehydration and exposure. He was the master of ceremonies at that organization's volunteer dinner in fall 2017. In November 2017, The Ed Asner Family Center was founded by Asner's son, Matt, and daughter-in-law, Navah Paskowitz. The Center provides arts and vocational enrichments, counseling services, and support groups and camps to special needs individuals and their families. Asner served two terms as president of
5304-412: Was also painfully shy, with a particular awkwardness around women. With those few people he trusted, Lou was protective and could at times confide his emotional vulnerability. When he learned that Ted considered him his "best friend", he took pity on him, at least until Ted infuriated him again. Lou's marriage began to slide as he and Edie both adjusted to life after parenthood. They briefly separated for
5382-408: Was an attempt by the studio to broaden North's audience appeal, and while it earned favorable reviews from critics, it did not become the success for which Fox had hoped. In 1956, Fox signed another blonde bombshell in the person of Broadway actress Jayne Mansfield to a contract, and began promoting her instead of North. Although Fox gradually lost interest in North, the studio continued to offer her
5460-408: Was born Dawn Shirley Crang in Los Angeles, California, on January 17, 1932, the daughter of June (née Shoard) and Richard Crang. Following her mother's remarriage to Edward Bethel, she was known as Dawn Shirley Bethel. North made her film début as an uncredited extra in Excuse My Dust (1951). She was then spotted by a choreographer performing at the Macayo Club in Santa Monica , and was cast as
5538-549: Was born in the fictional rural town of Goshen, Michigan in 1925. He was the son of John Simpson Grant and Ellen Hammersmith Grant; his grandfather was a pharmacist. At some point in his youth and early adulthood he developed a lifelong affection for westerns , particularly those starring John Wayne . In high school, he was a tackle for his school's football team. Soon after high school, he married Edie MacKenzie ( Priscilla Morrill ), at an age young enough to have four grandchildren before he turned 50. After marriage he became
5616-619: Was cast in a Country Music Television comedy pilot, Regular Joe . In 2001, Asner was the recipient of the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award . Asner won more Emmy Awards for performing than any other male actor (seven, including five for the role of Lou Grant). In 1996, he was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame . In July 2010, Asner completed recording sessions for Shattered Hopes: The True Story of
5694-742: Was formerly a member of the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (DSOC) and was a member of DSOC's successor, the Democratic Socialists of America . The sudden cancellation of Lou Grant in 1982 was the subject of much controversy. The show had high ratings, being in the ACNielsen top ten throughout its final month on the air. However, the CBS television network declined to renew it. Asner believed that his left-wing political views, as well as
5772-456: Was her final film under her contract. After North's contract with Fox ended in 1958, her career stalled, although she continued to act in films, television, and on the stage throughout the rest of her life. She guest-starred on episodes of The Untouchables and Gunsmoke (both 1963). North joined the cast of I Can Get It for You Wholesale in 1962, which featured Elliott Gould and introduced Barbra Streisand . She later guest-starred on
5850-586: Was not working in films, she worked in musicals and many other theatrical productions. She appeared on Broadway doing a lively routine in the musical Hazel Flagg (1953), and won a Theatre World Award . This led directly to her being cast in the film Living It Up (1954). In 1962, she appeared on Broadway as Martha Mills in I Can Get It for You Wholesale , with Jack Kruschen, Elliott Gould, and Barbra Streisand in her Broadway debut. North also appeared in productions of Irma La Douce , Bye Bye Birdie , and Can-Can . In 1965, she took over from Shirley Knight in
5928-772: Was released separately in theaters along with the Pixar animated feature film Elemental on June 16, 2023, nearly two years after his death and also served as the finale of the Up franchise. These were Asner's last acting works overall for Disney and were all dedicated to his memory. Asner also appeared posthumously in Deadly Draw (2023), A Fargo Christmas Story (2023), and Altered Reality (2024). At least two other projects, which would include Asner's final film roles, have yet to announce release dates: Scarlett (a television drama film) and Unplugged (an animated film). He played
6006-487: Was replaced with Jeffrey Hunter , with whom North often quarreled. In the film, North attempted to progress from her blonde bombshell image, playing a sarcastic waitress, and while the film drew mixed reviews, it was a box-office success. She next starred in No Down Payment (1957), a melodrama about the lives of multiple families living in a California subdivision. Tony Randall played her alcoholic husband in
6084-501: Was wearing Monroe's own studio wardrobe. After her screen tests, though, North was not cast in either film. In March 1954, North had a brush with scandal when she was revealed to have once danced in a bikini in an 8 mm erotic film. Fox capitalized on the publicity, as the studio previously had with Monroe's nude calendar posing in 1952. In 1955, she was assigned the lead role opposite Betty Grable in How to Be Very, Very Popular (1955),
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