Oscar-Nominated Actor Michael Lerner Passes Away At The Age Of 81
Image Source: CNN
Oscar-nominated actor Michael Lerner sadly passed away this week at the age of 81. Although he is best known for his critically acclaimed role as Jack Lipnick in Barton Fink, Lerner has been a staple since the 1970s when he worked on every major television sitcom, including M.A.S.H, The Brady Bunch, and The Odd Couple. Lerner made the leap to the Hollywood silver screen and was one of the few actors who was never constrained by one genre. He was equally at home in a gritty Frank Capello movie (No Way Back) as he was in a Marvel adventure (X-Men: Days of Future Past). However, children everywhere will always see Lerner as Fulton in the addictive Christmas comedy Elf. Lerner’s acting talents also allow him to happily switch between different mediums. He has performed onstage with Madonna in the West End version of Up For Grabs and starred in various radio productions for the BBC.
Born in Brooklyn, Lerner moved to the United Kingdom on a Fulbright Scholarship when he showed a flair for the arts. While studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art he shared a flat with John Lennon and Yoko Ono and even appeared in her experimental film Smile along with Paul McCartney. A larger-than-life character and avid card player, Lerner would often smoke Cuban cigars and play poker with other actors such as Milton Berle, Charles Bronson, Richard Dreyfuss, and Ed Asner.
He will be fondly remembered by his younger brother Ken Lerner (Happy Days, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), niece Jenny Lerner (The Mindy Project), and nephew Sam Lerner (Meet the Goldbergs).
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