Beloved veteran character actor Michael Lerner, who appeared in such films as “Elf,” and “Barton Fink,” for which she received an Oscar nomination, has died at the age of 81.
Oscar-nominated character actor Michael Lerner dies
Actor Michael Lerner, who appeared in a number of TV series and films, most notably his Oscar-nominated role in the 1991 psychological comedy “Barton Fink,” died on Saturday at the age of 81, Variety reported.
“The Goldbergs” actor Sam Lerner, Michael’s nephew, confirmed his uncle’s death on Instagram on Sunday, CNN reported.
“We lost a legend last night,” Sam Lerner wrote. “It’s hard to put into words how brilliant my uncle Michael was, and how influential he was to me. His stories always inspired me and made me fall in love with acting.”
“He was the coolest, most confident, talented guy, and the fact that he was my blood will always make me feel special,” Sam continued. “Everyone that knows him knows how insane he was— in the best way. I’m so lucky I got to spend so much time with him, and we’re all lucky we can continue to watch his work for the rest of time.”
“RIP Michael, enjoy your unlimited Cuban cigars, comfy chairs, and endless movie marathon,” Sam added.
Michael Lerner: Career highlights
Michael Lerner‘s most memorable role was the character of Jack Lipnick in Joel and Ethan Coen’s 1991 psychological comedy thriller Barton Fink, for which Lerner received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
Lerner’s other noteworthy film appearances were for Elf (2003), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Godzilla (1998), and another Coen Brothers film, A Serious Man (2009).
In 1963, Lerner’s first role came in the TV series Dr. Kildare, although uncredited.
Starting in 1969 Lerner’s acting career took off, with appearances on a number of TV series including The Good Guys, The Brady Bunch, and The Doris Day Show. He would go on to appear in a long string of top television series as a character actor, typically making a single appearance.
In 1975, he appeared on two episodes of Starsky and Hutch, and four episodes of The Rockford Files between 1974-1996. He would do the same on the series Hill Street Blues in the 80s.
In the 90s, Lerner appeared in 11 episodes of the TV series Courthouse, and 18 episodes of Clueless.
Lerner appeared in 5 episodes of Glee from 2013-2014.
