Martin Mull, a veteran character actor who appeared in more than a hundred films and television shows, including “Roseanne,” “Veep” and “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” has died, his daughter shared in a post on social media. He was 80.
“I am heartbroken to share that my father passed away at home on June 27th, after a valiant fight against a long illness,” his daughter Maggie Mull wrote in a tribute on Instagram Friday. “He was known for excelling at every creative discipline imaginable and also for doing Red Roof Inn commercials. He would find that joke funny. He was never not funny. My dad will be deeply missed by his wife and daughter, by his friends and coworkers, by fellow artists and comedians and musicians, and—the sign of a truly exceptional person—by many, many dogs. I loved him tremendously,” she added. CNN has reached out to a representative for Mull for comment.
The comedian broke into TV in the 1970s when he starred in soap opera parody “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” then its spinoff “Fernwood Tonight.” He went on to star as Colonel Mustard in the 1985 film “Clue.” From there, he took roles in numerous comedy series including “Roseanne,” “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” “Arrested Development,” and “Two and a Half Men.”
The beloved actor won a number of awards for his work, including a CableACE Award in 1985 for the mockumentary “The History of White People in America,” a Video Premiere Award nomination for the 1998 film “Zack and Reba” and a 2008 Innovator Award for “Roseanne.” For his role as Bob Bradley on “Veep,” the comic was nominated for an Emmy in 2016 and won an OFTA Television Award as well as a Gold Derby TV Award that year.
On social media, actors and others who had worked with Mull remembered him for his talent and comedy.
Actor Harry Shearer in a post on X reminisced about his time working with Mull. “Took me a moment to grasp that Martin Mull has passed. During the late 70s, we worked together on Fernwood Tonight & its successor series,” Shearer said. “We wrote together, often at the beach (!), and sometimes I’d come out and riff with him. Mucho laffs! Always a treat to be with. RIP MM.”
Roseanne actor Michael Fishman called Mull “a legend.” “He was a tremendous talent, who was always funny. As amazing as he was on camera, he was even more incredible off,” Fishman said. “The world was better with him in it. Perhaps the other side needed more laughter.”
Voice actress Grey DeLisle posted about Mull’s sense of humour. “Every time a big celebrity died, Martin would come into the studio bragging about the ‘HUGE JOB’ he’d just booked with them,” she said on X. “There would always be this uncomfortable ‘oh no….who’s gonna tell him???’ moment before he’d burst out laughing!”
Director Paul Feig said: “Oh man, this is so sad. Martin was the greatest. So funny, so talented, such a nice guy. Was lucky enough to act with him on The Jackie Thomas Show and treasured every moment being with a legend. Fernwood Tonight was so influential in my life. RIP Martin.”
Jennifer Tilly, who starred alongside Mull in the 1988 satire comedy film “Rented Lips,” said “he was such a witty charismatic and kind person.” “As an actress just starting out, it really meant a lot to me to be able to work with such a wonderful actor,” she wrote on X.
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