Ed Asner is an American actor and voice artist who is best known for portraying the character of Lou Grant in the sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970–1977) and its spin-off drama TV series Lou Grant (1977–1982). He is also well recognized for his work in the TV mini-series Rich Man, Poor Man (1976) and Roots (1977). His notable performances in films include Bart Jason in El Dorado (1967), Santa Claus in Elf (2003), and Carl Fredricksen in Up (2007). He had also served as the President of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) from November 1981 to June 1985.
Born Name
Eddie Asner
Nick Name
Ed
Sun Sign
Scorpio
Born Place
Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Residence
Los Angeles, California, United States
Nationality
Education
Ed had graduated from the Wyandotte High School in Kansas City, Kansas. He had then attended The University of Chicago.
Occupation
Actor, Voice Artist
Family
- Father – Morris David Asner (Entrepreneur, Shop and Junkyard Owner) (d. May 1957)
- Mother – Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Asner (née Seliger) (d. January 1967)
- Siblings – Benjamin James Asner (Older Brother) (d. 1986), Eve Asner (Older Sister) (d. 2014), Esther Edelman (Older Sister) (d. 2014), Labe Asner (Older Brother) (d. 2017)
- Others – Mark Seliger (Nephew) (Photographer), Navah Paskowitz (Daughter-in-Law), Jules Asner (Ex-Daughter-in-Law) (Screenwriter, Author, Former Entertainment Journalist, Former TV Personality, Former Model), Robin Gilmore (Ex-Step-Son), Aryeh Leib (Paternal Grandfather), Beile Beurofsky (Paternal Grandmother), Harry Seliger (Maternal Grandfather), Ettel Tennenbaum (Maternal Grandmother)
Build
Average
Height
5 ft 7 in or 170 cm
Weight
80 kg or 176.5 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Ed has dated –
- Nancy Sykes (1957-1988) – Ed began dating Nancy Sykes in 1957 and the couple got married on March 23, 1959. They have 3 children together – twins named Matthew Asner (Film Producer) and Liza Asner, and another daughter named Kathryn ‘Kate’ Asner (b. September 17, 1966) (Actress). They had parted ways in 1988.
- Carol Jean Vogelman (1986-1988) – Through his brief relationship with Carol Jean Vogelman, he has a son named Charles Edward Vogelman (b. 1987).
- Cindy Gilmore (1990-2015) – Ed had started dating film producer Cindy Gilmore in 1990 and they got engaged in 1991. The couple got married on August 2, 1998. They had filed for divorce in 2015.
Race / Ethnicity
Caucasian
He is of Ashkenazi Jewish (Russian and Lithuanian) descent.
Hair Color
Gray
Eye Color
Green
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Stocky frame
- Clean-shaven look
- Affable smile
- Puffy face
- Gravelly voice
Brand Endorsements
He had been featured in a TV commercial for the solar energy equipment supplier Verengo Solar (2012).
Ed Asner Facts
- Born in Kansas City, the largest city in the state of Missouri, Ed had grown up in its namesake Kansas City, the third-largest city in the state of Kansas. He had completed his schooling in the latter city. Raised in an Orthodox Jewish family, he was given the Hebrew name Yitzhak.
- In 2017, he had co-authored a book titled The Grouchy Historian: An Old-Time Lefty Defends Our Constitution Against Right-Wing Hypocrites and Nutjobs. His memoir titled Son of a Junkman was published in 2020.
- Before joining the entertainment industry, he had served with the U.S. Army Signal Corps and had participated in several plays that had toured the United States’ army camps that were stationed in Europe.
- As a parent and a grandparent of a child who has autism, he has been heavily involved with several organizations and charitable institutions like Autism Speaks that spread awareness about the disorder. He has also served on the board of Aspiritech, an organization that trains high-functioning autistic persons to test software and deliver quality-assurance services to clients.
- As of November 2020, had been nominated for 17 Primetime Emmy Awards and 3 Daytime Emmy Awards. He had won the former accolade 7 times which had made him the most honored male performer in the history of the Primetime Emmy Awards.
Featured Image by Ed Asner / Instagram
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Facts of Ed Asner
- full nameEd Asner
- Date of Birth November 15, 1929
- Age 95 years 0 months
- Horoscope Scorpio
- Lucky Number 11
- Lucky Stone Garnet
- Lucky Color Purple
- Best Match for Marriage Capricorn, Cancer, Pisces
- weight80 kg
- height5 ft 7 in