Ed Asner’s Net Worth, Biography & Stats. Net Worth: Est. 10 Million $
Ed Asner was a celebrated actor known for his iconic role as Lou Grant on both “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and its dramatic spin-off. Over six decades, Asner earned seven Primetime Emmy Awards. Beyond his acting, he was a passionate activist, advocating for various social causes throughout his life.
Ed Asner illustrated biography
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1. Introduction
Ed Asner was among the most recognizable faces in the entertainment fraternity, and he stands out by his distinctive voice, authoritative presence, and dedication to his craft. With many decades of service in television, film, and social activism, the attachments on Asner’s resume run long.
Ed Asner had a net worth of $10 million at the time of his death in 2021, at 91 years old. Understanding his net worth showcases his journey from a regular teen to one of the richest celebrities and actors.
This paper talks about Ed Asner’s life, his career, his net worth, and the legacy he has left behind.
2. Ed Asner’s Early Life and Career
Ed Asner was born Edward David Asner on 15 November 1929, in Kansas City, Missouri, to a Jewish family. His father, Morris David Asner, and mother, Lizzie, nee Seliger, were Orthodox Jews who had emigrated from Russia.
He was the youngest of five children, and during his childhood, he developed a strong interest in performing arts. His upbringing within this culturally rich environment perhaps did much to influence his later work and advocacy.
Asner attended Wyandotte High School in Kansas City where he began practicing his performing and speaking skills while working at the school’s radio station.
Later, he enrolled at the University of Chicago. There he joined the university’s theatre group, where the urge to become an actor generated. He got a job working on an assembly line for Ford Motors after dropping out of college.
However, Asner was drafted to serve in the U.S. Army Signal Corps Korean War from 1951 to 1953. Ed worked in the Army Signal Corps and was taken around Europe to perform in plays with other military personnel.
Afterwards, he was discharged and went back to Chicago to follow his acting career. He joined the Playwrights Theatre Company in Chicago, where he started polishing his acting skills.
Asner’s early career was a succession of stage roles and guest appearances on television. Moving to New York City, he worked off-Broadway while slowly building his name, working a small part in “The Threepenny Opera” at the Theater de Lys in Greenwich Village and in a short-lived Broadway play, “Face of a Hero,” starring Jack Lemmon and in a handful of other television shows. Asner even played the noteworthy role of Peachum in “The Three Penny Opera”.
In 1961, he left for Los Angeles and landed some roles on popular television shows. He appeared in a variety of shows, including “Naked City,” “The Untouchables,” and “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.”
In 1965, he entered the film industry with a minor role in “Kid Galahad”. He minor roles and guest television roles until he was cast as Lou Grant in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” which premiered on CBS in 1970 and served as Asner’s breakout role in the industry.
3. Ed Asner’s Rise to Fame and Major Achievements
Ed Asner rose to fame in 1970 for the role of Lou Grant on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” He became nationally recognized due to his performance as he imbued Lou Grant with the perfect combination of comedy and drama that soared his popularity through the roofs.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show followed the main character’s life as an unmarried woman focusing on her career as a producer at a news channel, which was a unique narrative for the time.
Ed Asner’s character was Mary Tyler’s boss, so he was one of the main characters. The show received praise throughout its seven-year run and won 29 Emmys out of 67 nominations.
In 1977, he took up the role of Lou Grant again in the spin-off series “Lou Grant,” which ran for five seasons, giving Asner a chance to strut his stuff as a dramatic actor.
The show focused on Lou Grant’s role as the city editor of the Los Angeles Tribune, delving into the complexities of journalism and social issues. It aired until 1982 and received 13 Emmys as well as the prestigious Peabody Award.
Roles in historical drama miniseries such as “Roots” and “Rich Man, Poor Man” also solidified his position in the acting world.
He is known for his critically acclaimed work in the ABC miniseries “Roots,” playing Captain Thomas Davies, which brought out his talent for portraying difficult, complex roles. He acted as Nick Nolte’s bitter immigrant father in “Rich Man, Poor Man”.
In 1966, Asner played a wealthy landowner to John Wayne’s gun-for-hire in “El Dorado”. From 1987 to 1988, Asner was a high school principal in “The Bronx Zoo,” which ran for two seasons. He also played a former F.B.I. man in Oliver Stone’s 1991 film “JFK”.
Asner is known for his role as Santa Claus in the 2003 film “Elf” and returned to voice Santa in the animated special “Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas”.
He also had roles in the independent comedy “Not Another B Movie” and played Warren Buffet in the HBO drama “Too Big To Fail”, which premiered in 2011.
In 2019, Asner appeared in five episodes of Netflix’s dark comedy “Dead to Me” alongside Christina Applegate.
Some of his guest appearances were on an episode of “The X-Files” and in two episodes of Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin’s comedy “Grace and Frankie”. He has also played guest roles in “The Good Wife”, “The Middle”, “Hot in Cleveland” and “Cobra Kai,” and as recurring characters on “The Practice” and “ER.”
According to the New York Times, Asner starred briefly in several prime-time series including “Off the Rack” (1984), as Eileen Brennan’s business partner; “The Trials of Rosie O’Neill” (1991), with Sharon Gless; “Thunder Alley” (1994), a sitcom in which he played a retired stock car racer; and “Center of the Universe” (2004), as John Goodman’s intrusive father.
One of his last film appearances was in 2019, as a New York psychologist in “The Garden Left Behind”, a drama that won a SXSW Film Festival audience award.
He voiced many iconic characters in animated series and movies, with one of the most famous being Carl Fredricksen in the 2009 award-winning Pixar’s “Up.” With his unique voice and ability, Edward Asner became one of the most popular voice actors in the business.
Ed Asner vocally portrayed over seventy different characters. In 1987, he was the lead in the LA Classic Theatre Works radio version of Sinclair Lewis’ novel “Babbit”.
Furthermore, he also voiced characters in animated television series such as “Captain Planet and the Planeteers” Fox Kids Network’s “Spider-Man” and Walt Disney’s “Gargoyles”. From 2005 to 2014, Asner had a longtime role in the adult animated series “The Boondocks”.
During his long, distinguished career, Asner won many different types of awards. He won seven Primetime Emmy Awards out of 17 nominations, which put him in the top ten of the most awarded male actors in Emmy history. Five of his wins came from his role as Lou Grant.
Asner is the only actor to have won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for portraying his character “Lou Grant”.
His performance in “Spider-Man” earned him an Emmy nomination in 1992 and his acting in “Roots” won him an Emmy for his two-episode performance.
He was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts as well as the Emmy Hall of Fame in 1996. He has won five Golden Globes out of 11 nominations, one for “Rich Man, Poor Man” and two each for the two series in which he played Lou Grant.
According to the FFRF, Asner had nearly 400 acting credits. All of Ed Asner’s achievements act as a testimony to his legacy.
4. Ed Asner’s Net Worth
His monetary success was a result of the long, prolific career in television, film, and voice acting that he had. Asner’s skill in diversifying roles into other genres was quite substantial in terms of adding up to his wealth.
He first came a millionaire in the early 1980’s from the success of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and its spin-off “Lou Grant”.
In regards to real estate, according to the Los Angeles Times, Asner’s old ranch-style home in Studio City, California sold for $1.955 million in 2019. Asner first purchased the property, which consists of vaulted ceilings, French doors, a luxurious pool, and other lavish accessories, for $540,000 in 1996.
Asner also owned a property in Tarzana, another suburb in the San Fernando Valley. Tarzana is known for its larger lots and more suburban feel, providing a quieter lifestyle compared to the bustling city of Los Angeles.
Ed Asner also made some appearances in commercials for several major brands. He lent his distinctive voice and persona to campaigns for Snickers, M&M’s, and Liberty Medical. In Snickers’ famous “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” campaign, he delivered humour with his characteristic charm.
He also contributed his voice to M&M’s commercials, adding a touch of his unique style to the beloved candy characters. Additionally, Asner appeared in Liberty Medical advertisements, promoting diabetes supplies and healthcare.
Compared to other actors of his time, Asner’s net worth was a reflection of his consistency in finding success and being able to adapt to changes within the entertainment world. His financial success is thus attributed not only to his talent but also to his business acumen and wise investments.
5. Ed Asner’s Personal Life
Ed Asner had two marriages. His first wife was Nancy Sykes, whom he wed from 1959 to 1988. They had three children: twins Matthew and Liza and daughter Kate.
Asner’s second marriage came in 1998 to Cindy Gilmore and ended in divorce in 2015. No divorce papers were officially filed until 2015, though the pair had reached a financial settlement in 2009 and were no longer living together.
He had a son, Charles, from Carol Jean Vogelman in 1987. His children: Matthew, Liza, and Kate, are all involved in the film business, with jobs ranging from producer to booking agent to actor. Asner also has ten grandchildren.
Regarding philanthropy, he voiced raised concerns over various social issues like labour rights, autism awareness, and political activism. Asner served two terms as president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1981 to 1985 and worked on improving working conditions and advocating for actors’ rights.
Furthermore, he was a member of “The Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee” supporting various democratic causes and candidates, including Barack Obama.
Asner worked with Director Nicole Zwiren for four years to produce a documentary film on HIV denialism called “Behind the Fear” (2016), with Asner as narrator, showcasing the US government’s failures during the 1980s HIV epidemic.
In 2004, he took part in a petition calling for an investigation into the 9/11 Attacks and potential US government interference.
The issues he supported over the years included unionism (in particular the air traffic controllers’ strike of 1981) and animal rights; those he protested against included the American military presence in El Salvador.
Asner was also quite involved in charitable activities. There were various organizations and causes he backed, including raising awareness of autism, due to his son Charles being autistic.
Some of the organizations he works with include The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, a free speech organization, Rosenberg Fund for Children, Holocaust survivors, Fresh Start and many other organizations.
Asner’s commitment to social justice and philanthropy made a difference that will never be forgotten within the communities in which he served.
On August 29, 2021, Asner passed away from natural causes at the age of 91. He was laid to rest at Kansas City’s Sheffield Cemetery.
According to SK POP, Denis O’Hare paid tribute to Ed Asner by sharing a picture of The Parting Glass, where he worked with him. Mark Hamill also expressed his grief over the loss of the well-known actor. Michael Moore shared an anecdote about his conversation with Ed while paying tribute to the Roots actor.
Parade (2017) mentions that the opening night gala in the 12th Annual Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival was a tribute to Ed Asner. The event honoured the actor for his distinguished body of work, and for his commitment to activism and to preserving Jewish values.
6. Conclusion
The career and contribution that Ed Asner has had to the entertainment industry remain unparalleled. Some of his memorable roles, more so that of Lou Grant, have stamped an almost permanent mark in television history.
Asner’s net worth and other personal things show a life well-spent in pursuit of his craft and the betterment of society. His legacy, as an actor, activist, and philanthropist continues to enthuse and inspire future generations.
References
https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/actors/ed-asner-net-worth
https://variety.com/gallery/ed-asner-life-career-lou-grant/oben
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/29/arts/television/ed-asner-dead.html
https://www.therichest.com/celebnetworth/celeb/ed-asner-net-worth
https://www.thelist.com/431433/the-heartbreaking-death-of-ed-asner