Martin Mull passed away on Friday, according to his daughter. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a hipster because of his esoteric humor and acting. He became a popular guest performer on comedies like “Arrested Development” and “Roseanne.” Maggie Mull, a comic artist and TV writer, said her father passed away at home on Thursday following “a valiant fight against a long illness.”
Martin Mull, Comic Actor, Dies at 80:
Martin Mull, the witty comedian, actor, singer-songwriter, and painter who rose to prominence in the soap opera parody Fernwood 2 Night and Mary Hartman, has passed away. He was eighty. Mull’s daughter, Maggie Mull, posted on social media that her father passed away at home on Thursday following a “valiant fight against a long illness.” She stated, “He was known for doing Red Roof Inn commercials and excelling at every creative discipline imaginable.” He would laugh at that joke. He was always witty. My dad’s wife and daughter, friends, colleagues, other artists, comedians, musicians, and — indicative of a genuinely remarkable guy — many dogs will all miss him terribly. I cherished him dearly.
Martin Mull’s Television Appearances:
In the 1990s, Mull also had successful runs as Roseanne Barr’s (Roseanne Connor’s) homosexual friend and confused principal Willard Kraft on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, and as Leon Carp, the gay employer on Roseanne. On Arrested Development, he portrayed Gene Parmesan, a master of disguise and private investigator. On Two and a Half Men, he played a pharmacist who wasn’t above sampling his product. In 2016, he received his lone Emmy nomination for portraying political strategist Bob Bradley on Veep.
In addition to co-writing and starring in the 1985 Cinemax mockumentary The History of White People in America and its 1986 sequel, Mull was also a regular collaborator with Fred Willard. On the big screen, he also played Colonel Mustard in the 1985 film Clue. Recently, he appeared as an elderly gentleman on the Fox comedy series The Cool Kids, an acid-tripping lawyer on Netflix’s The Ranch, and an ABC rerun of Not Dead Yet.
Martin Eugene Mull, Who is He?
On August 18, 1943, Martin Eugene Mull was born in Chicago. His mother, Betty, was an actress and director, while his father, Harold, was a carpenter. He grew up in New Canaan, Connecticut, and North Ridgeville, Ohio. His first goal was to become a painter, so he attended the Rhode Island School of Design and graduated with a master’s and bachelor’s degree in fine arts. Mull started bands to raise money for his tuition, and the experience introduced him to the entertainment industry.