Ed Asner

Lore & Background

Asner was born to Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants from Lithuania and Ukraine, raised in an Orthodox Jewish family in Kansas City, Kansas. He attended Wyandotte High School and the University of Chicago, where he studied journalism before switching to drama. He served in the United States Army Signal Corps from 1951 to 1953 during the Korean War.

Asner's career began with stage work in Chicago and New York, including Off-Broadway roles and his Broadway debut in Face of a Hero in 1960. He made his television debut in 1957 on Studio One and his film debut in 1962 in Kid Galahad. He guest-starred on numerous series before landing the role of Lou Grant in 1970.

Asner voiced Carl Fredricksen in the Pixar film Up (2009) and had extensive voice work in animated series such as Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Gargoyles, and The Boondocks. He also acted in films including El Dorado, They Call Me Mister Tibbs!, Fort Apache, The Bronx, JFK, and Too Big to Fail.

Reader's Guide

Ed Asner's significance lies in his record-setting seven Primetime Emmy Awards, the most of any male performer, and his unique achievement of playing the same character—Lou Grant—in both a comedy (The Mary Tyler Moore Show) and a drama (Lou Grant). This dual success highlighted his versatility and helped define television's ability to evolve a character across genres. His voice role as Carl Fredricksen in Pixar's Up introduced him to a new generation and earned critical acclaim. Asner also contributed to landmark miniseries like Roots and Rich Man, Poor Man, and his extensive voice work in animation and audiobooks expanded his reach. His career spanned over six decades, from early television guest spots to later roles in series like Cobra Kai and Dead to Me. Asner's legacy includes his induction into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2001.

Did You Know?

• Asner won seven Primetime Emmy Awards, the most of any male performer.
• He is one of the few television actors to portray the same character (Lou Grant) in both a comedy and a drama.
• He voiced Carl Fredricksen in the Pixar animated film Up (2009).
• Asner served in the United States Army Signal Corps from 1951 to 1953 during the Korean War.

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