Mark Blum Explained
| Mark Blum |
| Birth Name: | Mark Blum |
| Birth Date: | 14 May 1950 |
| Birth Place: | Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Death Place: | New York City, U.S. |
| Alma Mater: | University of Pennsylvania |
| Occupation: | Actor |
| Years Active: | 1976–2020 |
Mark Blum (May 14, 1950 – March 25, 2020) was an American actor who worked in theater, film, and television. He found success with a lead role in the 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan, which he followed up the next year with a supporting role in Crocodile Dundee.[1] On the stage, Blum won an Obie Award for his role in the play Gus and Al during its 1988–1989 season.
Near the end of his career, Blum had a regularly recurring role on the Amazon Prime series Mozart in the Jungle from 2014 to 2018. He also made guest appearances on dozens of shows throughout his career.
Early life
Blum was born in Newark, New Jersey, to Lorraine and Morton Blum, who worked in the insurance industry.[2] His family was Jewish.[3] He grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey,[4] and graduated from Columbia High School in 1968[5] and was inducted into the school's hall of fame in 2012.[6] He then went on to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania.[7] [8]
Career
Blum started acting on stage in the 1970s. In the 1980s, he acted in the movies Lovesick (1983), Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Just Between Friends (1986), Crocodile Dundee (1986), Blind Date (1987), and The Presidio (1988). He later appeared in Coin Heist (2017).
On television, he co-starred in Sweet Surrender in 1987. He also appeared on the following programs: Capital News in 1990, Frasier in 1997, and NYPD Blue in 1999. From 2014 to 2018, he appeared in Mozart in the Jungle.[9]
Blum won an Obie Award for his performance as Al in the Playwrights Horizons production of Albert Innaurato's play, Gus and Al, during the 1988–1989 season.[10] On Broadway, he appeared in Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers, Gore Vidal's The Best Man, and Richard Greenberg's The Assembled Parties. In 2013, he appeared as Max in the Primary Stages production of The Model Apartment. Blum was on the faculty of HB Studio in New York City.[11]
In 2018, Blum was cast in a recurring role as Ivan Mooney in the former Lifetime thriller series You.[12] He regularly acted at Playwrights Horizons, an off-Broadway theater in New York City. Blum frequently appeared on Broadway, including in the revival of Twelve Angry Men.[13] His recent Broadway credits included The Assembled Parties, Gore Vidal's The Best Man—twice—and Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers.[14]
Blum was active in the Screen Actors Guild, having served on the New York and national boards.[15]
Personal life and death
Blum was married to actress Janet Zarish,[16] who appeared on television as Natalie Bannon on As the World Turns and as Lee Halpern on One Life to Live.[17]
Blum died from complications associated with COVID-19 at New York–Presbyterian Hospital on March 25, 2020, aged 69, during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City.[18] [19] The season 3 premieres of You and Succession were dedicated in Blum's memory,[20] as well as the second episode of the fifth season of Billions.
Filmography
Film
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|
| 1984 | St. Elsewhere | Dr. Vogel | Episode: "Two Balls and a Strike" |
| 1987 | Sweet Surrender | Ken Holden | 6 episodes |
| 1987 | Miami Vice | Sid Shenker | Episode: "Contempt of Court" |
| 1990 | Capital News | Edison King | 13 episodes |
| 1991 | Roseanne | Mike Summers | Episode: "Aliens" |
| 1992 | Condition Critical | Dr. Howard Zuckerman | TV movie |
| 1993 | NYPD Blue | Dr. Roland Sachs | Episode: "From Hare to Eternity" |
| 1993–1998 | Law & Order | Brooklyn A.D.A. Frank Lazar | 2 episodes |
| 1995 | | Wayne Satz | TV movie |
| 1995 | New York Undercover | Dr. Vincent | Episode: "The Highest Bidder" |
| 1995 | C.P.W. | Ben | 5 episodes |
| 1995 | Law & Order | Michael Aronson | Episode: "Seed" |
| 1996 | Wings | Larry Mohr | Episode: "What About Larry" |
| 1996–1999 | NYPD Blue | FBI Agent Mike Francis | 2 episodes |
| 1997 | Ink | Greg Armstrong | Episode: "Face Off" |
| 1997 | Frasier | John | Episode: "The 1000th Show" |
| 1999 | The Sopranos | Randall Curtin | Episode: "Meadowlands" |
| 1999 | The West Wing | Rep. Katzenmoyer | Episode: "Five Votes Down" |
| 2000 | Family Law | Russell Hollenbeck | Episode: "Stealing Home" |
| 2001 | Deadline | Rabbi Jonathan Ahrenthal | Episode: "The First Commandment" |
| 2001 | Ed | Arnold Bancroft | Episode: "Goodbye Sadie" |
| 2002 | The Practice | State's Atty. Michael Scannel | Episode: "Evil/Doers" |
| 2003 | | Dr. Philip Oliver | Episode: "Con-Text" |
| 2004 | | Jim Rennert | Episode: "Deadline" |
| 2004 | Judging Amy | Richard Kinrich | Episode: "Slade's Chophouse" |
| 2006 | | Professor Larry Lewis | Episode: "Proud Flesh" |
| 2008 | New Amsterdam | Dr. MacVittie | Episode: "Soldier's Heart" |
| 2008 | Fringe | Dr. Claus Penrose | Episode: "The Same Old Story" |
| 2009 | Law & Order | Expert Doctor | Episode: "Dignity" |
| 2009 | Mercy | Dr. Austin | Episode: "I'm Not That Kind of Girl" |
| 2010 | The Good Wife | Julius Kreutzer | Episode: "Unplugged" |
| 2011 | | Dr. Parkinson | TV movie |
| 2011 | | David Arnoff | Episode: "Personal Fouls" |
| 2012 | Pan Am | Captain Jackson | Episode: "1964" |
| 2014–2018 | Mozart in the Jungle | Union Bob | 30 episodes |
| 2016 | The Blacklist | Noah Shuster | Episode: "Lady Ambrosia (No. 77)" |
| 2017 | Difficult People | Rabbi Schecter | Episode: "Fuzz Buddies" |
| 2018 | You | Mr. Mooney | 4 episodes |
| 2018 | Elementary | Ira Langstrom | Episode: "Bits and Pieces" |
| 2018–2019 | Succession | Bill Lockhart | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | The Good Fight | Julius Kreutzer | Episode: "The One Where the Sun Comes Out" |
| 2020 | Almost Family | Dr. Lewis | Episode: "Generational AF" |
| 2020 | Tommy | Jacob Fulton | 2 episodes, posthumous release |
| 2020 | Billions | Dr. Mark Rutenberg | 1 episode, posthumous release | |
Video games
External links
Notes and References
- News: Mark Blum Biography and Filmography 1950. . February 2, 2015. Hollywood.com. May 22, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20150922031856/http://www.hollywood.com/celebrities/mark-blum-57299276/. September 22, 2015. live.
- News: Mark Blum obituary. Ryan. Gilbey. March 29, 2020. The Guardian. London. March 30, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200330175926/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/mar/29/mark-blum-obituary. March 30, 2020. live.
- Web site: Mark Blum, Fixture of Off-Broadway & Loved Character Actor, Dies at 69 . . 27 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200326211929/https://www.broadway.com/buzz/198940/mark-blum-fixture-of-off-broadway-loved-character-actor-dies-at-69/ . 26 March 2020 . live .
- Web site: Staff. Mark Blum, CHS Class of '68, Lead in Desperately Seeking Susan, Mozart in the Jungle, Dies of Coronavirus. The Village Green of Maplewood & South Orange. Maplewood, New Jersey. March 26, 2020. March 27, 2020. According to former Maplewood Township Committeeman Noel Siegel, Mark grew up in Maplewood and was the son of former Maplewood Planning Board Chair Mort Blum and his wife Loraine.. https://web.archive.org/web/20200327142417/https://villagegreennj.com/obituaries/mark-blum-chs-class-of-68-lead-in-desperately-seeking-susan-mozart-in-the-jungle-dies-of-coronavirus/. March 27, 2020. live.
- News: N.J. actor Mark Blum, star of 'Desperately Seeking Susan,' 'Mozart in the Jungle,' dies from coronavirus. Amy. Kuperinsky. NJ.com. March 26, 2020. March 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200326195255/https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2020/03/nj-actor-mark-blum-star-of-desperately-seeking-susan-mozart-in-the-jungle-dies-from-coronavirus.html. March 26, 2020. live.
- Web site: Mann. Mary. Zach Braff Inducted Into Columbia High School Hall of Fame. The Village Green of Maplewood & South Orange. Maplewood, New Jersey. May 29, 2015. November 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181113125422/https://villagegreennj.com/schools-kids/zach-braff-inducted-columbia-high-school-hall-fame/. November 13, 2018. live.
- Web site: Mark Blum, Longtime Character Actor, Dead of Coronavirus Complications. https://web.archive.org/web/20200326193915/https://tvline.com/2020/03/26/mark-blum-dead-coronavirus-desperately-seeking-susan-dies/. 2020-03-26. 26 March 2020.
- Web site: Remembering Mark Blum | Theatre Arts & Dance | College of Liberal Arts. April 2020 .
- Book: The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–Present. 2003. Ballantine Books . New York City . 978-0345497734. 1159, 188.
- News: Mark Blum, 'Desperately Seeking Susan' star, dies from coronavirus complications. Dave. McNary. Variety. The Baltimore Sun. March 26, 2020. March 27, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200327132953/https://www.baltimoresun.com/coronavirus/ct-nw-mark-blum-dead-coronavirus-20200326-lhc37pnujnc2xo44mnax4vzqoe-story.html. March 27, 2020. live.
- Web site: Acting Teacher Mark Blum. HB Studio - Acting Classes in NYC. March 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200326193906/https://hbstudio.org/instructors/blum-mark/. March 26, 2020. live.
- Web site: You on Netflix spoilers: What happened to Mr Mooney? What did he do to Joe?. Mitchell. Molli. Daily Express. London. January 17, 2019. June 6, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190606111923/https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1065130/You-Netflix-spoilers-what-happened-to-Mr-Mooney-Joe-Goldberg-Mark-Blum-Penn-Badgley. June 6, 2019. live.
- News: Mark Blum, actor in 'Desperately Seeking Susan' and 'You,' dies of coronavirus complications. Scottie. Andrew. CNN. March 26, 2020. March 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200327012248/https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/26/entertainment/mark-blum-death-trnd/index.html. March 27, 2020. live.
- Web site: 'A Beautiful Human.' Veteran Actor Mark Blum Dies at 69 of Coronavirus Complications. Associated Press. Time. March 26, 2020. March 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200326231519/https://time.com/5811078/mark-blum-actor-dies-coronavirus/. March 26, 2020. dead.
- News: Mark Blum, actor on 'Law & Order' and 'Succession,' dies from coronavirus. Diana. Dasrath. David K.. Li. NBC News. March 26, 2020. March 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200329125733/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mark-blum-actor-law-order-succession-dies-coronavirus-n1169986. March 29, 2020. live.
- Web site: Keller . Ilana . Actor Mark Blum, 'Desperately Seeking Susan' and 'You' star, dies of coronavirus complications . . Gannett. Mclean, Virginia. March 26, 2020. April 1, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200327002508/https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2020/03/26/coronavirus-mark-blum-dies-complications-desperately-seeking-susan/2919609001/ . 27 March 2020 . live .
- Web site: Janet Zarish. June 4, 2015. Soaps.com. March 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200326193904/https://soaps.sheknows.com/one-life-to-live/actors/janet-zarish/. March 26, 2020. live.
- Web site: Mark Blum, Star of 'Desperately Seeking Susan' and 'You,' Dies at 69 Due to Coronavirus Complications. TheWrap. The Wrap, Inc.. Santa Monica, California. March 26, 2020. Welk. Brian. March 26, 2020. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200326160350/https://www.thewrap.com/mark-blum-star-of-desperately-seeking-susan-and-you-dies-at-69-due-to-coronavirus-complications/. March 26, 2020.
- Mark Blum, Stage Veteran and Actor in 'Crocodile Dundee,' Dies From Coronavirus Complications at 69. Barnes. Mike. The Hollywood Reporter. Valence Media. Los Angeles, California. March 26, 2020. March 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200326203030/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/mark-blum-dead-stage-veteran-actor-crocodile-dundee-dies-coronavirus-complciations-at-69-1286823. March 26, 2020. live.
- https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/you-episode-1-mark-blum-b1939069.html You season 3: Who is Mark Blum, the person episode 1 is dedicated to?
- News: DUDLEY MOORE RETURNS IN 'LOVESICK'. Vincent. Canby. Vincent Canby. March 27, 2020. The New York Times. February 18, 1983. https://web.archive.org/web/20200328033254/https://www.nytimes.com/1983/02/18/movies/dudley-morre-returns-in-lovesick.html. March 28, 2020. live.
- News: MOVIE REVIEW: DESPERATELY SEEKING FILM FUN? FIND 'SUSAN' . March 27, 2020 . . March 28, 1985 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200403235622/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-03-28-ca-29341-story.html . April 3, 2020 . live .
- News: Attanasio . Paul . Crocodile Dundee . March 27, 2020 . . October 4, 1986 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190918125948/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/crocodiledundeepg13attanasio_a0ad58.htm . September 18, 2019 . live .
- News: Kempley . Rita . Blind Date . March 27, 2020 . . April 3, 1987 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171128185041/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/blinddatepg13kempley_a0cab4.htm . November 28, 2017 . live .
- News: Maslin . Janet . Review/Film; 2 Buddies, A Murder And Love . March 27, 2020 . . June 10, 1988 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200327034547/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/06/10/movies/review-film-2-buddies-a-murder-and-love.html . March 27, 2020 . live .
- News: Thomas . Kevin . MOVIE REVIEW: Heavy-Handed Sexism Mars 'Worth Winning' . March 27, 2020 . . October 27, 1989 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200327025550/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-10-27-ca-545-story.html . March 27, 2020 . live .
- News: McCarthy . Todd . Emma and Elvis . March 27, 2020 . . June 18, 1992 . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20200327025550/https://variety.com/1992/film/reviews/emma-and-elvis-1200429974/ . March 27, 2020 . live .
- News: McCarthy . Todd . The Low Life . March 27, 2020 . . April 7, 1995 . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20200327025551/https://variety.com/1995/film/reviews/the-low-life-1200441446/ . March 27, 2020 . live .
- News: Kelly . Brendan . Stag . March 27, 2020 . . June 15, 1997 . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20200327025553/https://variety.com/1997/film/reviews/stag-1117341381/ . March 27, 2020 . live .
- News: Klady . Leonard . You Can Thank Me Later . March 27, 2020 . . September 14, 1998 . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20200327025551/https://variety.com/1998/film/reviews/you-can-thank-me-later-1200455185/ . March 27, 2020 . live .
- Web site: Shattered Glass TV Guide . . March 27, 2020 . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20200327085004/https://www.tvguide.com/movies/shattered-glass/cast/137075/ . March 27, 2020 . live .
- News: Holden . Stephen . Even a Things-to-Do List Seems to Be Multitasking . March 27, 2020 . . September 15, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190726080758/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/16/movies/i-dont-know-how-she-does-it-review.html . July 26, 2019 . live .
- News: Catsoulis . Jeannette . He Died Laughing (Isn't That Sweet?) . March 27, 2020 . . March 27, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200327025553/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/28/movies/in-blumenthal-relatives-react-to-a-playwrights-death.html . March 27, 2020 . live .
- News: Verongos . Helen T. . Review: In 'How He Fell in Love,' an Extramarital Bond Unfolds . March 27, 2020 . . July 14, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200327025550/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/15/movies/how-he-fell-in-love-review.html . March 27, 2020 . live .
- News: McNary . Dave . Gabriel Byrne, Nathan Lane's 'No Pay, Nudity' Scheduled for November Release . March 27, 2020 . . August 27, 2016 . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20200327025550/https://variety.com/2016/film/festivals/gabriel-byrne-no-pay-nudity-november-release-1201845770/ . March 27, 2020 . live .
