Michael Lerner (actor) explained

Michael Lerner
Birth Name:Michael Charles Lerner
Birth Date:22 June 1941
Birth Place:New York City, U.S.
Death Place:Burbank, California, U.S.
Occupation:Actor
Alma Mater:London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Years Active:1954–2019
Relatives:Ken Lerner (brother)
Sam Lerner (nephew)

Michael Charles Lerner (June 22, 1941 – April 8, 2023) was an American actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jack Lipnick in Barton Fink (1991). Lerner also played Arnold Rothstein in Eight Men Out (1988), Phil Gillman in Amos & Andrew (1993), The Warden in No Escape (1994), Mel Horowitz on the television series Clueless, Jerry Miller in The Beautician and the Beast (1997), Mayor Ebert in Roland Emmerich's Godzilla (1998), Mr. Greenway in Elf (2003), and Senator Brickman in (2014).

Early life

Michael Charles Lerner was born on June 22, 1941,[1] in Brooklyn, New York City, of Romanian-Jewish descent, the second of three sons to Blanche and George Lerner; according to Lerner, his father "liked to think he was an antiques dealer, but in all actuality he was a junk dealer."[2] He was raised in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and in Solon, Ohio. His younger brother Ken, nephew Sam, and niece Jenny are also actors.[3] His older brother, Arnold, died in 2004.

Career

Lerner made his first television appearance at the age of 13, as a "quiz kid" on a television program hosted by a local sportscaster. He played Willy Loman in a production of Death of a Salesman at Brooklyn College, where Joel Zwick was a classmate. The experience convinced him that he wanted to be an actor, rather than an English professor. He also appeared as Sir Toby Belch in a production of Twelfth Night directed by David Mamet in Greenwich Village; William H. Macy was also in that production.[4] After graduating from Brooklyn College, where he studied acting, he received a scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a master's degree in English drama. Although his then-wife still thought he should become an English professor, Lerner still wanted to be an actor; he received a Fulbright Scholarship to study theater in London for two years, at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. While there, he lived in a flat with Yoko Ono and John Lennon. In 1968, he appeared in Ono's short experimental film Smile, among other projects. "She made a movie bare asses walking on a treadmill", he once said. "I’m in it and so is Paul McCartney. Plus I’m doing narration about censorship and all that crap."

In 1968, Lerner returned to the San Francisco Bay Area and joined the American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.). At the age of 24 he appeared as "Hieronymous the Miser" in a KPFA radio production of Michel de Ghelderode's Breugelesque play, Red Magic.

Lerner moved to Los Angeles in 1969, where he appeared in a production of Little Murders, a play by Jules Feiffer that was later adapted into a film by Alan Arkin. He also began making guest appearances in television shows such as The Brady Bunch, The Odd Couple, M*A*S*H, Banacek and The Rockford Files. In 1974, he appeared in the teleplay The Missiles of October, playing Pierre Salinger.

In 1970, Lerner made his film debut in Alex in Wonderland; director Paul Mazursky had seen his production of Little Murders and enjoyed his performance. He then went on to appear in supporting roles in various Hollywood movies such as The Candidate, St. Ives and the 1981 remake of The Postman Always Rings Twice. In 1991, after co-starring in Harlem Nights, Lerner played film producer Jack Lipnick in Barton Fink, for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He based the character in part on legendary film mogul Louis B. Mayer; according to his brother Ken, he was working on a screenplay about Mayer when he died.

From 1996 to 1997, Lerner played Mel Horowitz on the television series Clueless. In 1997, he would play Joy Miller's father Jerry in The Beautician and the Beast. Lerner's later projects include the Christmas comedy Elf (2003) and Poster Boy (2004), as well as television programs such as and Entourage.

In 2010, he appeared in the West End production of Up for Grabs with Madonna. He also appeared on BBC Radio Four in 2008 as a member of the cast of David Quantick's Radio Four's series One. He portrayed Senator Brickman in the Marvel Comics/Twentieth Century Fox film, (2014). In 2013, Lerner appeared in a Season 4 episode of Glee as Sidney Greene, an investor in the revival of Broadway musical Funny Girl. His character is on the panel of judges, watching the Rachel Berry character audition for the lead role. He reprised his role as Sidney in Season 5 in several New York-based episodes of the series, as Funny Girl opens on Broadway.[5]

Personal life

In addition to his acting career, Lerner was a collector of rare books, an aficionado of Cuban cigars, and—by his own account—a very good poker player. He was missing the tip of one index finger, due to an injury suffered while cutting a tongue sandwich while working at a deli in New York City.

Death

Lerner died of complications from brain seizures at a hospital in Burbank, California, on April 8, 2023, at the age of 81.[1] [6]

Selected filmography

Films

YearTitleRoleNotes
1968SmileShort experimental film directed by Yoko Ono
1970Alex in WonderlandLeo
1971The Ski BumRod
1972 The CandidatePaul Corliss
1974BustingMarvin Royce
Newman's LawFrank Acker
HangupFred Richards
1976St. IvesMyron Green
1977The Other Side of MidnightBarbet
Outlaw BluesHatch
1979GoldengirlSternberg
1980The Baltimore BulletPaulie
Coast to CoastDr. Frederick Froll
BorderlineHenry Lydell
1981 The Postman Always Rings TwiceMr. Katz
ThresholdHenry de Vici
1982National Lampoon's Class ReunionDr. Robert Young
1983Strange InvadersWillie Collings
1985 Movers & ShakersArnie
1987 AnguishJohn Pressman
1988 VibesBurt Wilder
Eight Men OutArnold Rothstein
1989 Harlem NightsBugsy Calhoune
1990Maniac Cop 2Deputy Commissioner Edward Doyle
Any Man's DeathHerb Denner
1991Earl Knight
1991Barton FinkJack Lipnick
1992NewsiesWeasel
The Comrades of SummerGeorge
1993Amos & AndrewPhil Gillman
1994Blank CheckBiderman
Radioland MurdersLieutenant Cross
The Road to WellvilleGoodloe Bender
No EscapeThe Warden
1995No Way BackFrank Serlano
A Pyromaniac's Love StoryPerry
Girl in the CadillacPal
1997The Beautician and the BeastJerry Miller
For Richer or PoorerPhillip Kleinman
1998GodzillaMayor Ebert
Safe MenBig Fat Bernie Gayle
CelebrityDr. Lupus
Tale of the MummyProfessor Marcus
Desperation Boulevard Manny Green
1999The Mod SquadHoward
My Favorite Martian Mr. Channing
2001 Mockingbird Don't SingDr. Stan York
2002Producer Voice
2003Elf Mr. Greenway
2004The Calcium KidArtie Cohen
LarcenyPete
Poster BoyJack Kray
2005When Do We Eat?Ira Stuckman
2006Love and Other DisastersMarvin Bernstein
Art School ConfidentialArt Dealer
The Last TimeLeguzza
2007 A Dennis the Menace ChristmasMr. Souse
SlipstreamBig Mikey
2008Yonkers JoeStanley
2009 A Serious ManSolomon Schlutz
Life During WartimeHarvey Wiener
2010Pete Smalls Is DeadLeonard Proval
Wax On, F*ck OffCy RosenthalShort film
2011 Atlas Shrugged: Part IWesley Mouch
2012 Mirror MirrorBaron
2014Senator Brickman
2015AshbyEntwhistle
2019Frankenstein's Monster's Monster, FrankensteinBobby FoxFinal performance before death

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1963Dr. KildareDr. Brown1 episode
1969The Good GuysArthur2 episodes
Three's a CrowdSid BagbyTelevision film
The Brady BunchJohnny1 episode
1970The Young LawyersAnthony Maroni
The Doris Day ShowMr. Murray2 episodes
1971That GirlCharlie1 episode
The D.A.Mark Warren
What's a Nice Girl Like You...?Fats DetroitTelevision film
1972Jack Watson1 episode
IronsideAdrian Father
Night GalleryDr. Burgess
The Delphi BureauCy Turrell
BanacekBartender
The Streets of San FranciscoLou Watkins
1973Bob & Carol & Ted & AliceDr. Nasserman
FirehouseErnie BushTelevision film
The Bob Newhart ShowMr. Carolla1 episode
Emergency!Martin Noble
Love StoryLou Graham
The New Perry MasonDerek Stocker
1974M*A*S*HCaptain Bernie Futterman
The Rockford FilesDr. Ruben Steelman
Arnold Love2 episodes
Love, American StyleKaratz1 episode
ChaseCupid
The Odd CoupleSgt. Chomsky
Reflections of MurderJerry SteeleTelevision film
The Missiles of OctoberPierre Salinger
1975 Sarah T. – Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic Dr. Marvin Kittredge
The Dream MakersMike
A Cry for HelpPhilip Conover
Starsky & HutchFat Rolly2 episodes
Lucas TannerArtie1 episode
RhodaRalph Bentley
1976Jigsaw JohnArthur Devore
Harry OWilt Kane
Police WomanGuidera
The Rockford FilesMurray Rosner
1978Ruby and OswaldJack RubyTelevision film
KojakDr. Samuel Fine1 episode
VegasNate Stephenson - pilot episode: 'High Roller'
Wonder WomanAshton Ripley
1979Hart to HartPoker Player
1980Barnaby JonesAlbert Kruger
This Year's BlondeJack L. WarnerTelevision film
1982Hart to HartArt Radner1 episode
1983 Hill Street BluesRollie Simone4 episodes
Blood FeudEddie CheyfitzTelevision film
Harry Cohn
1985 Hollywood BeatPilotPilot episode
MacGyverGartner
The A-TeamJerry1 episode
1987Amazing StoriesMr. Marvin
Hands of a StrangerCapt. CirrilloTelevision film
The King of LoveNat Goldberg
1988 Great PerformancesOscar Hammerstein1 episode
The EqualizerAmar
1991Earl KnightTelevision film
1992The Comrades of SummerGeorge
1993Tales from the CryptMr. Byrd1 episode
1995Picture WindowsMaestro
CourthouseJudge Myron Winkleman11 episodes
1996–97CluelessMel Horowitz18 episodes
1998–99Mayor EbertVoice, 3 episodes
2000Murder at the Cannes Film FestivalMorrie BorelliTelevision film
2001Third WatchSeymour Morgenstern1 episode
2003–06Morty Berger2 episodes
2004Kingdom HospitalSheldon Fleischer3 episodes
2007EntourageJoe Roberts1 episode
2008Dirty Sexy MoneyMartin
2009Saving GraceRebbe Jory Quecksilber
2010The Bannen WayThe MenschWeb series
16 episodes
2012The Good WifeJudge Dwight Sobel1 episode
SuburgatoryAaron Laynberg
2013–14GleeSidney Greene5 episodes
2015Comedy Bang! Bang!Darren Schlepping1 episode
Childrens HospitalPop
2016MaronRalph

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: McCarthy . Lauren . Michael Lerner, 'Elf' and 'Barton Fink' Actor, Dies at 81 . The New York Times . April 10, 2023 . April 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230410210336/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/10/arts/michael-lerner-dead.html/ . April 10, 2023.
  2. Web site: Interview with Michael Lerner. Michael. Kaplan. Cigar Aficionado. January 1999. November 23, 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100310194726/http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Profiles/People_Profile/0,2540,71,00.html. March 10, 2010.
  3. Web site: Michael Lerner Biography. Yahoo! Movies. August 23, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20110522092433/https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800018400/bio. May 22, 2011.
  4. Web site: April 28, 2016 . Michael Lerner on Eddie Murphy, Barton Fink, and Woody Allen's worst movie . April 9, 2023 . The A.V. Club . en.
  5. News: Lea Michele and Michael Lerner. https://web.archive.org/web/20140519221811/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/lat-cindy-backlot-la0016213540-20140316-photo.html. dead. May 19, 2014. Los Angeles Times. August 23, 2014. Lea Michele and Michael Lerner on the set of "Glee" on March 16, 2014, in New York City..
  6. News: Michael Lerner, Actor in 'Barton Fink,' 'Harlem Nights' and 'Eight Men Out,' Dies at 81 . The Hollywood Reporter. April 9, 2023 . April 9, 2023.