Ed Asner with (clockwise from top right) Susan Silver, Ed. Weinberger, Veronica Redd, Geoffrey Mark, Chuck Harter, Matthew Asner, Deborah Pearl, Jennifer Armstrong
Ed Asner: An Actor We’ll Always Treasure
Original Airdates: Sept. 24-26, 2021
TVC 524.1: A program-length celebration of the life and career of Ed Asner, the eight-time Emmy Award-winning actor who passed away this past Sunday, Aug. 29 at age 91. Known to three generations around the world for his portrayals of Carl Frederickson in Pixar’s UP!; Santa Claus in several films (including, most notably, Elf); his stellar performances in the classic miniseries Roots and Rich Man, Poor Man; and, of course, his signature role as newsman Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and, later, his own show, Lou Grant, Asner was a multifaceted, well-informed human being known for his tireless activism (particularly when he was president of the Screen Actors Guild), his desire to make a difference in the world (and to always do the right thing, even at great personal cost), his generosity of spirit, and his marvelous sense of humor. Our tribute will include remembrances from many friends and colleagues of Ed Asner, plus highlights from two of our favorite moments with Ed on TV Confidential.
Ed Asner: Much More Than Lou Grant
Original Airdates: Sept. 24-26, 2021
TVC 524.2: Tony, Donna, and Ed discuss their favorite “Lou Grant” moments from Ed Asner, both on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Lou Grant; his work as president of the Screen Actors Guild; his activism (including his controversial stance on the U.S. involvement in El Saldavor in 1982); and some of his many other roles, including Two Jews Talking, the stage comedy with Jamie Farr that Ed was rehearsing two days before his death. This segment also includes quotes from Jamie Farr and Ruta Lee, courtesy of B. Harlan Boll Public Relations.
Ed Asner, Lou Grant, and “I Hate Spunk”
Original Airdates: Sept. 24-26, 2021
TVC 524.2a: From May 2013: Jennifer Armstrong, author of Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted and All the Brilliant Minds Who Made The Mary Tyler Moore Show a Classic, talks to Ed about the difficulty that Ed Asner initially had with delivering the now iconic line “I hate spunk” during the original taping of the pilot for The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Ed Asner passed away this past Sunday, Aug. 29 at age 91.
Ed Asner’s memoir, Son of a Junkman, includes tributes to all of his cast mates on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, as well as reveals the inspiration for his portrayal of Lou Grant on the Moore show.
Ed Asner’s Voice Acting Career
Original Airdates: Sept. 24-26, 2021
TVC 524.3: Greg Ehrbar joins Ed for a special Ed Asner-centric edition of our DVD and streaming report, with particular emphasis on Ed’s extensive work as a voice artist on many animated films and TV specials (including the many times other than Elf in which he played Santa Claus), as well as his performances as a reader on audiobooks. This segment also includes quotes from Bob Bergen and Leonard Maltin, courtesy of B. Harlan Boll Public Relations.
Ed Asner and The Gathering
Original Airdates: Sept. 24-26, 2021
TVC 524.4: Greg and Ed discuss Ed Asner’s performance in The Gathering (ABC, 1977), the made-for-TV holiday classic that was also among Hanna-Barbera’s first ventures into feature-length live-action movies.
Ed Asner: The Most Open Celebrity You’ll Ever Know
Original Airdates: Sept. 24-26, 2021
TVC 524.5: Emmy Award winner Geoffrey Mark joins Ed to share a few memories about Ed Asner. Geoff not only interviewed Ed for a documentary he produced about The Mary Tyler Moore Show, but was among the many recipients of Ed’s generosity of spirit. Geoffrey Mark also hosts Geoffrey Mark Plays Ella, a celebration of the music of Ella Fitzgerald that you can hear for free wherever you find podcasts.
The Amazing Range of Ed Asner
Original Airdates: Sept. 24-26, 2021
TVC 524.6: Chuck Harter joins Ed to share a few memories about Ed Asner. Chuck interviewed Ed in person for his book Mr. Novak: An Acclaimed Television Series. See LilaLeedsBook.com for information and updates about Chuck’s latest project.
Ed Asner’s Final Stage Role
Original Airdates: Sept. 24-26, 2021
TVC 524.7: Nine-time Emmy Award-winning writer, producer, and humorist Ed. Weinberger (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi) talks to Ed about his three collaborations with Ed Asner over the past ten years, including Two Jews Talking, a new stage comedy that Asner was rehearsing with Jamie Farr two days before he died. Ed Asner passed away this past Sunday, Aug. 29 at age 91.
Ed Asner, Ed. Weinberger, and The Grouchy Historian
Original Airdates: Sept. 24-26, 2021
TVC 524.8: Writer, producer, and humorist Ed. Weinberger (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi) talks to Ed about his three collaborations with Ed Asner over the past ten years, including The Grouchy Historian: An Old Time Lefty Defends Our Constitution Against Right Wing Hypocrites and Nutjobs, an earnest, engaging, and well researched look at the back story of the U.S. Constitution. Ed Asner passed away this past Sunday, Aug. 29 at age 91.
Ed Asner: A Good Lead and a Good Leader
Original Airdates: Sept. 24-26, 2021
TVC 524.9: Actress Veronica Redd (The Young and the Restless) talks to Ed about why Ed Asner was not only a good leading actor, but a good leader who set a tone of camaraderie on the set for everyone for who worked on his shows. Veronica’s many TV appearances include three episodes of Lou Grant.
Susan Silver on Ed Asner
Original Airdates: Sept. 24-26, 2021
TVC 524.10: Susan Silver, one of the original writers of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, talks to Ed about “The Square Shaped Room” and “Is a Friend in Need,” two episodes of the Moore show that created singular moments for Ed Asner as Lou Grant. Asner not only acknowledged Susan Silver in his acceptance speech when he won his second Emmy for playing Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, but wrote a back cover blurb for Susan’s memoir, Hot Pants in Hollywood.
Matthew Asner and Ed Asner
Ed Asner as Axel Jordache in Rich Man, Poor Man
Matthew Asner on Ed Asner
Original Airdates: Sept. 24-26, 2021
TVC 524.11: Ed welcomes filmmaker Matthew Asner, eldest son of Ed Asner, and the president and CEO of The Ed Asner Family Center, a nonprofit organization that provides an oasis of creativity and support for families with special needs children. Topics this segment include the Asner family’s longtime commitment to children with special needs, as well as some of Matt’s favorite Ed Asner roles.
(L-R) Jean Smart, Ed Asner, and Deborah Pearl
Ed Asner on Lou Grant
Original Airdates: Sept. 24-26, 2021
TVC 524.12: From October 2016: Ed Asner talks to Ed and guest co-host Deborah Pearl about how he learned to hone his approach to comedic roles; how he played Lou Grant differently on Lou Grant than he did on The Mary Tyler Moore Show; and how, upon reflection, he would have handled his stance on the El Salvador controversy differently if given another opportunity. A longtime friend of Ed Asner, Deborah directed Ed and Jean Smart in Getting Ed Laid, an award-winning short comedy film that she also wrote and produced.
Ed Asner on Vin Scully
Original Airdates: Sept. 24-26, 2021
TVC 524.13: From April 2017: Ed Asner talks to Ed about his one-man show A Man and His Prostate (written by Ed. Weinberger); his love of the Los Angeles Dodgers; and his admiration for Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully. Ed Asner passed away this past Sunday, Aug. 29 at age 91.
Ed Asner’s memoir, Son of a Junkman: My Life from the West Bottoms of Kansas City to the Bright Lights of Hollywood, is available wherever books are sold online.
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