Michael Lerner was an actor who was nominated for an Academy Award for his supporting role in the 1991 Coen brothers’ film “Barton Fink.”
- Died: April 8, 2023 (Who else died on April 8?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 81.
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Michael Lerner’s legacy
Michael Lerner had many small roles in movies and TV shows before he found more widespread recognition in the 1980s. Early breakthrough films included “The Postman Always Rings Twice,” in which Lerner played the lawyer of Jessica Lange’s character; “Eight Men Out,” which featured him as a gangster involved in the fix of the 1919 World Series; and “Harlem Nights,” in which he starred as mob boss Bugsy Calhoune. Lerner eventually earned an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of movie executive Jack Lipnick in “Barton Fink.” He followed that success with roles in movies including “Newsies,” “The Road to Wellville,” and “Godzilla.” In 2003’s “Elf,” Lerner played Fulton Greenway, the boss of Buddy the Elf’s father.
On TV, Lerner starred as Mel Horowitz in the 1996 adaptation of “Clueless” and had a recurring role as Sidney Greene on “Glee.” He also made many other TV appearances over the years on shows including “The Brady Bunch,” “M*A*S*H,” “The Rockford Files,” “Starsky & Hutch,” “Hill Street Blues,” “The A-Team,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” and “The Good Wife.” In one of his last roles, Lerner played Senator Brickman in the movie “X-Men: Days of Future Past.”
Lerner on becoming an actor
“I always wanted to be an English professor. And I went to Brooklyn College – with my friend Joel Zwick, who is a TV director – and I don’t know what happened. I started acting in the drama department and played Willy Loman in ‘Death of a Salesman’ at the age of 18. And it moved me.” —from a 2016 interview for the A.V. Club
Tributes to Michael Lerner
Full obituary: Los Angeles Times
