Veteran character actor Michael Lerner, who was nominated for an Oscar for his intimidating studio head in the 1991 film Barton Fink, has died, his nephew, actor Sam Lerner, said in a social media post. Announced in he was 81 years old.
Sam Lerner wrote on Instagram on Sunday, “We lost a legend last night. It’s hard to put into words just how good my uncle Michael was and how much he influenced me. His story always inspired me and got me hooked on acting.He was the coolest, most confident and talented guy.That he was in my blood RIP Michael, enjoy unlimited Cuban cigars, comfy chairs and endless movie marathons.
Details regarding Lerner’s death have not been released. CNN reached out to Lerner’s representatives for Michael and Sam for further comment.
Michael Lerner was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1941 and studied drama at Brooklyn College. He later won a Fulbright Scholarship and in London he spent two years before being invited to the American He Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. He was discovered by a San Francisco agent who took him to Los Angeles, where his Hollywood career began.
With film and television credits dating back to the 1960s, Lerner’s career in Hollywood spanned decades. His early work from the 60’s through his 70’s included appearances on TV shows such as ‘The Doris Day Show’, ‘The Bob Newhart Show’ and ‘M*A*S*H’. I was.
His first film came in 1970 as the character of Leo in ‘Alex in Wonderland’ with Donald Sutherland and Ellen Burstyn. Lerner went on to appear in movies like ‘The Ski Bum’, ‘The Candidate’ and ‘Outlaw Blues’.
The actor appeared in multiple episodes of ‘Hill Street Blues’ and ‘Melba’ in the mid-80s before appearing in ‘Barton Fink’ in 1991. and Judy Davis were nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
Lerner said in 2016 about the script for ‘Barton Fink’, “I read the script. I added it at an audition held in front of Cohen. , “I just did the monologue and walked out of the room and that was it. And Joel and Ethan were sitting in the corner just laughing and laughing. That’s it.”
In 1995, Lerner starred in the CBS drama Courthouse as Judge Myron Winkleman, which lasted for one season. He played Cher Horowitz’s father Mel Horowitz for one season in the 1996 ‘Clueless’ television series, inspired by the hugely successful film of the same name starring Alicia Silverstone.
Throughout the 2010s and 2010s, Lerner starred alongside Will Farrell as Fulton in the holiday classic ‘Elves’, as well as TV shows such as ‘Law & Order: SVU’, ‘The Good Wife’ and ‘Glee’.
