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Ed Asner

Highest Rated: 100% The Parting Glass (2018)

Lowest Rated: 8% The Bachelor (1999)

Birthday: Nov 15, 1929

Birthday:

Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri, USA

A legend of both comedy and drama in both film and television, Ed Asner had the distinction of being the only actor to win an Emmy in both genres for playing the same character, Lou Grant. A crusty, heavy-drinking TV news producer, Grant was a major presence on the iconic sitcom "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" (CBS, 1970-77) and its dramatic spin-off, "Lou Grant" (CBS, 1977-1982). A veteran of stages in New York and Chicago, Asner was a frequent guest star on shows like "The Fugitive" (ABC, 1963-67), "Ironside" (NBC, 1967-1975) and "Mission: Impossible" (CBS, 1966-1973), before landing the role of news director Lou Grant in 1970. After playing the role for laughs over seven seasons, CBS spun off the character into the drama series "Lou Grant," where Asner spent another five seasons as a newspaper editor confronting serious social and political issues that reflected his own outspoken opinions. From there, Asner frequently transitioned between film and television, playing drunken private investigator Guy Banister in "JFK" (1991) and Santa Claus in "Elf" (2003), as well as guesting on shows like "The X-Files" (Fox, 1993-2002), "Touched by an Angel" (CBS, 1994-2003) and "ER" (NBC, 1994-2009). Working well into his golden years, he also had a prominent career doing voiceover work, most notably playing the curmudgeonly Carl Fredrickson in the Pixar hit "Up" (2009). Despite his outspoken political activism, Asner remained impossible to dislike as well as one of Hollywood's hardest working performers.

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Highest rated movies

100% 55% The Parting Glass
Watchlist
98% 90% Up Watchlist 97% 78% Being Mary Tyler Moore Watchlist
96% 87% El Dorado
Watchlist
90% 88% The Garden Left Behind Watchlist
89% 40% Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas
Watchlist
89% 88% The Desert of Forbidden Art
Watchlist
86% 79% Elf Watchlist
84% 88% JFK
Watchlist
84% 97% Olympia
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet 33% Altered Reality Mike Wilson (Character) - 2024
No Score Yet 67% Carl's Date Carl (Voice) - 2023
97% 78% Being Mary Tyler Moore Self - 2023
50% 48% Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules Unknown (Voice) - 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet Stu's Show Self - 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet How Does It Feel To Be A Problem? Unknown (Character) - 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet Senior Entourage Ed (Character) - 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rain Beau's End Gunny (Character) - 2020
69% 86% Tiger Within Samuel (Character) - 2020
70% 77% M.O.M. (Mothers of Monsters) Dr. Howard Arden (Character) - 2020
90% 88% The Garden Left Behind Dr. Cleary (Character) - 2019
No Score Yet 81% Faith, Hope & Love Harry Karetas (Character) $210.0K 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Tattooed Torah Narrator - 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet Honor Amongst Men Pop Halmo (Character) - 2018
84% 97% Olympia Self - 2018
No Score Yet 73% All of My Heart: The Wedding Vern (Character) - 2018
100% 55% The Parting Glass Tommy (Character) - 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Angels on Tap Swifty (Character) - 2018
No Score Yet 67% In Vino Charles (Character) - 2017
No Score Yet 71% Yamasong: March of the Hollows Elder Pyreez (Voice) - 2017
No Score Yet 48% All of My Heart: Inn Love Vern (Character) - 2017
No Score Yet 62% Santa Stole Our Dog! Santa (Character) - 2017
No Score Yet 38% Saving Christmas Rick (Character) - 2017
No Score Yet 12% CarGo Art (Voice) - 2017
No Score Yet No Score Yet Super Sex George (Character) - 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet Getting Ed Laid Ed Randall (Character) - 2016
No Score Yet 57% Love Finds You in Valentine Gabriel Morgan (Character) - 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet Love Meet Hope Mr. James (Character) - 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet Framed: The Adventures of Zion Man Adult Walter (Voice) - 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet Boonville Redemption Judge Mordecai Price (Character) - 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Demolition of Truth: Psychologists Examine 9/11 Self - 2016
No Score Yet 82% Joe's War Harry Corman (Character) - 2015
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Nutcracker Sweet Owl (Voice) - 2015
No Score Yet 50% All of My Heart Vern (Character) - 2015
89% 40% Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas Unknown (Character) - 2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet Audrey Walt (Character) - 2014
40% 47% The Games Maker Nicholas Drago (Character) - 2014
No Score Yet 25% Axel: The Biggest Little Hero Bonta/ Narrator (Voice) - 2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet Frozen in Time Grandpa (Voice) - 2014
No Score Yet 28% Second Chances Chief Buddy (Character) - 2013
No Score Yet 29% Christmas on the Bayou Papa Noel (Character) - 2013
76% 54% The House of Magic Sr. Jeffrey McDonough (Voice) - 2013
No Score Yet 26% Home Alone: The Holiday Heist Mr. Carson (Character) - 2012
No Score Yet 8% Elephant Sighs Leo (Character) - 2012
No Score Yet 40% Witness Insecurity Maxwell (Character) - 2011
No Score Yet 33% Let Go Artie Satz (Character) - 2011
No Score Yet 15% Identical Yaakov Washington (Character) - 2011
77% 75% Too Big to Fail Warren Buffett (Character) - 2011
No Score Yet 60% Hopelessly in June Rabbi (Character) - 2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet Shattered Hopes: The True Story of the Amityville Murders - Part I: From Horror to Homicide Narrator - 2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet Good Men Morty (Character) - 2011
89% 88% The Desert of Forbidden Art Unknown (Voice) - 2010
No Score Yet No Score Yet Not Another B Movie Angry Investor (Character) - 2010
20% 64% Superman/Batman: Apocalypse Granny Goodness (Voice) - 2010
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Barrel of a Gun Unknown (Character) - 2010
98% 90% Up Carl Fredericksen (Voice) - 2009
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Triumph of William Henry Harrison Narrator - 2009
No Score Yet 77% Channels Ed Packard (Character) - 2008
35% 34% Gigantic Mr. Weathersby (Character) $102.1K 2008
No Score Yet 41% Generation Gap Bart Cahill (Character) - 2008
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Rich Have Their Own Photographers Unknown (Character) - 2007
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hard Four Nat Segal (Character) - 2007
No Score Yet 42% Christmas Is Here Again Krad (Voice) - 2007
No Score Yet No Score Yet Crab Orchard Grandpa Cecil (Character) - 2006
No Score Yet 66% The Christmas Card Luke Spelman (Character) - 2006
No Score Yet 27% Out of the Woods Jack Green (Character) - 2005
No Score Yet No Score Yet All In Unknown (Character) - 2005
57% 83% Oil Factor: Behind the War on Terror Unknown (Character) - 2005
55% No Score Yet Sleeping Dogs Lie Unknown (Character) - 2004
No Score Yet 61% The King and Queen of Moonlight Bay Auggie Sinclair (Character) - 2003
No Score Yet 13% National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure Uncle Nick (Character) - 2003
No Score Yet No Score Yet Holding Out Hope George Calden (Character) - 2003
86% 79% Elf Santa (Character) $177.1M 2003
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Commission Capt. J.W. "Will" Fritz (Character) - 2003
No Score Yet 50% The Man Who Saved Christmas Charles Gilbert (Character) - 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fair Play Harry (Character) - 2002
30% 28% The Animal Chief Wilson (Character) $55.8M 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Island Prey Jay Roth (Character) - 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Bring Him Home Geza Horvath (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet Gahan Wilson's The Kid Dead Cat (Voice) - 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Good War and Those Who Refused to Fight It Narrator - 2000
No Score Yet 50% Perfect Game Coach Billy Hicks (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet 73% Common Ground Ira (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet 20% Above Suspicion Thomas O'Claire (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story Unknown (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet Becoming Dick Davis Aldrich (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fumbleheads Charlie Atwater (Character) - 1999
No Score Yet 54% Love and Action in Chicago Taylor (Character) - 1999
8% 28% The Bachelor Sid Gluckman (Character) $21.7M 1999
No Score Yet 66% Our Friend, Martin Mr. Harris (Voice) - 1999
34% 34% Hard Rain Uncle Charlie (Character) $19.9M 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fanatics Charlie Atwater (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Christmas Carol Marley (Voice) - 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Trial of Adolf Eichmann Unknown (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dog's Best Friend Jeep (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Payback Jack Patkanis (Character),
Executive Producer
- 1997
No Score Yet 80% Tell the Truth and Run: George Seldes and the American Press Narrator - 1996
No Score Yet 25% Bruno the Kid Engineer (Voice) - 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Golem of L.A. Unknown (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Goldilocks and the Three Bears Bruno (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet 67% Heads Ab Abbot (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet 86% Gargoyles, the Movie: The Heroes Awaken Unknown (Voice) - 1994
63% 75% Gypsy Pop (Character) - 1993
40% 51% Happily Ever After Scowl the Owl (Voice) $3.2M 1993
No Score Yet 57% Beyond JFK: The Question of Conspiracy Unknown (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet 78% Cruel Doubt Bill Osteen (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet 70% Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus Edward P. Mitchell (Character) - 1991
84% 88% JFK Guy Bannister (Character) - 1991
No Score Yet 87% Switched at Birth Ted Marx (Character) - 1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet Good Cops, Bad Cops Jake Quinn (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less Harvey Metcalfe (Character) - 1990
42% 46% Moon Over Parador Self $10.1M 1988
No Score Yet 100% A Friendship in Vienna Opah Oskar Reikman (Character) - 1988
43% 61% Pinocchio and the Emperor of the Night Scalawag (Voice) $2.7M 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Cracked Up Rev. Vincent Owens (Character) - 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Kate's Secret Dr. Resnick (Character) - 1986
No Score Yet 56% The Christmas Star Horace McNickle (Character) - 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Vital Signs Matthew St James (Character) - 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Anatomy of an Illness Norman Cousins (Character) - 1984
43% 54% Daniel Jacob Ascher (Character) - 1983
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Case of Libel Robert Sloane (Character) - 1983
No Score Yet 29% O'Hara's Wife Bob O'Hara (Character) - 1982
80% 66% Fort Apache, the Bronx Connolly (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Small Killing Simon "Si" Shaber (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Family Man Eddie Madden (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet 79% The Gathering Adam (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Life and Assassination of the Kingfish Huey P. Long (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet Huey Long Huey P. Long (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet 57% Gus Hank Cooper (Character) - 1976
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Woman Who Cried Murder Peter Singleton (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet 71% Death Scream Peter Singleton (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hey, I'm Alive! Ralph Flores (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Impostor Barney West (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Impersonation Murder Case Det. Ed Ames (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet 20% The Wrestler Frank Boss (Character) - 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Police Story Lt. Dave Blodgett (Character) - 1973
No Score Yet 61% The Girl Most Likely To... Det. Ralph Varone (Character) - 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet Sam Cade Unknown (Character) - 1972
No Score Yet 33% Haunts of the Very Rich Al Hunsicker (Character) - 1972
No Score Yet 56% Skin Game Plunkett (Character) - 1971
No Score Yet 43% They Call It Murder Chief Otto Larkin (Character) - 1971
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Last Child Barstow (Character) - 1971
50% 36% They Call Me Mister Tibbs! Woody Garfield (Character) - 1970
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Old Man Who Cried Wolf Dr. Morheim (Character) - 1970
No Score Yet No Score Yet Do Not Throw Cushions Into the Ring The Agent (Character) - 1970
No Score Yet 30% Halls of Anger Ernie McKay (Character) - 1969
10% 64% Change of Habit Lt. Moretti (Character) - 1969
No Score Yet No Score Yet Daughter of the Mind Saul Wiener (Character) - 1969
No Score Yet No Score Yet Gunn Lt. Jacoby (Character) - 1967
No Score Yet 31% The Venetian Affair Frank Rosenfeld (Character) - 1967
96% 87% El Dorado Bart Jason (Character) - 1966
No Score Yet 36% The Doomsday Flight Feldman (Character) - 1966
71% 74% The Slender Thread Det. Judd Ridley (Character) - 1965
57% 45% The Satan Bug Veretti (Character) - 1965
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Murder Men Dave Keller (Character) - 1961

TV

Credit
No Score Yet 95% Spider-Man J. Jonah Jameson (Voice) 1994-1998 2021
42% 63% The Premise Unknown (Character) 2021
100% 82% Dug Days Carl (Voice) 2021
No Score Yet No Score Yet Tooning Out the News Guest 2021
No Score Yet 55% The Kelly Clarkson Show Guest 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Royalties Papa (Character) 2020
79% 84% Briarpatch Unknown (Character) 2020
No Score Yet 81% Blue Bloods Chuck Kennedy (Guest Star) 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Talk Guest 2020
85% 90% Modern Family Herschel (Guest Star) 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Home & Family Guest 2019
88% 84% Dead to Me Abe (Character) 2019
92% 91% Cobra Kai Sid (Guest Star) 2018
No Score Yet 71% MacGyver Saul (Guest Star) 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Tavis Smiley Guest 2015 2017
90% 83% Bones Rufus Tucker (Guest Star) 2017
No Score Yet 69% SpongeBob SquarePants Unknown (Guest Voice) 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet Celebrity Family Feud Guest 2015
No Score Yet 83% Criminal Minds Unknown (Guest Star) 2015
93% 91% The Good Wife Guy Redmayne (Guest Star) 2015
75% 86% Chasing Life Artie Carver (Guest Star) 2014
No Score Yet 83% Mom Jack (Guest Star) 2014
No Score Yet 87% Men at Work Unknown (Guest Star) 2014
54% 67% The Crazy Ones Mr. Finger (Guest Star) 2013
59% 88% The Glades Unknown (Guest Star) 2013
No Score Yet No Score Yet Betty White's Off Their Rockers Unknown (Guest Star) 2013
78% 83% Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Coach Martin Schultz (Guest Star) 2013
No Score Yet 69% Hawaii Five-0 Unknown (Guest Star) 2012
No Score Yet 84% Hot in Cleveland Jameson (Guest Star) 2012
No Score Yet 88% The Middle Ben (Guest Star) 2012
No Score Yet 64% The Cleveland Show Walter (Guest Voice) 2010-2011
94% 78% Royal Pains Ted Roth (Guest Star) 2011
No Score Yet 90% American Dad! Grandpa Smith (Guest Voice) 2010-2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet Working Class Hank (Character) 2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Bonnie Hunt Show Guest 2010
No Score Yet 82% CSI: New York Abraham Klein (Guest Star) 2009
92% No Score Yet Andy Barker, P.I. Unknown (Guest Star) 2007
74% 89% Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip Wilson White (Guest Star) 2006
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fatherhood Unknown (Guest Voice) 2005
No Score Yet 72% The Dead Zone Marty Bracknell (Guest Star) 2005
0% No Score Yet Center of the Universe Art Barnett (Character) 2004-2005
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Practice Unknown (Guest Star) 1997 2004
No Score Yet 85% ER Dr. James McNulty (Guest Star) 2003
No Score Yet 59% Johnny Bravo Unknown (Guest Voice) 2002
No Score Yet 75% King of the Hill Stinky (Guest Voice) 2001-2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet Max Steel Unknown (Voice) 2000-2002
54% No Score Yet The Ellen Show Unknown (Guest Star) 2001
92% 90% Curb Your Enthusiasm Mr. Weiner (Guest Star) 2001
No Score Yet 64% Family Guy Steve Bellows (Guest Voice) 2001
No Score Yet 97% The Wild Thornberrys Unknown (Guest Voice) 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dharma & Greg Unknown (Guest Star) 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Huntress Unknown (Guest Star) 2001
62% No Score Yet Arli$$ Unknown (Guest Star) 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet Touched by an Angel Unknown (Guest Star) 2000
85% 76% The Simpsons Unknown (Guest Voice) 1999
74% 85% The X-Files Maurice (Guest Star) 1998
50% 82% The Closer Carl Dobson (Character) 1998
0% No Score Yet Ask Harriet Unknown (Character) 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Soul Man Unknown (Guest Star) 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dead Man's Gun Jebusi McKinney (Character) 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles Hudson (Voice) 1996-1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mad About You Zigmund Klarik (Guest Star) 1996-1997
76% 78% Roseanne Lou Grant (Guest Star) 1996
No Score Yet 85% Gargoyles Hudson (Voice) 1994-1996
No Score Yet 78% The New Adventures of Captain Planet Hoggish Greedly (Guest Voice) 1993-1996
13% No Score Yet Thunder Alley Unknown (Character) 1995
91% 80% Dinosaurs Evil Georgie (Guest Voice) 1994
50% No Score Yet Hearts Afire George Lahti (Character) 1992-1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet NOVA Narrator 1992
78% No Score Yet The Trials of Rosie O'Neill Walter Kovatch (Character) 1991-1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less Harvey Metcalfe (Character) 1990
No Score Yet 64% Highway to Heaven Harold (Guest Star) 1986
No Score Yet 57% Saturday Night Live Host 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Lou Grant Lou Grant (Character) 1977-1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet Match Game Self 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Mary Tyler Moore Show Lou Grant (Character) 1970-1977
76% 67% Roots Capt. Thomas Davies (Character) 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rich Man, Poor Man Axel Jordache (Character) 1976
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rhoda Unknown (Guest Star) 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet Police Story Lt. Dave Blodgett (Character) 1973-1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mod Squad Harry Loring (Guest Star) 1970-1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet Here Come the Brides Matt Balter (Guest Star) 1969
No Score Yet No Score Yet Name of the Game Unknown (Guest Star) 1969
No Score Yet 100% The Wild, Wild West Unknown (Guest Star) 1968
No Score Yet No Score Yet Iron Horse Unknown (Guest Star) 1967
No Score Yet No Score Yet Judd for the Defense Unknown (Guest Star) 1967
10% No Score Yet The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. Unknown (Guest Star) 1967
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Fugitive Sheriff Mayhew (Guest Star) 1965 1967
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Felony Squad Barney Bradovich (Guest Star) 1966
No Score Yet No Score Yet Gunsmoke Sergeant Wilks (Guest Star) 1964 1966
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rat Patrol Captain Friedrich (Guest Star) 1966
No Score Yet No Score Yet Please Don't Eat the Daisies Unknown (Guest Star) 1966
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Man Called Shenandoah Unknown (Guest Star) 1965
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mr. Novak Unknown (Guest Star) 1963 1965
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Farmer's Daughter Chase (Guest Star) 1964
92% 92% The Outer Limits Detective Sgt. Thomas Siroleo (Character) 1963
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Lieutenant Unknown (Guest Star) 1963
No Score Yet No Score Yet Ben Casey Jerome Lynch (Guest Star) 1963
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dr. Kildare Unknown (Guest Star) 1963
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Virginian George Johnson (Guest Star) 1963
No Score Yet No Score Yet Alfred Hitchcock Hour Unknown (Character) 1963
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Untouchables Unknown (Guest Star) 1962-1963
No Score Yet No Score Yet Route 66 Custody Officer Lincoln Peers (Guest Star) 1961-1962
No Score Yet 87% Alfred Hitchcock Presents Unknown (Character) 1962
No Score Yet No Score Yet Studio One Third Actor (Character) 1957