LOS ANGELES — Martin Mull, the comedian and actor whose witty and unconventional humor made him a sensation in the 1970s and later a beloved guest star on sitcoms like “Roseanne” and “Arrested Development,” has passed away, his daughter announced Friday.
Mull's daughter, TV writer and comic artist Maggie Mull, shared that her father died at home on Thursday after a valiant fight against a long illness.
In addition to his work as a comedian and actor, Mull was also a talented guitarist and painter. He first gained national attention with a recurring role on Norman Lear's satirical soap opera “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” and later starred in its spinoff, “Fernwood Tonight."
He excelled at every creative discipline imaginable and also did Red Roof Inn commercials, Maggie Mull said in an Instagram postHe would find that joke funny. He was never not funny. My dad will be deeply missed by his wife and daughter, his friends and coworkers, fellow artists, comedians, musicians, and many, many dogs.
Mull, known for his distinctive blonde hair and well-trimmed mustache, was born in Chicago, raised in Ohio and Connecticut, and studied art in Rhode Island and Rome.
He began his career in show business as a songwriter, writing the 1970 semi-hit “A Girl Named Johnny Cash” for singer Jane Morgan.
In the 1970s, Mull combined music and comedy in an act he performed at hip Hollywood clubs. “In 1976, I was a guitar player and sit-down comic appearing at the Roxy on the Sunset Strip when Norman Lear walked in and heard me,” Mull told The Associated Press in 1980. “He cast me as the wife-beater on ‘Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.’ Four months later, I was spun off on my own show.”
Mull's time on the Sunset Strip was immortalized in the 1973 country rock classic “Lonesome L.A. Cowboywhere the Riders of the Purple Sage mention him alongside Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge.
On “Fernwood Tonight” (also known as “Fernwood 2 Night”), Mull played Barth Gimble, a local talk show host in a midwestern town and twin to his “Mary Hartman” character. Frequent collaborator Fred Willard played his sidekick. The show was later revamped as “America 2 Night” and set in Southern California.
Mull also served as a substitute host for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show.
He often portrayed slightly sleazy, smarmy characters, as seen in his roles as Teri Garr's boss and Michael Keaton's adversary in the 1983 film “Mr. Mom.” He also played Colonel Mustard in the 1985 movie adaptation of the board game “Clue,” which has become a cult classic.
The 1980s saw Mull's acclaimed work in “A History of White People in America,” a mockumentary that aired on Cinemax. Mull co-created the show and starred as an investigative reporter. Willard again co-starred.
Mull wrote and starred in the 1988 film “Rented Lips” alongside Robert Downey Jr., directed by Robert Downey Sr.
His co-star Jennifer Tilly described Mull as “such a witty, charismatic, and kind person” in a Friday post on social media.
In the 1990s, Mull was best known for his recurring role on “Roseanne,” where he played a kinder, less sleazy boss to the title character, an openly gay man with a partner played by Willard.
Mull later portrayed private investigator Gene Parmesan on “Arrested Development,” a beloved character on the cult-classic show, and was nominated for an Emmy in 2016 for a guest appearance on “Veep.”
What I did on ‘Veep’ I’m very proud of, but I’d like to think it’s more collective,” Mull told the AP after his nomination. “It might go all the way back to ‘Fernwood.’”
Comedians and actors were often Mull's biggest fans. “Martin was the greatest,” “Bridesmaids” director Paul Feig said on social media. “So funny, so talented, such a nice guy. I was lucky enough to act with him on ‘The Jackie Thomas Show’ and treasured every moment with a legend. ‘Fernwood Tonight’ was so influential in my life.”
Mull is survived by his daughter and his wife since 1982, musician Wendy Haas.
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