
We have some sad news to report following this Easter weekend. Late on April 9, it was reported that acclaimed actor Michael Lerner had passed away at the age of 81. Lerner had worked in the entertainment industry for 50 years and was in a number of notable films and television shows, including Barton Fink, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Glee, and Law & Order. For millennials and younger audiences, Lerner may be best known for his role as Mr. Greenway in the 2003 film, Elf. Mr. Greenway was the crotchety old owner of Greenway Press who didn’t care if people missed Christmas with their families.
News of Lerner’s death was shared by his nephew, Sam Lerner, in a heartfelt Instagram post.
We lost a legend last night. It’s hard to put into words how brilliant my uncle Michael was, and how influential he was to me. His stories always inspired me and made me fall in love with acting. He was the coolest, most confident, talented guy, and the fact that he was my blood will always make me feel special. Everyone that knows him knows how insane he was— in the best way. I’m so lucky I got to spend so much time with him, and we’re all lucky we can continue to watch his work for the rest of time. RIP Michael, enjoy your unlimited Cuban cigars, comfy chairs, and endless movie marathon 💖
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Throughout his decades in Hollywood, Lerner worked with The Walt Disney Company a number of times. He began his film work with Disney in 1992 when he starred in the musical, Newsies, alongside Christian Bale. In 1994, he starred as Edward Biderman in the film Blank Check, alongside Brian Bonsall, Karen Duffy, and James Rebhorn. One year later, he starred as Perry in A Pyromaniac’s Love Story with John Leguizamo and William Baldwin. In 1999, Disney released a remake of the hit film My Favorite Martian, which starred Lerner and Christopher Lloyd. Three years later, Lerner voiced the Producer in 101 Dalmatians II: Patch’s London Adventure.
Lerner was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1941. He caught the acting bug at a young age and attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art on a Fulbright Scholarship, where he studied theater. While living in London, Lerner was roommates with Beatles legend John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono. Lerner was even in Ono’s experimental film, Smile.
Lerner was most well-known for his film roles, but also had parts in a number of hit shows, including The Odd Couple, The Doris Day Show, M.A.S.H., The Bob Newhart Show, and The Brady Bunch. He also played Mel Horowitz in the television show, Clueless, which was based on the hit film.
Lerner’s cause of death has not been revealed at this time.