Summary
- Martin Mull, known for roles in
Clue
and
Roseanne
, passed away at 80 after a lengthy illness. - Mull’s career spanned over 50 years, starting as a songwriter before transitioning to acting.
- He was also an accomplished painter and published a book of his works.
Martin Mull, a musician and comedic actor best known for roles in the film Clue and the TV series Roseanne, has passed away at the age of 80 after a lengthy illness. A cause of death was not disclosed. His daughter, Maggie Mull, herself a co-executive producer and writer for the animated series Family Guy, announced his passing on her Instagram:
I am heartbroken to share that my father passed away at home on June 27th, after a valiant fight against a long illness. He was known for excelling at every creative discipline imaginable and also for doing Red Roof Inn commercials. He would find that joke funny. He was never not funny. My dad will be deeply missed by his wife and daughter, by his friends and coworkers, by fellow artists and comedians and musicians, and—the sign of a truly exceptional person—by many, many dogs. I loved him tremendously.
Mull, a Chicago native, began his entertainment career as a songwriter for Warner Bros. Records in the 1960s, but found only limited success. He did, however, perform as an opening act for icons like Randy Newman, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen. He moved into acting in the 1970s, with a role on the classic sitcom Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.
His comedic skills brought him fame and acclaim over the next five decades. His most notable roles came in the 1985 film Clue, in which he played Col. Mustard in a big-screen adaptation of the classic board game, and in the 1990s on the sitcom Roseanne as Leon Carp, Roseanne’s boss who was also one of the few sympathetic portrayals of a gay man on comedic television at the time.
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A Legacy of Laughs, Art, and Red Roof Inn Commercials
In 2016, Martin Mull earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for his guest-starring appearance on the HBO series Veep. Other notable roles in TV and film during the 1980s and 1990s included My Bodyguard, Mr. Mom, Mrs. Doubtfire, Jingle All the Way, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
He continued to work into the 2000s, with a memorable role as Gene Parmesan the private detective in Arrested Development, and in Two and a Half Men as Russell the pharmacist. Throughout this time, he was also a spokeman for Red Roof Inns, making dozens of commercials at Red Roof locations across the country, each with a dose of his signature deadpan humor.
Mull was also an accomplished painter for decades, and even published a book of his work. His friend Steve Martin even used one of the paintings for the cover of his bluegrass album Love Has Come for You. In this clip from Martin’s YouTube channel, the comedian talks about Mull’s paintings, and how he finds inspiration in his friend’s art.
Mull is survived by his wife Wendy, and the pair just celebrated their 42nd anniversary together. Maggie Mull is their only child.
We extend our condolences to Martin Mull’s family and friends.
