Famous comedian and actor Martin Mull has died at the age of 80, according to his family.
According to Maggie Mull, Mull’s daughter, her father died at home “after a valiant fight against a long illness.” Maggie wrote this on Instagram.
“He was known for excelling at every creative discipline imaginable and also for doing Red Roof Inn commercials,” the writer said.
“That joke would be funny for him.” He was funny all the time. My dad was loved by many, including his wife and daughter, his friends and coworkers, other artists, comedians, and musicians, and, especially, many, many dogs. I so loved him so much.”
Mull was probably best known for his roles as Sabrina the Teenage Witch principal Willard Kraft and Roseanne Connor’s friend Leon Carp on the titular sitcom.
Additionally, he played Gene Parmesean, a private eye on Arrested Development.
Mull’s only Emmy nomination was for his role as Bob Bradley on Veep in 2016.
Some of the many roles Mull played in his career were co-writer for the 1985 mockumentary The History of White People in America with Fred Willard.
Songwriting and comedy were two things he loved. In the early 1970s, country music star Jane Morgan recorded his song A Girl Named Johnny Cash, which was a parody of A Boy Named Sue.
Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart had the song for five weeks.
As a career, Mull played the guitar in nightclubs and sang parody songs. He even opened for Frank Zappa, Randy Newman, Bruce Springsteen, and Billy Joel.
Any of Mull’s albums have a strange sense of humor, but he’s not a parody artist like Weird Al, according to a review on AllMusic.com.
“His albums are skewed singer/songwriter, pop/rock with a strong jazz influence, which just happen to have funny lyrics.”
CAREER SUCCESS
Sabrina Spellman’s actress Melissa Joan Hart paid tribute to her longtime, clumsy principal.
“May you rest in peace, friend.” On Instagram, she wrote, “The amazing #MartinMull (Principal Kraft) has left us to rest forever.”
“I have such fond memories of working with him and being in awe of his huge body of work which before #SabrinaTheTeemageWitch included #Roseanne and #MrMom as the projects I knew him from.”
Hart also said that Mull kept taking on guest-starring and recurring roles on other shows after them leaving Sabrina.
“He once told me that he takes every job he’s offered just in case the train comes to an end, which in this business tends to halt quickly,” he wrote.
“But he was a musician, an artist who liked to paint and build things with his hands, and a great person who I am better for knowing.” Although we will miss him, the world was better with him here. Sending my deepest condolences to his family and friends.
“I will continue to cherish the Martin Mull artwork hanging in my home!”
Harold, a carpenter, and Betty, an actress and director, had Mull on August 18, 1943, in Chicago, Illinois.
They lived in North Ridgeville, Ohio, and New Canaan, Connecticut, respectively, as children.
He wanted to make art as a career, so he went to the Rhode Island School of Design to get a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and a master’s degree in painting.
For fun, Mull got involved in show business by putting together bands.
People who survive him include his daughter, a TV writer and producer, and his third wife, Wendy Haas, whom he married in 1982. ➕
