Martin Mull, a well-known comedian and actor, passed away at the age of 80, his family has confirmed.
Mull’s daughter Maggie says her father passed away at home “after a valiant fight against a long illness.” This was posted by Maggie on Instagram.
“He was renowned for his exceptional abilities in all creative fields and for his work on Red Roof Inn advertisements,” the author stated.
“He would find that joke funny.” He always had a sense of humor. Many people adored my dad: his wife and daughter, his friends and colleagues, other performers, comedians, and artists, and most importantly, a huge number of dogs. I cherished him dearly.
Mull’s most well-known roles were likely in the comedy of the same name, when he played Roseanne Connor’s friend Leon Carp and Sabrina the Teenage Witch principal Willard Kraft.
He also portrayed Arrested Development’s private eye Gene Parmesean.
In 2016, Mull received a single Emmy nomination for his Veep character Bob Bradley.
Among the numerous roles Mull performed in his career was co-writing, alongside Fred Willard, the mockumentary The History of White People in America in 1985.
He was a comedy and songwriting enthusiast. Country music icon Jane Morgan parodied A Boy Named Sue in his song A Girl Named Johnny Cash, which was released in the early 1970s.
The song was number one on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs list for five weeks.
Mull worked as a nightclub guitarist and singer of parodies. He even served as the opening act for Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Randy Newman, and Frank Zappa.
Mull isn’t a parody musician like Weird Al, but any of his albums have an odd sense of humor, according to an AllMusic.com review.
“His albums are skewed pop/rock/jazz with a strong jazz influence, featuring humorous lyrics by singer/songwriters.”
SUCCESS IN CAREER
Melissa Joan Hart, who played Sabrina Spellman, paid homage to her bumbling, long-time principal.
“My friend, may you rest in peace.” “The amazing #MartinMull (Principal Kraft) has left us to rest forever,” she posted on Instagram.
“I remember working with him and being in awe of his enormous body of work, which included #Roseanne and #MrMom as the projects I knew him from before #SabrinaTheTeemageWitch.”
Hart added that Mull continued to accept regular and guest-starring parts on various television programs after they left Sabrina.
“He once told me that he takes every job that’s offered, just in case the train stops, which happens quickly in this line of work,” the writer stated.
“However, he was a wonderful person who I am better for having known, a musician, and an artist who enjoyed painting and creating things with his hands.” The world was a better place with him here, even though we shall miss him. My sincere condolences go out to his friends and family.
“I will always treasure the Martin Mull artwork that is displayed in my house!”
Mull was born in Chicago, Illinois, on August 18, 1943, to carpenter Harold and actress and director Betty.
As kids, they were residents of North Ridgeville, Ohio, and New Canaan, Connecticut, respectively.
He attended the Rhode Island School of Design to earn a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and a master’s degree in painting because he wanted to pursue art as a vocation.
Mull began his foray into show industry as a hobby, organizing bands.
His third wife, Wendy Haas, whom he married in 1982, and his daughter, a TV writer and producer, are among those who survive him.