R.I.P. Michael Lerner, Elf and Barton Fink actor
Lerner, who was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as a film studio exec in Barton Fink, was 81
Aux News Barton Fink
Michael Lerner, a veteran character actor most known for his Oscar-nominated role as fast-talking studio head Jack Lipnick in the Coen brothers’ 1991 film Barton Fink, has died. His nephew, actor Sam Lerner, announced the news via social media on Sunday. He was 81 years old.
“We lost a legend last night,” wrote Sam on Instagram. “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.”
He continued: “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.”
Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1941, Lerner got his start as an acting student at Brooklyn College, eventually receiving a Fulbright Scholarship to study theater at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. After two years in London—where he appeared in Yoko Ono’s 1968 experimental film Smile—he was invited to join the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco before being scouted by an agent and moving out to Los Angeles.
With an acting career spanning decades, Lerner’s first on-screen roles consisted of guest appearances on classic TV shows like The Brady Bunch, The Bob Newhart Show, Hill Street Blues, and M*A*S*H. Making his film debut in 1970's Alex In Wonderland, the character actor would become known for his supporting roles, breaking out from behind the screen in Eddie Murphy’s Harlem Nights, Elf, and for his Oscar-nominated part in the Coen brothers’ Barton Fink.
“I read the script, and you just know good writing. It was brilliantly written, and I just knew it,” Lerner said about taking the part in Barton Fink to The A.V. Club in 2016. “I did the monologue the way I wanted to do it and I just walked [out] of the room and that was it. And Joel and Ethan were just sitting in a corner just laughing and laughing and that was it.”
Later in his career, Lerner popped up in films like Mirror Mirror and X-Men: Days Of Future Past, while also having a guest spot on Glee as an investor for a Broadway revival of the musical Funny Girl.
24 Comments
I’m a sucker for Strange Invaders. Anyone else remember Anquish with Zelda Rubinstein?
Came here specifically to call out Anguish!
He was also Mayor Ebert in the god awful Matthew Broderick Godzilla movie.
As opposed to the good Godzilla movie?
Well as opposed to the “better than the god awful Godzilla movie”.Also, there is a good Godzilla movie. The first one.
Sure you get stuff like Godzilla vs the Smog Monster or Son of Godzilla, stuff that sucks – but yeah, there are good ones too: vs. Destoroyah, Shin Godzilla, Final Wars off the top of my head.
The Emmerich/Devlin Godzilla is not counted amongst that number.
The original Japanese Godzilla was actually a better movie than we recognized in the West with its bad dubbing and editing. It actually had something to say about pollution and nuclear warfare but those angles were ignored in favor of just being a monster movie in the West.
He was actually pretty entertaining in that part, in a hammy way. “You people did more damage than that goddamn thing did!!”
I had forgotten that he got a nom for that role as the studio chief (loosely based on Jack Warner). I think it was the best movie of 1991 along with Silence of the Lambs and Point Break. I’m going to put it on my monitor right now…
Just a lovely character actor (and down-to-earth guy) who sparkled in everything he did no matter how insignificant the movie or role. Check out the more-enjoyable-than-it-should-be “Strange Invaders” where he gives a surprisingly touching performance. I’d also recommended “The Missiles of October” which he has only a small part in but is a great example of how good television was occasionally pre-peak TV era.
Dude had a helluva run.
183 credits on IMDB. 8 more than Michael “I was in every other movie for the best part of a decade” Caine.
My introduction to Lerner was seeing him play the prison warden in No Escape, which was a nifty little sci-fi flick with a great cast: Ray Liotta, Lance Henricksen, Stuart Wilson, Ernie Hudson.
Here for this. Love that film and it just got a new blu-ray!
I love No Escape. I so miss those little mid-budget 90’s sci-fi films. Just get a great cast and build a little stick village and boom you’ve got a sci-fi movie. I wish that Hollywood would invest in those kinds of films again. The small investment means that for every one that’s a big suprise success, there can be four or five that just made their money back and were an interesting little story to take a small chance on. Not every movie has to be a world-dominating blockbuster.
Surprised he never turned up on the Goldbergs, since his nephew and brother are both on there now.
“Find another writer. Throw a rock in here and you’ll hit one. And do me a favor, throw it hard.”RIP.
Lerner always came into a role and could make it his own. He had a knack for playing one of those guys who belied his outward appearance when it came playing a heavy. He had the ‘cold calculation’ type down great….a person who could give you a serious gaze behind glasses and tell you ‘I can make you disappear with a mention.’A great loss…his gravitas was legendary, IMHO.
I think I saw Barton Fink when I was too young to quite get it, but my memories of that movie are Goodman coming down the hallway as it lights up in fire behind him, and Lerner saying “You think you’re the only one who can give us that Barton Fink feeling?”
I thought “that looks like the gangster from Harlem Nights, but no way was that guy still alive”, lol. He looked like he was in his 60s in that movie.
I remember thinking back in the day, he’d make a great Penguin.
I most strongly remember him for his performance in Eight Men Out.
I always thought he would have been great in a biopic about Harlan Ellison. Of course, Ellison would have probably risen from the dead to haunt/sue any such production