At the age of 80, veteran comedic actor Martin Mull passed away. He had dozens of TV roles over the years, including iconic roles on Roseanne and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
Maggie, Mull’s daughter, shared the news on Instagram, writing: “I am devastated to inform you that my father passed away at home on June 27th, following a courageous battle against a protracted illness. He was well-known for doing Red Roof Inn commercials and for being exceptionally talented in every creative field. That joke would make him laugh. He was always hilarious. My dad’s wife and daughter, friends, coworkers, fellow artists, comedians, musicians, and — the mark of a truly great person — countless dogs will all miss him terribly. I had a deep affection for him.
Michael Fishman, who played D.J. in Mull’s Roseanne, paid tribute to Mull on social media, writing: “Martin Mull is a legend.” He was always funny and had a great talent. He was even more incredible off camera than he was on. He made the world a better place. Maybe more laughter was needed on the other side.
In the early 1970s, Mull started out as a musical comedian, writing and performing satirical songs while serving as an opening act for artists like Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel. After that, Mull made his acting debut in the television series Mary Hartman and its spinoffs, America 2 Night and Fernwood 2 Night. In the 1980s, he also starred in a number of movies, such as Clue and Mr. Mom.
Playing Roseanne’s gay boss Leon, he joined the Roseanne cast in 1991 and made appearances for the majority of the show’s initial run. He later appeared on Sabrina the Teenage Witch as Principal Willard Kraft and frequently appeared on Hollywood Squares as a celebrity guest. Later, he portrayed Charlie’s pharmacist Russell on Two and a Half Men and private investigator Gene Parmesan on Arrested Development.
Throughout the 2010s, Mull’s career progressed with appearances on Veep, Psych, and Community, the latter of which led to his only Emmy nomination. He costarred with Vicki Lawrence, David Alan Grier, and Leslie Jordan in the short-lived Fox sitcoms The Cool Kids and Dads, which were executive produced by Seth MacFarlane. Two episodes of Apple TV+’s The Afterparty, which aired last year, featured him on television most recently.
On Threads, Grier honored Mull with the words, “Rest in Peace.” So very sad. I lost one of my favorite comedians. I adored him. Martin was a pleasure to work with and become friends with, and I will miss his wit, intelligence, and genius. An amazing raconteur, painter, and performer.
