Martin Mull, Clue And Arrested Development Actor, Has Died At 80
In news that will certainly devastate fans of comedy and prolific character actors, it was announced today that comedian, actor, musician, and painter Martin Mull has passed away. The star of shows like "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman," "Fernwood 2 Night," "Roseanne," "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," "Arrested Development," "Danny Phantom," and countless comedic movies (including the cult hit "Clue") was 80 years old. The news first broke on a post from his daughter Maggie Mull's Instagram. Her caption reads below:
"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 grew up in North Ridgeville, Ohio before his family moved to New Canaan, Connecticut in his teen years. He eventually attended and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design studying painting, earning both a Bachelor's and Master's of Fine Arts. He then focused on music, writing Jane Morgan's hit 1970 country single, "A Girl Named Johnny Cash" before focusing on his own record. He became well-known for his satirical comedy music, eventually opening for Randy Newman, Frank Zappa, Billy Joel, and Bruce Springsteen. But in the late 1970s, Mull nabbed the breakthrough role of Garth Gimble on the absurdist soap opera "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman," launching him into a legendary comedy career.
Martin Mull was a singular talent
Martin Mull was an absolute comedic force and one of the finest talents to grace our screens. A true chameleon, he played every type of person imaginable. He'd often play into his looks by lampooning authority figures with well-groomed mustaches and perfectly placed spectacles or juxtaposing his serious-sounding voice as over-the-top progressives. His turn as Colonel Mustard in "Clue" is as endlessly quotable as Gene Parmesan on "Arrested Development," and his whip-smart sense of humor earned him the coveted center square spot on "Hollywood Squares" on the show's final season. His extensive resume boasts a career that most people could only dream of, and by all accounts, he was as wonderful off-screen as he was on.
He was the type of actor who instantly elevated any project simply by appearing, whether it's as the villainous buffoon in the Mary-Kate and Ashley movie "How the West Was Fun," or in his Emmy-nominated guest role on "Veep" as the political aide with Alzheimer's, Bob Bradley. Mull was a consummate master of satire, irony, and delightfully dry humor, and his distinctive voice made him a dream guest for animated series like "The Simpsons," "Family Guy," "Dexter's Laboratory," "The Wild Thornberrys," "American Dad," and "Bob's Burgers."
Mull once said, "A cult following is a nice way of saying very few people like you," as a way to poke fun at fans of his work. Well, the collective mourning in the wake of his passing proves that his cult following extended beyond his accepted purview, and a hell of a lot more than a few people liked him a whole hell of a lot. Martin Mull was a singular talent who helped shape the sense of humor for a generation, and he will be sorely missed.
May he rest in peace.