On April 7, 2022, Ed Asner’s family, friends, and colleagues gathered at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles to remember a man who Up producer Jonas Rivera described as one of the only people on the planet who could successfully navigate “that fine, delicate balance between cantankerous and loveable.”
The “Celebration of Life” hosted by SAG-AFTRA— an organization that Asner served as president for two terms and as a National Board member from 1985 until his death on August 29, 2021, at the age of 91— was attended by film and television actors representing every genre and every generation, from June Squibb (Nebraska), Joe Montegna (The Godfather Part III), Daniel J. Travanti (Hill Street Blues), Sally Struthers (All in the Family), and Sharon Gless (Cagney & Lacey) to Jason Alexander (Seinfeld), Maureen McCormick (The Brady Bunch), Jason Winston George (Station 19), and Asner’s Cobra Kai co-star Ralph Macchio.
Ed’s three children, Katie, Liza, and Matt, shared many poignant memories, but there were also hilarious anecdotes from Ed’s close friends (and fellow actors) Mike Farrell (M*A*S*H), Frances Fisher (Titanic), and Peter Jason (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom), who met Asner – who he always called Eddie “because he hated it” – in 1970 when Ed was filming The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Jason was guest-starring on Gunsmoke on the soundstage next door.
“Every time I would walk from my trailer to the set, I’d hear this huge laughter coming out of this open door, so one time I stuck my head in to see where all the fun was coming from,” Jason said. “That was my introduction to Ed and Ted Knight and Gavin McCloud, who sat in that room laughing and laughing and laughing and laughing. Do you know why that show was successful? Because they all loved each other, they shared the wealth, they created a family, and they had a ball together.”
While Asner’s impressive career spanned seven decades – earning him five Golden Globes, seven Emmys, and the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award – and many longtime fans will forever think of him as Lou Grant, a whole new generation will remember him as the voice of Carl Fredricksen in Pixar’s Up.
“When we were making that film, [director] Pete Doctor and I were talking to Ed, and we said, ‘We don’t think of these films as movies for kids; we think of them as movies for everybody, and we want to make something that outlives us all,'” Rivera recalled. “Ed said, ‘I can do that.’ And I think he did.”
Rivera acknowledged that creating an animated hero out of a 78-year-old curmudgeonly balloon salesman was something that hadn’t been seen before, so they were thrilled when the movie was warmly received by people worldwide who love Carl because he reminds them of their grandfather.
“Everyone either had, has, or is a grandfather,” Rivera said. “So, Carl became ‘the grandpa of the world’ – and we have Ed Asner to thank for that.”
Ed was our real life Carl Fredricksen: a veneer of grouch over an incredibly loving and kind human being. Russell, Dug, and all of us at Pixar will miss him terribly. pic.twitter.com/7jZJUbiHD9
— Pixar (@Pixar) August 29, 2021
Equal to the praise for Asner’s remarkable body of work onscreen was the acknowledgment of his tireless work behind-the-scenes, not only on behalf of the acting community but on behalf of anyone (and everyone) who needed his help. SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland referred to Asner as an artist who stood on the front lines for fairness and equality, giving the most valuable gift anyone can give: the gift of his time.
Family friend Nick Geber observed that everyone knew Asner was a legend in the entertainment business, but he noted, what set him apart – “what really defined his greatness” – was that he was a man of conviction willing to bear the consequences of his beliefs no matter what the cost.
“My dad was a champion for people in need, and he lived that role every day,” Matt Asner said. “It hurt him to see people suffering, and he did everything he could to alleviate suffering in this world – something not a lot of people can say. He went on the line every day to do that, and we have lost a great champion.”
The evening concluded with a musical performance by Jackson Browne, who had his own “Ed story” to share from a trip to Nicaragua as part of an international group to observe an election. According to Browne, Asner went to the market and returned with a giant iguana – which Browne noted was for sale to be eaten – but instead, Asner rescued the iguana from that fate and released it into the garden.
“I’m glad I could be here tonight because I knew Ed and loved Ed,” Browne told the crowd. “I’m also grateful to hear these stories and these accounts which line up with everything I knew about him. He’s indelible, and he corresponds to a part of us that is so loved and so necessary.”
Remembering Ed
As much as we miss Ed’s incredible talent, it was also very heartwarming to hear about the many lives Ed touched throughout his long career. If you have stories about the larger-than-life grandpa-figure of Ed Asner, we’d love to hear from you below.