(CNN) – Ed Azner, best known as the rude but loving journalist Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, died Sunday morning, his publicist confirmed to CNN. He is 91 years old.
Advertiser Charles Sherman said Azner was surrounded by family in Los Angeles.
This news was shared in a post on the official account Twitter De Azner.
“We are sorry to announce that our beloved patriot passed away peacefully this morning,” the post said.
“The sadness we feel cannot be expressed in words. Kiss on the head: Good night Dad. We love you.”
Azner, a veteran of the Chicago comedy drama scene – he was part of the pioneer Compass players of Second City – was a lead actor before landing the role of WJM -TV news director Grant on “Mary Tyler Moore”. “It was screened in 1970. Originally portrayed as rude and rude, with his tie never untied and a bottle of whiskey in hand, his character became a fan favorite during the seven-year run of the show.
The one-hour play, which ran from 1977 to 1982, had its own series for the character “Lou Grant”.
Azner won five of his seven Emmys for Grant, three for Best Supporting Actor in a “Mary Tyler Moore” comedy series and two for Best Supporting Actor in a Lou Grant. He won Emmy Awards for the 1976 miniseries “Rich, Poor Man” and the 1977 miniseries “Roots”.
After the cancellation of “Lou Grand”, Azner continued to work in film and television, appearing in series such as “Modern Family”, “ER”, “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”, “The X-Files”, and “The”. “Good Wife”, “Grace and Frankie”, “Hot in Cleveland” and “Cobra Coy”.
Azner won fans among the new generation of moviegoers in 2009 when he voiced retired widow and balloon salesman Carl Friedrichson in Pixar’s vibrant film “Up”.
He was married twice and had four children.
CNN’s Stella Chan contributed to the report.