Michael Lerner Dies: ‘Glee,’ ‘Clueless’ & ‘Elf’ Actor Was 81
Veteran actor Michael Lerner, who appeared in television shows such as Clueless and Glee and films like Elf and Godzilla, has died. He was 81.
The news of Lerner’s passing was confirmed by his nephew, The Goldbergs star Sam Lerner, who shared the information on Instagram on Sunday, April 9.
“We lost a legend last night,” Sam wrote alongside a slideshow of photos of his late uncle. “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.”
He continued, “Everyone that knows him knows how insane he was— in the best way. 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.”
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Born on June 22, 1941, in Brooklyn, New York, Lerner made his first TV appearance at 13 years old as a “quiz kid” on a show hosted by a local sportscaster. He studied acting at Brooklyn College, later receiving a scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned a Master’s degree. After that, he went on to study theater for two years at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and lived in a flat with Yoko Ono and John Lennon.
After moving back to the U.S., Lerner began making guest appearances in various TV shows throughout the 1970s, including The Brady Bunch, The Odd Couple, Starsky & Hutch, Kojak, and M*A*S*H.
Lerner would continue acting up until 2019, with some of his most memorable roles being Mel Horowitz, Cher’s father, in the television adaptation of Clueless, and a recurring role on Glee where he played investor Sidney Greene.
He also received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination in 1991 for his role as film producer Jack Lipnick in Ethan and Joel Cohen’s Barton Fink.
