Ed Asner

Yitzhak Edward Asner (born November 15, 1929 in Kansas City, Kansas) is a Jewish-American actor best known for his Emmy-winning role as Lou Grant on Mary Tyler Moore, and later continued in a spinoff series, Lou Grant. The series was the longest lasting show about newspapers, and one that many professional reporters and editors heralded as realistic. He has a son and a daughter, Matthew and Kate.

Related Topics:
November 15 - 1929 - Kansas City, Kansas - Jewish - American - Actor - Emmy - Lou Grant - Mary Tyler Moore - Lou Grant - Matthew - Kate

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Edward Asner is also internationally known as the slaver Captain Davies, from the mini-series Roots, which kidnapped Kunta Kinte into bondage. While Asner's character in Roots was highly developed, full of metaphors on tortured ethics and the morality of slavery, Alex Haley would later admit he had no idea who the actual Captain was who had commanded the historic slaver which had kidnapped his ancestor.

Related Topics:
Roots - Kunta Kinte - Slavery - Alex Haley - Captain

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Asner has also had an extensive voice acting career. He provided the voices for J. Jonah Jameson on the 1990s ' series, Hudson on Gargoyles, Jabba the Hutt on the radio version of Star Wars, Master Vrook from the Star Wars video game Knights of the Old Republic, Roland Daggett on ', and Cosgrove on Freakazoid.

Related Topics:
Voice acting - J. Jonah Jameson - 1990s - Gargoyles - Jabba the Hutt - Radio version of Star Wars - Star Wars - Video game - Knights of the Old Republic - Freakazoid

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A vocal leftist, Asner served two terms as president of the Screen Actors Guild, where he controversially opposed U.S. policy in Central America until he was ousted and succeeded by Charlton Heston. He has also been active in a variety of other causes, such as the movement to free Mumia Abu-Jamal, and is a prominent member of the Democratic Socialists of America. His political position may also have motivated him to play the voice of the pig-like villain Hoggish Greedly on the pro-environmental animated series Captain Planet and the Planeteers. http://www.turner.com/planet/static/easner.html

Related Topics:
Leftist - Screen Actors Guild - Central America - Charlton Heston - Mumia Abu-Jamal - Democratic Socialists of America - Captain Planet and the Planeteers

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Asner served as the spokesman for 2004 Racism Watch. In April 2004, he wrote an open letter to "peace and justice leaders" encouraging them to demand "full 9-11 truth" through an organization called the "9-11 Visibility Project."

Related Topics:
2004 Racism Watch - April - 2004

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Asner was treated successfully for prostate cancer some years ago.

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