On August 29, actor and activist Ed Asner passed away from natural causes at his home in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 91. His death has sent shockwaves throughout the world of entertainment. Asner was a highly prolific actor, having starred in hundreds of titles over the course of several decades. He leaves behind his four children, Matthew Asner, Charles Edward Vogelman, Kate Asner, and Liza Asner.

 Asner has been entertaining audiences of all ages since the late 1950’s, most notably playing the character Lou Grant on the popular 1970’s comedy sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and later the drama spin-off Lou Grant. Asner also starred in almost 400 other titles, was president of the Screen Actors’ Guild, donated to many charities and nonprofits, and made plenty of jokes on his Twitter page. He had been nominated for 17 Emmy Awards, having won seven over the course of his long-running acting career. Asner played characters in Up, Elf, Roots, Too Big to Fail, The Good Wife, Grace and Frankie, and Cobra Kai. Many of the people that Asner worked with are mourning his loss. George Takei, who was Asner’s co-star on Star Trek: The Original Series, stated, “He was a giant on the screen, and a philanthropist, too. A man of true heart and talent. He will be missed.” Jon Hurwitz, co-creator of Cobra Kai, on which Asner was a frequent guest star, said, “RIP to a legend. It was an honor for the entire Cobra Kai family whenever Mr. Asner visited our dojo. His sense of humor was contagious both on and off camera.”

Asner’s friends, family and fans are all devastated by his passing. His influential acting, charity work, and comedic personality are the legacy that he leaves behind. Many will remember Asner as a great man and one of the best actors and philanthropists of all time.