On the evening of April 8th (Saturday), the Oscar-nominated actor passed away. Michael Lerner was best known for his work in films such as Barton Fink and Godzilla.
On Sunday, his nephew Sam Lerner, who is also an actor and features in The Goldbergs, broke the news about his uncle on 9 April through Instagram.
Sam said in the caption of a collection of old images he had shared of Michael Lerner that the family had “lost a legend last night.”
“It’s hard to put into words how brilliant my uncle Michael was, and how influential he was to me,” Sam wrote. “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.
“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.”
Lerner had his first appearance on television when he was only 13 years old, and it was on a local news show in Brooklyn, New York, where he was born in 1941.
Initially, he had planned to become an English teacher, however, after falling in love with acting when he was attending college in Brooklyn, he applied for and was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to pursue acting training at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
During his time in London, he lived with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and he made an appearance in many of Ono’s experimental films in the late Sixties, before relocating to Los Angeles in 1969. During this time, he was also a member of the band The Beatles.
During his time in Los Angeles, Lerner made guest appearances on a number of popular television programs, including M*A*S*H and The Brady Bunch. After his performance in Harlem Nights in 1990, Lerner was recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences with a nomination for the award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal as the fictitious film producer Jack Lipnick in the Coen Brothers’ film Barton Fink in 1991.
