Edward Asner

In the first part of his four-hour interview, Ed Asner (1929-2021) describes his start as an actor in theater and on live television. He talks about his appearances on the 1960s television series Naked City, Route 66, and The Defenders, his appearance as a regular on the political drama Slattery's People, and his roles in television movies. He discusses the portrayal of his most memorable role, that of "Lou Grant," on the sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and its dramatic spin-off, Lou Grant. He speaks of other notable television appearances in the miniseries Roots and Rich Man, Poor Man; the telefilms The Life and Assassination of the Kingfish and The Gathering; and the series The Trials of Rosie O'Neill. He also talks of his political activism in the 1980s and his role as the Screen Actors Guild president from 1981-85.

In his 90-minute follow-up interview, Asner discusses his roles on The Outer Limits and The Defenders. He elaborates on his time as "Lou Grant" on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, discussing specific episodes in depth. He speaks of guest shots on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and CSI: New York, and his late-career revival brought about by the feature films Elf and Up. Morrie Gelman conducted the first part of the interview on April 7, 1999 in North Hollywood, CA. Karen Herman conducted the second interview on June 2, 2010 at Asner's home in Valley Village, CA.