Edition: UK Search The Huffington Post Like 63k Follow FRONT PAGE NEWS POLITICS LIFESTYLE PARENTS TECH YOUNG VOICES COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT STYLE WHAT'S WORKING BLOGS THE BLOG Ed Asner Is Still a Badass at 86 18/07/2016 14:57 Like 163 Larry Jaffee Editor & Publisher, Walford Gazette Millennials know him as Santa Claus in Elf (2003) or Carl the main character in the animated Oscar-winning feature Up (2009), but seven-time Emmy Award winning actor Ed Asner will always be best known for his role ‘Lou Grant’, fiErsdt Aons ntheer s Iitsc oSmti lTlh ae BMaardya Tsylse ra Mt o8o6re Show and then the spinoff hour-long newspaper drama Lou Grant, whose first season was finally released last month in the U.S. on DVD. Still active as a working actor who turns 87 in November, IMDB lists Asner as being involved in 18 projects in the first half of 2016. Some are full-length films, while others are TV pilots or documentaries. He’s non-plussed by all the offers, noting some never get completed or are in various stages of financing or production. “I give them my name to help sell the picture,” says Asner, who is getting honored with a lifetime achievement award July 23 at the International Film Expo in Bellmore, NY, where My Friend Ed, the hour-long 2014 documentary about him being an activist who refuses to budge on his ideals no matter what anyone thinks will be screened, followed by a Q&A. His outspokenness in the early 1980s about American military intervention in Central America is thought to have resulted in the cancellation in Lou Grant by CBS after five seasons in the Top 10. SUGGESTED FOR YOU ? 1. The Real Reason Ben Miller Quit 'Death In Paradise' Ed Asner in ‘Lou Grant’ “I carry great guilt about the loss of jobs by my fellow actors, writers, 6 days ago huffingtonpost.co.uk Huffington Post International producers, crew - all the people I loved and appreciated: my words Caroline Frost Caroline Frost uktv supposedly being the target of the cancellation [of Lou Grant],” says Asner, 2. 'Strictly' Len's Replacement Is A 'Done Deal' who I first interviewed in November 1982 for Rolling Stone. At the time, he believed he was blacklisted for his anti-Reagan political views, but would stand by his principles, even knowing what he knows today. “All I know is I was chosen as the patsy to be the target by Charlton Heston and his stuntmen and day players who followed him sheep-like, attacking me 5 days ago huffingtonpost.co.uk for what I believed in,” he says, somewhat bitterly. “I said to that [Lou Grant] Huffington Post International Rachel McGrath Rachel McGrath uktvreality producer of mine, ‘What do you want me to do when they attack me as an 3. 'Loose Women' Tears As Sherrie enemy of the state. You want me to shut up?’ It was impossible for me to Hewson Quits shut up. Interestingly enough, my agent at the time, Jack Fields, thought my career was finished. The fact that I responded verbally to the verbal attacks, he thought kept me alive. So here I am today.” Asner believes the full truth is not known about 9/11, and less controversially Ed Asner Is Still a Badass at 86 12 hours ago huffingtonpost.co.uk Huffington Post International Ashley Huffington Post International Ashley he is active in Autism Speaks, a nonprofit that sponsors autism research and Percival Ashley Percival loose women conducts awareness and outreach activities aimed at families, governments, 4. Team GB Women's Rugby Sevens and the public. Asner has a son and a grandson who are autistic. Get Naked To Promote Body Confidence Asner is still a loud voice in the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), for which he served two terms as president 1981-1985, and vehemently opposed its merger in 2012 with American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), unsuccessfully suing to stop the merger. In another pending case against Actors’ Equity, he served as lead plaintiff, objecting to producers’ 20 hours ago huffingtonpost.co.uk right to pay performers as little as $7 per performance. Huffington Post International Chris Paine Chris Paine 2016 rio games 5. Bruce Springsteen Invites 4-Year- Regarding his octogenarian lifestyle, he watches what he eats and explains Old On Stage, Her Reaction Shocks his “eight hip surgeries” prevent much mobility. “My left leg is shorter and I Everyone can’t do a lot of walking.” Still he manages a half hour every day for exercise on an elliptical bicycle. Asked why it took Lou Grant so long to come out on DVD, Asner believes, “It was regarded as an ideas show. It was canceled under a cloud of a week ago huffingtonpost.co.uk controversy. People who finance these things were afraid to touch it. Also, AOL UK Amy Packham Amy it’s not the Mary Tyler Moore Show; it’s not going to be a big smash, flood of Packham children 6. Woman Left Virtually sales.” Unrecognisable After Cutting This From Her Diet Asner is depressed by the current state of American politics. He supported for president “the Jewish Socialist” (i.e., Bernie Sanders), a label that could he easily apply to him. “At least the Jewish Socialist made a splash among the electorate and the young. Of the young, it’d be nice if we could all learn from them. I find society itself quite depressing. Our rotting infrastructure, our military industrial complex is always with us. The leading democratic a day ago huffingtonpost.co.uk AOL UK Natasha Hinde Natasha Hinde uk candidate is happy to dance jigs for the banks. Mr. Bill [Clinton] is probably in lifestyle the background pulling the strings. Our selection of candidates drops even 7. The Age You Can Leave Your Kids At Home Alone, By Law lower than ever. It’s a joke.” On what he’s most proud of in his career, Asner responds: “The fact I could get by in comedy is a great achievement.” 12 hours ago huffingtonpost.co.uk Huffington Post International Amy Packham Amy Packham children 8. This Japanese Robot Is Proof That Mankind Is Doomed a day ago huffingtonpost.co.uk HuffingtonPost.co.uk (AOL UK) The Huffington Post News Team The His standard in choosing roles has not changed. “I like to play a real human Huffington Post News Team robots 9. Channel 4's New Naked Dating being, nEotd a A cshnarearc tIesr wStitihll n ao Breaddeeamsisn ga vt a8lu6e. Someone who you can love Show Is Certainly An Eye-Opener and some who you can hate.” Follow Larry Jaffee on Twitter: www.twitter.com/lsjaffee SUGGESTED FOR YOU by Gravity a week ago huffingtonpost.co.uk Huffington Post International Natasha Hinde Natasha Hinde uk lifestyle SUBSCRIBE AND FOLLOW The Oscars After Parties 6 foods that contain Rescue pup with food is Get top stories and blog posts emailed to me Were All About Nearly­ more protein than a our new favourite each day. Newsletters may offer personalized Naked Dresses steak (some may Instagram account content or advertisements. 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