Martin Mull, the comic, actor and musician best known for roles in “Roseanne,” “Clue,” “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” and many others, has died at age 80, according to his daughter.
“I am heartbroken to share that my father passed away at home on June 27th, after a valiant fight against a long illness,” Maggie Mull wrote on her Instagram. “He was never not funny. My dad will be deeply missed by his wife and daughter, by his friends and coworkers, by fellow artists and comedians and musicians, and—the sign of a truly exceptional person—by many, many dogs. I loved him tremendously.”
His rep, Jennifer Craig, in confirmation said “Yes this is sadly true.”
Over a career spanning six decades, Mull became a recognizable figure in numerous roles, often portraying egotistical or insufferable characters oblivious to their flaws. His role as the pompous talk show host Barth Gimble in the short-lived yet cult-favorite 1977 talk show satire “Fernwood 2 Night,” featuring Fred Willard as his sidekick, showcased Mull’s comedic talent to the American audience.
Mull’s career progressed consistently, featuring in almost 40 films and over 50 television series. He enjoyed a seven-season stint on “Roseanne” as Roseanne’s business partner, Leon Carp, and portrayed the domineering Principal Kraft for three seasons on “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” Additionally, Mull had memorable roles in series such as “Arrested Development,” “Two and a Half Men,” “Community,” among others, and received an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of political aide Bob Bradley in HBO’s “Veep.”
In film, Mull’s memorable roles included “Mr. Mom,” as the supercilious boss of Terri Garr’s character, and is credited with coming up with the movie’s oft-quoted “220, 221, whatever it takes” line. He also played Colonel Mustard in the fan-favorite 1985 comedy “Clue,” and Justin Gregory in the Robin Williams 1993 movie smash “Mrs. Doubtfire.”
Mull was not only a singer, songwriter, and musician known for his humorous songs during stand-up performances, but he also released eleven albums, predominantly featuring humorous music, with all but one released in the 1970s. His popularity was such that he opened for mainstream music acts like Randy Newman, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, among others.
Beyond his on-screen persona, Mull was a dedicated painter, holding a master’s degree in painting acquired in the late 1960s before his performance career took off. His artwork was displayed and sold in galleries nationwide over his lifetime.