Not many actors can claim as many memorable credits across film and television as Martin Mull did, going back to the 1970s. Sadly, the beloved comedian has passed away at the age of 80. His daughter broke the tragic news, and already there has been an outpouring of tributes for the man who added plenty of laughs to projects like Roseanne, Clue, Two and a Half Men, and many more. He was just under two months shy of his 81st birthday.
Martin Mull's daughter, TV writer and cartoonist Maggie Mull, broke the news on social media. In a touching post on Instagram, she confirmed her father's death while also honoring what he meant to her and the kind of man he was:
I am heartbroken to share that my father passed away at home on June 27th, after a valiant fight against a long illness. He was known for excelling at every creative discipline imaginable and also for doing Red Roof Inn commercials. He would find that joke funny. 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.
Maggie Mull didn't reveal what kind of "long illness" her father was struggling with, but did share that he was at home when he passed. As one would expect in honor of a man known for spreading laughter and joy, the comment section of the post is full of well-wishes to Maggie and tributes to her dad, including one from Marvelous Mrs. Maisel alum Alex Borstein.
It's fitting that his daughter was able to crack a Red Roof Inn joke – which had an ad campaign featuring Martin Mull – in her tribute to her dad, since he was of course known for his humor. As she said, he would have found it funny. Maggie Mull also chose a lovely picture to commemorate her father and announce the sad news:
While Martin Mull will certainly be remembered for his role as Colonel Mustard as part of the Clue cast and the movie's long list of timelessly funny quotes, his roles in sitcoms have spanned decades and guaranteed that many people of all ages are familiar with his work.
Some standouts roles were as Principal Willard Kraft in the beloved Sabrina the Teenage Witch in the late '90s, Leon Carp in Roseanne (who sadly never appeared on The Conners), Russell on Two and a Half Men opposite Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer, the scene-stealing Gene Parmesan on Arrested Development, and Bob Bradley on four episodes of Veep, for which Mull was nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series back in 2016.
His earliest credits were on TV shows, starting with the satirical soap opera Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman from 1976-1977, followed by Fernwood Tonight and an episode of Wonder Woman in 1977. According to IMDb, his most recent live-action credit prior to his death was The Afterparty in September 2023. Also in 2023, he voiced a character for Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 and appeared in three episodes of Not Dead Yet.
Our sympathies here at CinemaBlend are with the family, friends, and loved ones of Martin Mull in this difficult time.
