US comedy actor Martin Mull dies at 80

Credits include Roseanne, Veep and Arrested Development

American actor and comedian Martin Mull – whose credits include Roseanne, Veep and Arrested Development has died at the age of 1980.

Mull, who also played Colonel Mustard in the 1985 film comedy Clue – died on Thursday at his home after a ‘valiant fight against a long illness’, his daughter Maggie Mull said on social media.

Maggie, a producer on Family Guy, wrote on Instagram: ‘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.’

Mull began his career as a songwriter and musical comedian, opening for Frank Zappa and Bruce Springsteen at numerous live gigs in the 1970s.

He brokethrough an an actor in the 1976 soap opera spoof Mary Hartman. On Roseanne, he played the titular character’s boss Leon Carp; in Sabrina the Teenage Witch he played Principal Willard Kraft and in Arrested Development, he played useless private eye Gene Parmesan.

He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy award for outstanding guest actor in a comedy series for playing aide Bob ‘The Eagle’ Bradley in four-episodes of Veep in 2016.

Chicago-born Mull also guest starred in other TV shows, including The Simpsons, Family Guy, The Golden Girls and Two and a Half Men.

As well as his daughter, Maggie, a he leaves his wife, Wendy Haas, an actor and composer.

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Published: 29 Jun 2024