Ed Asner

American film and TV actor who had a number of lean years before becoming a star with the character Lou

Grant on the "Mary Tyler Moore Show," 1970-77 that segued into his own series, "Lou Grant," 1977-82, and

"The Bronx Zoo," 1987-88. He is the winner of a total of seven Emmys.

Asner got his start in stage roles at the University of Chicago, and after Army service, joined the Playwrights

Theatre in Chicago, eventually moving to New York to play on and off Broadway. He considers himself a solid

character actor and was happy with that, knowing that when he grew a paunch and got bald, it did not mean

an end to his career. His major popularity began when he was past 40, indeed with a paunch and a

comfortable gruffness.

Married to Nancy Lou Sykes 1959-1988: his three kids include twins born in 1964; divorce after 28 years of

marriage. He had a fourth child, Charles Edward Vogelman, on 8/05/1987 with his girl friend, Carol Vogelman,

for whom he pays $2,100 a month in child support. On 8/02/1998, he married retired movie producer Cindy

Gilmore, 58, in Los Angeles, CA.

President of the Screen Actors Guild in the '80s, Asner is very liberal and very outspoken on issues and

politics.