‘Barton Fink’ Actor Michael Lerner Case of Death, Revealed

• Veteran actor Michael Lerner has died at age 81
• Sam Lerner, the actor's nephew, announced the news via Instagram
• Lerner is best known for his roles in 'Godzilla,' 'Elf,' and 'Barton Fink'

Michael Lerner, a veteran actor known for roles in Godzilla, Elf, and Barton Fink, has perished at 81. On Sunday, the actor's nephew, Sam Lerner, announced the news via Instagram.

"'We lost a legend last night. It's hard to put into words how brilliant my uncle Michael was and how influential he was to me." he wrote.

Michecl Lerner Cause of Death

In his heartfelt post, the 30-year-old actor continued, "His stories always inspired me and made me fall in love with acting."

He continued, writing to his 117,000 followers on the platform, "Everyone who knew him knew how insane he was in the greatest manner."

According to TMZ, Michael Lerner portrayed James Caan's supervisor Fulton in the 2003 Will Ferrell film 'Elf,' He left an impression on the audience.

In addition, he has appeared in the films 'Newsies,' 'Harlem Nights,' 'The Mod Squad,' 'Celebrity,' and 'For Richer or Poorer.' He appeared in 'The Brady Bunch,' 'MASH,' 'Starsky and Hutch,' and 'The Good Guys' during the 1970s. Ironside, The Odd Couple, The Rockford Files, Barnaby Jones, Hill Street Blues, and Melba are among his additional roles.

Michael Lerner also appeared in 'Tales from the Crypt,' 'Courthouse,' 'Clueless,' 'Kingdom Hospital,' 'Law & Order: SVU,' 'Matumbo Goldberg,' and 'Glee,' Daily Mail reported. He is survived by his 74-year-old actor brother Ken Lerner. No additional information about Lerner's death was provided. Michael and Sam Lerner's representatives gave no further statements.

Fans, Celebrities Pay Tribute

Michael Lerner was born in 1941 in Brooklyn, New York, and attended Brooklyn College to study drama. Per CNN, Lerner subsequently received a Fulbright scholarship and spent two years in England before being invited to join the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.

An agent in San Francisco discovered him and brought him to Los Angeles, where his career in Hollywood began. Lerner's career in Hollywood spanned decades, with film and television credits extending back to the 1960s. During the 1960s and 1970s, he appeared on television programs such as 'The Doris Day Show,'

'The Bob Newhart Show,' and 'M*A*S*H.' In 1970, he released his debut film, 'Alex in Wonderland,' in which he portrayed Leo alongside Donald Sutherland and Ellen Burstyn. Later, Lerner appeared in such films as 'The Ski Tramp,' 'The Candidate,' and 'Outlaw Blues.' In the mid-1980s, the actor appeared in multiple episodes of 'Hill Street Blues' and 'Melba' before starring in 'Barton Fink' in 1991.

His portrayal of studio executive Jack Lipnick, in which he co-starred with John Turturro, John Goodman, and Judy Davis, earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for best supporting actor. "I read the script, and you have a natural talent for writing.

It was superbly written, and I just knew it," Lerner said of the 'Barton Fink' script in 2016, adding that during his audition in front of directors Joel and Ethan Coen, "I did the monologue the way I wanted to do it, and that was it. And Joel and Ethan were giggling and sitting in a corner."

Several famous people commented on Sam's post to pay tribute to the star. According to Mirror, author and Disney star Logan Miller said, "Absolute legend. Sorry for your loss, my friend."

Moreover, improv actress Wendi McLendon-Covey stated: "I'm so sorry! Sending love to you and your family."

And fans also posted messages on Twitter in response to the news.