TRIBUTES have come in for iconic actor and musician Martin Mull after his family revealed that he died earlier this week at the age of 80.
Mull died at his home on June 27 after a battle against a long illness, said his daughter, Maggie.
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In a heartfelt Instagram post, Maggie wrote that her father was skilled in multiple disciplines.
“He would find that joke funny. He was never not funny,” she wrote.
“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 appeared in several roles throughout his muli-decade career but was best known for his time as principal Willard Kraft on Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
Melissa Joan Hart, who starred as the titular character on the show, shared a tribute to her beloved co-star.
“Rest in Peace my friend. The incredible #MartinMull (Principal Kraft) has left us for his eternal rest,” she wrote.
“I have such fond memories of working with him and being in awe of his huge body of work which before #SabrinaTheTeemageWitch included #Roseanne and #MrMom as the projects I knew him from.”
After Sabrina ended in 2003, Mull continued to seek other roles, which Hart said was part of his character.
“He once told me that he takes every job he’s offered just in case the train comes to an end, which in this business tends to halt quickly,” she said.
“But he was an artist who liked to paint and build things with his hands, a musician, and a wonderful man who I am better for knowing. He will be missed but this world has benefited from his being here. My deepest sympathies to his family and friends.
“I will continue to cherish the Martin Mull artwork hanging in my home!”
OTHER TRIBUTES
Director Paul Feig took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share his heartbreak over Mull’s death.
“Oh man, this is so sad. Martin was the greatest. So funny, so talented, such a nice guy,” he wrote.
“Was lucky enough to act with him on The Jackie Thomas Show and treasured every moment being with a legend. Fernwood Tonight was so influential in my life.
“RIP Martin.”
Tom Arnold who appeared on Roseanne shared a photo of himself, Mull, Judd Apatow, and Arnold’s then-wife, Roseann Barr.
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
Mull famously played Leon Carp on the show, who later married his onscreen lover, Scott – played by Fred Willard – in one of the first TV gay weddings.
“Roseanne, Judd Apatow & I are Martin Mull superfans,” Arnold tweeted.
“He was a great comic, actor, writer, artist, field goal kicker & neighbor.
“Martin showed up every time we asked from my 1st HBO special to Roseanne to just answering our lame Fernwood Tonight questions. Martin was a great human.”
Film critic Courtney Howard recalled the first time she saw Mull in the 1983 film Mr. Mom, writing that he had “world-class comedic timing.”
“Yet it was his role as Gene Parmesan on Arrested Development that truly captured my heart,” she wrote.
“I can’t separate that role from the actor.”
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