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Remembering Martin Mull of Roseanne, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and More; Will Forte Joins Netflix's Upcoming Comedy The Four Seasons

Actor and musician Martin Mull, who starred in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976-1977), Fernwood 2 Night, Roseanne and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, has died. He died from a long illness at his Los Angeles home on June 27. Mr. Mull was 80.

Mull's first well-known acting role was as Garth Gimble in the 1976-1977 absurdist soap opera Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. The syndicated series follows the eponymous Mary Hartman, a small-town Ohio housewife attempting to cope with various bizarre and sometimes violent incidents occurring in her daily life. Garth Kimble is a wife-beater, who died by being impaled by a star on an aluminum Christmas tree.

He later played Garth's twin brother, talk show host Barth Gimble, in Fernwood 2 Night in 1977 and America 2-Night in 1978. The program was created by Norman Lear and produced by Alan Thicke as a spin-off and summer replacement for Lear's satirical soap opera Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. The show was hosted by Barth Gimble and sidekick–announcer Jerry Hubbard (Fred Willard). Dour bandleader Happy Kyne (Frank De Vol) and the Mirth Makers were the show's stage band and featured Tommy Tedesco as a guitarist.

Mulll starred as Martin Crane in the short-lived 1984 CBS sitcom Domestic Life, which he created with Steve Martin, Howard Gerwirtz and Ian Praiser. Martin served as the executive producer. Martin Crane moved to Seattle to take a commentator job at KMRT-TV. His spot on the station's evening news was called "Domestic Life". Mull performed the opening theme song "God Bless the Domestic Life". The cast included Judith-Marie Bergan, Christian Brackett-Zika, Megan Follows, Robert Ridgely, Mie Hunt, Hoyt Axton and J. Alan Thomas.

In 1990, he starred as Dr. Doug Lambert in the short-lived CBS sitcom His & Hers. Doug and Dr. Regina "Reggie" Hewitt (Stephanie Faracy) were newly married marriage counselors who often seemed better at giving good advice to their clients than of taking it themselves. The cast included Blake Soper, Lisa Picotte, Richard Kline, Blair Tefkin, Jim Doughan and Jane Morris.

He had a long-running role as Leon Carp in 46 episodes of the ABC sitcom Roseanne from 1991 to 1997. Leon Carp is originally Roseanne Conner's (Roseanne Barr) gay boss at Rodbell's Luncheonette and later her business partner in The Lanford Lunchbox. Mull also served as executive consultant for season four. He co-wrote the season four episode "Tolerate Thy Neighbor" in 1991.

Mull starred as Doug Talbot in the 1992-1993 ABC sitcom The Jackie Thomas Show. As Jackie Thomas, Tom Arnold played a former nightclub comic and slaughterhouse worker now starring in his own sitcom (a show-within-a-show), also called "The Jackie Thomas Show". Doug Talbot is a network executive. The cast included Dennis Boutsikaris, Alison La Placa, Breckin Meyer, Michael Boatman, Paul Feig, Maryedith Burrell, Jeannetta Arnette and Ann Cusack.

Mull played Willard Kraft in 39 episodes of the ABC sitcom Sabrina the Teenage Witch from 1997 to 2000. Willard Kraft is Sabrina Spellman's (Melissa Joan Hart) vice principal at Westbridge High school in seasons two and three and then becoming her high school's principal in season four. He left the series after Sabrina graduated from high school at the end of season four.

He starred as Mr. Munn in the 2001-2002 CBS sitcom The Ellen Show. Mr. Munn is Ellen Richmond's (Ellen DeGeneres) former befuddled high school teacher and now the principal of Clark High School who gives her a job a school guidance counselor. It also starred Cloris Leachman, Jim Gaffigan, Emily Rutherford, Kerri Kenney and Diane Delano (recurring).

Mull starred as Crawford Whittemore in the 2013-2014 Fox sitcom Dads. The series follows Warner Whittemore (Giovanni Ribisi) and Eli Sachs (Seth Green), two successful video game developers whose lives are unexpectedly changed when their respective fathers move in with them. Crawford Whittemore is portrayed as a failed businessman, but continues to try to launch his career. The cast included Peter Riegert, Brenda Song, Vanessa Lachey and Tonita Castro.

He starred as Charlie in the 2018-2019 Fox sitcom The Cool Kids. The series follows three male residents of a retirement community who are forced to adapt to the arrival of a new, rebellious female occupant. It also starred David Alan Grier, Leslie Jordan and Vicki Lawrence. Recurring cast members included Jamie Farr, Artemis Pebdani, Lesley Ann Warren, Jere Burns, Rod McCrary and Punam Patel.

Mull portrayed Gene Parmesan, a private investigator, in six episodes of Arrested Development from 2004 to 2019. He had a recurring role as Mr. White / Whitey in 12 episodes of 'Til Death in 2000. He appeared as Russell, Charlie's self-medicating pharmacist, in six episodes of Two and a Half Men from 2008 to 2013. In 2016, he appeared as Bob Bradley in 4 episodes of Veep. He received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for the role. He played Martin in 7 episodes of I'm Sorry from 2017 to 2019. He appeared as Jerry, Maggie's (Debra Winger) sometimes acid-tripping attorney, in 13 episodes of The Ranch from 2016 to 2020.

Some of his other sitcom guest appearances in the 1980s and 1990s included Taxi, Square Pegs, Fast Times, D.C. Follies, It's Garry Shandling's Show (4 episodes), The Golden Girls, Get a Life, Dream On, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, The Larry Sanders Show (2 episodes), Life... and Stuff, Over the Top and The Nanny.

Some of his later sitcom guest appearances included Just Shoot Me!, The Geena Davis Show, Kristin, Less Than Perfect, Greetings from Tucson, Reba, Life with Bonnie (3 episodes), Half & Half, Reno 911!, Crumbs, The War at Home (3 episodes), Gary Unmarried (2 episodes), My Boys (2 episodes), Working Class, Mad Love, Community (2 episodes), Life in Pieces (4 episodes), Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Bless This Mess, Grace and Frankie, Maggie (2022), Not Dead Yet (3 episodes) and The Afterparty (2 episodes).

Mull provided the voice of Skip Binsford in the short-lived 1993 CBS animated sitcom Family Dog, which was executive produced by Steven Spielberg and Tim Burton. The series was based on a 1987 episode of Amazing Stories. It was about an average suburban family, the Binsfords, as told through the eyes of their Bull Terrier dog named Jonah. The voice cast included Molly Cheek, Danny Mann, Zak Huxtable Epstein and Cassie Cole.

He provided the voice of Vlad Masters / Vlad Plasmius, the main villain, in Danny Phantom from 2004 to 2007. Some of his other voice credits included The Simpsons, Family Guy, Teamo Supremo, American Dad! (10 episodes as Father Donovan) and Bob's Burgers. He starred in a series of commercials for Michelob and Pizza Hut, and in a series of television and radio commercials for Red Roof Inn with Fred Willard.

Mull starred as Colonel Mustard, an army officer guilty of war profiteering, in the 1985 black comedy mystery film Clue. Some of his other film credits included FM (1978), Serial (1980), My Bodyguard (1980), Take This Job and Shove It (1981) and Mr. Mom (1983).

Mr. Mull was a man of many talents as an actor, musician and painter. He was just naturally funny. He and his frequent collaborator Fred Willard were a great comedy duo. We thank him for the many laughs and entertainment that he brought us during his legendary career. He will be greatly missed.

Netflix announced that Will Forte is the latest addition to check into The Four Seasons, an all-new comedy series adaptation from Tina Fey, Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield. Forte (Bodkin, Last Man on Earth, Sweet Tooth) joins previously announced cast members Fey, Steve Carell, Colman Domingo, Kerri Kenney-Silver and Erika Henningsen. The series, produced by Universal Television, is based on the 1981 feature film of the same name from Universal Pictures that was written and directed by Alan Alda, produced by Martin Bregman, and starred Alda and Carol Burnett. The Four Seasons is slated to begin production later this year. The comedy is executive produced by Tina Fey, Lang Fisher, Tracey Wigfield, David Miner, Eric Gurian and Jeff Richmond. Alan Alda and Marissa Bregman will produce. The series is written by Fey, Fisher and Wigfield. Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, is the producing studio. Little Stranger, Inc. is the production company.

Posted by Todd -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: Mary Hartman, Netflix, Obits, Roseanne, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Four Seasons