Martin Mull, Clue and Arrested Development star, dead at 80

Martin Mull — the actor who made us laugh with his comedic skills in Fernwood 2 nights, Hint, Arrested development, and more – is dead. He was 80 years old. His daughter, Maggie, announced the news on Instagram. “I am heartbroken to announce that my father passed away at home on June 27, after a valiant battle with a long illness,” she wrote. “He was known for excelling in every creative discipline imaginable and also for directing commercials for Red Roof Inn. He would find this joke funny. He was never funny. My father will be greatly missed by his wife and daughter, his friends and colleagues, his fellow artists, actors and musicians and, the sign of a truly exceptional person, many, many dogs. I loved him immensely.

Born in 1943, Mull was a true multifaceted artist. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in painting from the Rhode Island School of Design, and his work has ended up in galleries, museums, and celebrity collections. He got his start in the entertainment industry as a comedic singer-songwriter, then made his film debut in the 1976 film Marie Hartman, Marie Hartman (which earned him a role as Barth Gimble in the spin-offs Fernwood 2 nights And America 2 nights). Mull continued to build on his legacy as a comedic actor through a host of other projects, including Clue, The History of White People in America, Roseanne, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Ellen Show, Danny Phantom, Arrested Development, My Uncle Charlie, And The cool kidsHe was also nominated for an Emmy for his portrayal of Bob Bradley in Veep.

In 2018, Mull admitted to the New York Times He received many compliments from artists whose careers he had inspired. “I think I know why,” he said. “Because if you stay in the business and you reach a certain age, which I did just by still breathing, you're a legend now – because you've made it.”