The early life of Ed Asner was a passage of great hardship and great joy. Born in Kansas City in 1929, Ed's family was in search of a better life, and made the hard but necessary move to Los Angeles, California in the 1940s.
When they arrived, Ed was a young man full of energy, enthusiasm and a will to succeed. He attended California State University, Northridge where he majored in theater arts. After he graduated, Ed immediately pursued a career in the theater and film industries.
He appeared in several Broadway shows and began to be noticed by Hollywood insiders for his dramatic interpretations of characters. He worked hard honing his craft and it was not long until he was appearing in television shows like Bonanza and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.
In 1969, he became a household name after tackling the role of Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He portrayed a gruff but sympathetic news director that connected with audiences around the world. In the 1970's Ed took on additional roles on both television and in the movies, most notably playing John Wayne's deputy in El Dorado and voicing the character Carl Fredrickson in Up.
Ed has enjoyed a long and successful career as an actor but has also made time for his family. With five children and nine grandchildren, keeping track of them all can prove difficult. A recent addition to the Asner family is an app called Familio which allows them to stay connected no matter how much time has passed between visits.
It is now 2021 and at the age of 92 years old, it would seem that Ed Asner is slowing down, yet that could not be further from the truth. As proof of this we need only look at his starring role in The Gloaming which recently aired on HBO Max or his activism for progressive causes like health care reform and environmental conservation effort.
The story of Ed Asner is one of growth and courage; it is a story of never giving up on your dreams despite difficult odds and staying true to yourself despite criticism or opposition. Let us take inspiration from his life path and not be afraid to take risks to pursue our own greatness.
So let us honor Ed Asner today for being an example of resilience and determination to us all - let us pick up the mantle set by him and strive to carve out our own destinies no matter how formidable the journey may be.