Michael Lerner, 'Elf' and 'Barton Fink' Actor Dead at 81

The actor passed away over Easter weekend.

Michael Lerner has died. 

The Elf actor passed away on April 8, 2023, according to a statement released by his nephew, Sam Lerner. He was 81

"We lost a legend last night," Sam wrote in the April 9 post alongside throwback photos of his uncle. 

"It’s hard to put into words how brilliant my uncle Michael was, and how influential he was to me. His stories always inspired me and made me fall in love with acting. He was the coolest, most confident, talented guy, and the fact that he was my blood will always make me feel special," he added. 

"Everyone that knows him knows how insane he was— in the best way. I’m so lucky I got to spend so much time with him, and we’re all lucky we can continue to watch his work for the rest of time. RIP Michael, enjoy your unlimited Cuban cigars, comfy chairs, and endless movie marathon ??," Sam concluded.

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Lerner was in the entertainment business for nearly 60 years, with acting credits dating back to 1963 when he starred in Dr. Kildare for one episode.

He got his big break in 1991 for his supporting role in Barton Fink, which earned him an Academy Award nomination that same year. In 2003, he starred in the beloved Christmas comedy, Elf, playing the short-tempered boss Fulton Greenway alongside Will Ferrel and James Caan, who passed away at age 82 on last summer.

Lerner also starred in several hit television shows, including M*A*S*H, Starsky and Hutch, MacGyver, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and even made an appearance on Glee in 2013 where he starred in five episodes.

Lerner’s most recent role was in 2022's Sergey Mokritskiy-directed war drama, Pervvy Oskar.