Page 8 - Acting Bug News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

>> well, yes. >> i hate spunk! >> a gruff exterior hiding a heart of gold to play lou grant, ed asner drew from his blue the than a secretarial job. >> reporter: born in kansas city, missouri, one of his first jobs was on an assembly line at a general motors plant. the acting bug bit him in the military, performing for u.s. troops overseas. >> excuse me, please. >> reporter: in 1969 he landed his big break, a part in an elvis presley movie which also featured mary tyler moore. >> you don't like me? i will fire you. >> reporter: a year later asner would win the role that made him a star. >> whe...

While democrats control the white house and senate as well. television legend ed asner is dead at the age of 91. he was best known for portraying the gruff news man lou grant on "the mary tyler moore show." we have more on the gifted actor. >> you know what? you've got spunk. >> well, yeah. >> i hate spunk. >> reporter: he plays no-nonsense lou grant. he drew from his blue collar roots. >> the job pays $10 less a week than a sectarian job. >> reporter: born in kansas city, missouri, his first job was on the assembly line for general motors. the acting bug bit him while in the military overse...

>> they gave him a couple of roles and he got the bug. he >> reporter: the acting bug. first as a body double back on the basketball court in the te movie "inside moves." then as a bartender in "cob." >> congrats, al. >> reporter: when he met lisa, he was acting, but also waiting tables. >> he twinkled, he was just charming.in i was thrilled that he asked me for my number. >> reporter: they married, had three sons together and with a growing family to support, gavin gave up acting and took a job on the business side of 20th century fox eventually as a film distribution executive. >> fox is a w...

Important for so many years in this tiny little world of the mob world realized he was all alone and dying. the only one who he could talk to was this chaplain in assisted living, and he was saying my family has totally abandoned me. what am i going to do? he was looking for existential meaning. >> i have a question. i have a question. you were a priest before you took the role. you're not a priest now. was it the acting bug that changed -- that got you out of the priesthood >> no, i was a priest during the filming. nothing to do with the -- i made the decision -- i made it very public because...

The only one who he could talk to was this chaplain in assisted living, and he was saying my family has totally abandoned me. what am i going to do? he was loo took the role. you're not a priest now. was it the acting bug that changed -- that got filming. nothing to do with the -- i made the decision -- i made it very public because i knew that's what i had to do. it was something i had thought about for a very very long time. i love all the years that i was in the priesthood and all of the many -- i actually visited mob guys in real prison. greg: yeah. >> okay, so i've had so many experiences...