Veteran actor Ed Asner, perhaps best known for his Lou Grant character, is returning to series television in CMT’s new show, “Working Class”.
Asner has been in show business for decades, originally playing scoundrels and lowlifes more often than not. Then he warmed viewers’ hearts with his lovable curmudgeon role of Lou Grant for seven seasons in The “Mary Tyler Moore Show”. The portrayal was so good that when Moore ended her successful run on CBS, Asner kept on playing Grant, shifting from TV news to newspaper journalism in the series that carried his role’s name, “Lou Grant”. That show ran from 1977 to 1982.
The actor has made dramatic and comedic impacts in mini-series like “Rich Man, Poor Man” and “Roots” as well as in subsequent parts as a regular in “Off the Rack” and “The Bronx Zoo”. Asner also had recurring roles in numerous series like “The Closer” and “Studio 60” on the Sunset Strip.
President of Screen Actors Guild for four years in the early 80’s, Asner is a vocal member of the acting community. He’s also one of the busiest, having worked steadily since the late 50’s.
“Working Class” is CMT’s first scripted series and stars Melissa Peterman of Reba fame. The network has ordered a 12-episode season as of now which will air for the first time in January 2011.
