Academy Award-nominated actor Michael Lerner died Saturday. He was 81.
His nephew, Sam Lerner, who starred on “The Goldbergs,” announced his death in an Instagram post shared Sunday afternoon.
“We lost a legend last night. It’s hard to place into words how sensible my uncle Michael was, and the way influential he was to me,” Sam wrote. “His stories at all times inspired me and made me fall in love with acting. He was the good, most confident, talented guy, and the incontrovertible fact that he was my blood will at all times make me feel special.”
Michael earned an Oscar nomination in 1991 for his role as Jack Lipnick in “Barton Fink.” He had nearly 200 credits to his name, including “Eight Men Out,” “Godzilla” and “X-Men: Days of Futures Past,” with three un-released projects within the works.
“Everyone that knows him knows how insane he was— in one of the best ways. I’m so lucky I got to spend a lot time with him, and we’re all lucky we are able to proceed to observe his work for the remainder of time. “
Michael’s representatives didn’t immediately reply to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Sam, the son of actor Ken Lenner, ended his post, “RIP Michael, enjoy your unlimited Cuban cigars, comfortable chairs, and limitless movie marathon.”
Michael had three projects in development, and was in post-production on “Sallywood” with Sally Kirkland, Jennifer Tilly and Eric Roberts.
He was also rumored to be working on “Edoardo the Last Goodbye,” and was forged in “Fragments from Olympus: The Vision of Nikola Tesla” with Sean Young and Ed Begley Jr.
Michael was born and raised in Brooklyn, and commenced acting within the ’60s with the American Conservatory Theater, a nonprofit theater company out of San Francisco, California, in response to IMDb.
He made his film debut in 1970 with “Alex in Wonderland” before pivoting into television roles on “The Bob Newhart Show,” “Emergency!” and “M*A*S*H*.”
Lerner starred as White House Press Secretary Pierre Salinger within the ABC TV movie “The Missiles of October” with William Devane in 1974.
He had roles on “The Rockford Files,” “Kojak,” “Barnaby Jones” and “Hart to Hart.”
After receiving the Oscar nod for taking part in studio head Jack Lipnick in “Barton Fink,” Lerner’s familiar face made it easy for moviegoers to identify him in “Newsies,” “Blank Check,” and afterward as James Caan’s publishing boss in “Elf.”
