Biography
After several small film roles, Lerner gained notice for his performance as Katz, the Machiavellian lawyer, in Bob Rafelson's "The Postman Always Rings Twice" (1981) and as World Series "fixer" Arnold Rothstein in John Sayles' "Eight Men Out" (1988).
Lerner has since made a name for himself in TV movies, portraying real-life characters Pierre Salinger, in "The Missiles of October" (1974); Jack Ruby, in "Ruby and Oswald" (1978); film mogul Jack …
Latest Tv Credits
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When Do We Eat?
Addicted to Danger
Career Milestones
| Moved to Los Angeles to appear for one year in the West Coast premiere of Jules Feiffer's "Little Murders" in the late 1960s | ||
| Raised in Red Hook section of Brooklyn, NY | ||
| Returned to U.S. from London; became member of San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre for two years | ||
| Worked in a Manhattan deli | ||
1969 | Appeared as bicycle salesman on "The Brady Bunch" (ABC) | |
1970 | Made film debut in Paul Mazursky's "Alex in Wonderland" | |
1975 | Played Fat Rolly on two episodes of "Starsky and Hutch" (ABC) | |
1978 | Cast as Lee Harvey Oswald's killer Jack Ruby in "Ruby and Oswald" (CBS) | |
1981 | Appeared on the New York stage in "Twelfth Night," directed by David Mamet | |
1981 | Landed a supporting role in "The Postman Always Rings Twice" | |
1988 | Played New York mafia kingpin in "Eight Men Out" opposite John Cusack and Charlie Sheen | |
1988 | Returned to Los Angeles stage opposite Sean Penn and Danny Aiello in "Hurlyburly" | |
1989 | Cast as Bugsy Calhoune in Eddie Murphy's "Harlem Nights" | |
1992 | Appeared in the family musical "Newsies" | |
1996 | Cast as Cher's (Rachel Blanchard) father on the ABC sitcom version of "Clueless" | |
1998 | Cast as Mayor Ebert in "Godzilla" | |
2003 | Appeared in Jon Favreau's holiday comedy "Elf," starring Will Ferrell | |
2004 | Played a conservative U.S. Senator with a gay son in "Poster Boy" | |
2005 | Starred as the patriarch in the Jewish comedy "When Do We Eat?" | |
2009 | Cast in the Coen Brothers' drama "A Serious Man" | |
2012 | Appeared in the fantasy comedy "Mirror Mirror," starring Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen and Lily Collins as Snow White | |
Awards
1991 | Academy Award for Actor In a Supporting Role in Barton Fink |
1991 | Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor in Barton Fink |