Martin Mull

Martin Mull, born in Chicago, Illinois, was the oldest of three children and raised in Ohio. A blond-haired, blue-eyed comedian with a distinctive sad, droopy mustache, Mull first engaged with the arts through painting, a talent he developed early on. To help pay for his art school tuition, he began organizing bands. Around the same time, he discovered stand-up comedy as another creative outlet.

Mull's early success as a comedian led to a recording contract, and over the years, he received multiple Grammy nominations for his eccentric comedy albums. His appeal stemmed from a dry, humorless delivery and a conservative, unassuming appearance, which contrasted with the sly wit and hip sensibility behind his material.

He gained popularity in the 1970s and made his television breakthrough with the cult soap opera parody *Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman* (1976), in which he played Garth Gimble, a volatile wife abuser who met his fate when impaled by an aluminum Christmas tree in his home closet. Mull's popularity on the show led to his return in the spin-off *Fernwood 2 Night* (1977), where he portrayed Garth's twin brother, Barth Gimble, co-hosting the fictional town's television program alongside Fred Willard's Jerry Hubbard.

Following this success, Mull became a regular guest on the talk show circuit, as well as in variety specials and TV movies. He produced and starred in his own sitcom, *Domestic Life* (1984), though the series was short-lived. He also appeared in a number of films over the years, including *FM* (1978), *Serial* (1980), *Mr. Mom* (1983), and *Clue* (1985), in which he played the tweedy-looking Colonel Mustard. Other film appearances included *Take This Job and Shove It* (1981), *Rented Lips* (1988), which he also produced and wrote, *Cutting Class* (1989), *Far Out Man* (1990) with Cheech & Chong, and *Mr. Write* (1994).

Mull's first love has always been art, and his work as a multi-media artist has been exhibited in galleries around the world. He also authored the book *Painting, Drawing and World*, a compilation of ten years of his artistic output. He is married to composer and musician Wendy, and the couple has a daughter.