Michael Lerner, Oscar nominee for ‘Barton Fink’ and ‘Elf’ actor, dies at 81

Michael Lerner, a veteran actor who appeared in such movies as “Elf,” “Godzilla” and “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” and earned an Oscar nomination for 1991’s “Barton Fink,” has died, according to an Instagram post by his nephew, “The Goldbergs” star Sam Lerner.

He was 81 years old, according to Variety.

“We lost a legend last night,” Lerner captioned a series of photos of his uncle over the years.

“It’s hard to put into words how brilliant my uncle Michael was, and how influential he was to me. His stories always inspired me and made me fall in love with acting. He was the coolest, most confident, talented guy, and the fact that he was my blood will always make me feel special.

“Everyone that knows him knows how insane he was — in the best way. I’m so lucky I got to spend so much time with him, and we’re all lucky we can continue to watch his work for the rest of time.

"RIP Michael, enjoy your unlimited Cuban cigars, comfy chairs, and endless movie marathon.”

Michael Lerner was a steady presence on TV and movie screens, with his first role an uncredited appearance on “Dr. Kildare” in 1963, according to IMDB.

He would make the rounds on a wide range of TV shows over the years, including “The Brady Bunch,” “Starsky and Hutch,” “Ironside,” “The Odd Couple,” “The A-Team,” “Hill Street Blues” and “Law and Order: SVU.” He also made multiple appearances on “Glee” and “Clueless,” a TV series based on the Alicia Silverstone film.

Lerner’s career kicked into a higher gear with “Barton Fink.” In the movie, he played the pushy studio boss to John Turturro’s screenwriter title character. His performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor, but he lost to Jack Palance for "City Slickers."

Lerner also enjoyed memorable roles as James Caan’s irritable boss in “Elf,” Mayor Ebert in 1998’s “Godzilla” and a senator in 2014’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” He also appeared in other well-known movies, such as “The Candidate,” “Eight Men Out,” “The Postman Always Rings Twice,” “Newsies” and “Harlem Nights.”

Sam Lerner’s co-stars on “The Goldbergs” responded to his post about his uncle.

“I’m so sorry! Sending love to you and your family,” Wendi-McLendon Covey wrote.

“Sam I know it’s tough I also no (sic) how proud you were of him. Sending love to you and your family and especially your dad,” Mindy Sterling wrote.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com