Legendary actor Ed Asner (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, El Dorado, Elf) was involved in over 400 projects over the course of his long career.
Asner, most famous for his voice acting role as Carl Fredrickson in Pixar Animation Studios' Up (2009), passed away on August 29, 2021. At the time, the New York Times commemorated his career with a tribute that read, in part:
In between playing Lou Grant, Mr. Asner also won Emmys for his appearances in the 1976 mini-series “Rich Man, Poor Man,” as Nick Nolte’s bitter immigrant father, and the groundbreaking, lavishly lauded 1977 mini-series “Roots,” in which he played a slave-ship captain with scruples. He also won five Golden Globes, one for “Rich Man, Poor Man” and two each for the two series in which he played Lou Grant.
In more recent years he had been seen in guest roles on television series like “The Good Wife,” “The Middle,” “Grace and Frankie,” “Hot in Cleveland” and “Cobra Kai,” and as recurring characters on “The Practice” and “ER.” In television movies, he played the billionaire Warren Buffett (in “Too Big to Fail,” 2011) and Pope John XXIII (in a 2002 movie by that name).
A video of Asner as Grant can be viewed below:
Now, nearly a year after the actor's passing, his second wife -- from whom he was divorced in 2015 after separating in 2007 -- has petitioned a California judge to order Asner's CPA to turn over his will.
Cindy Asner wed the late star in 1998 and is serving as co-conservator of his estate alongside his 35-year-old son, Charlie, whose mother is Carol Jean Vogelman.
CBS News shared details:
In the petition, Cindy Asner states that Glendale CPA Jeffrey A. Morgenroth, who possesses the will and is its executor, "refuses to deliver the will to the clerk of this court."
According to the petition, Charlie Asner has an interest in the will as a beneficiary and as one of his father's surviving heirs [Asner had four children].
A hearing is scheduled for Sept. 16.
In recent years, CPAs have been taking on more and more estate planning work. The Journal of Accountancy even noted that this is the "third highest area of growth" for accounting professionals in the United States. This is largely due to the fact that the late 1990s through today have seen the largest-ever transfer of wealth in America as the Baby Boomer generation has inherited their parents' assets.
At this time, Jeffrey A. Morgenroth has not issued a public statement regarding the dispute over Asner's last will and testament.
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