Lou Grant | |
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Created by | |
Developed by | Leon Tokatyan |
Starring | |
Composer(s) |
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Country of origin | United States |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of seasons | 5 |
No. of episodes | 114 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) |
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Running time | 46–48 minutes |
Production company(s) | MTM Productions |
Distributor | 20th Television |
Release | |
Original network | CBS |
Audio format | Monaural |
Original release | September 20, 1977 | – September 13, 1982
Chronology | |
Preceded by | The Mary Tyler Moore Show |
Followed by | Mary and Rhoda |
Lou Grant is an American drama series starring Ed Asner in the title role as a newspaper editor that aired on CBS from September 20, 1977 to September 13, 1982. The series was the third spin-off of the sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Lou Grant was created by The Mary Tyler Moore Show co-creators James L. Brooks and Allan Burns, along with Gene Reynolds.
Lou Grant won 13 Emmy Awards, including "Outstanding Drama Series". Asner won the Emmy Award for "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series" in 1978 and 1980. In doing so, he became the first person to win an Emmy Award for both "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series" and "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series" for portraying the same character. Lou Grant also won two Golden Globe Awards, a Peabody Award, an Eddie Award, three awards from the Directors Guild of America and two Humanitas Prizes.
Lou Grant works as city editor of the fictional Los Angeles Tribune daily newspaper, a job he takes after being fired from the WJM television station at the end of the sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show. (Grant mentions several times on Mary Tyler Moore that he began his career as a print journalist.) Given the shift from comedy to drama in this show, the nature of Grant's interactions with others is toned down. References to Grant's oftentimes excessive drinking, which had been an ongoing comedic theme on Mary Tyler Moore, were deemphasized on the new show.