# RIP "That Guy" actor Michael Lerner **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, movies\ **Created:** [April 10, 2023, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470 "2023-04-10T20:14:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2023, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470/1 "2023-04-10T20:14:43Z")
[Passed away yesterday.](https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/09/entertainment/michael-lerner-death/index.html) He always did his part, no matter how good or bad the movie was. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2023, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470/2 "2023-04-10T20:33:37Z")
He was awesome in _Barton Fink_ (and got an Oscar nomination for it). RIP ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470/3 "2023-04-11T13:33:32Z")
For some reason, I thought hw was in those Di-Tech ads, but that was Ron Michaelson. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470/4 "2023-04-11T16:53:01Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > He was awesome in _Barton Fink_ (and got an Oscar nomination for it). RIP How is that movie? I’ve never seen it. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470/5 "2023-04-11T17:24:33Z")
Opinions differ (duh). There’s a huge plot twist in the middle, and before that twist I enjoyed it. After the twist I just watched the screen and said: Duh fug? However, I’ve read at least one person on SDMB say that they did not care for it until after the plot twist. So, there’s a good chance you’ll like at least half the film. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470/6 "2023-04-11T18:34:26Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > There’s a huge plot twist in the middle, and before that twist I enjoyed it. After the twist I just watched the screen and said: Duh fug? Yeah, I’m kind of the same way. It’s like there are two different films. Like you, I preferred the first half more. I don’t think the second half ruined it or anything, I still like it. For @Mahaloth, if you’re not familiar with the film, Barton Fink is a playwright from NYC lured to Hollywood to make screenplays. It takes place in 1941 so this is when the [studio system](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_system) was still running things, and it gives you a glimpse into that world. It’s a Coen Brothers film so it has much of the wackiness you expect from their movies, and in particular it mixes a bit of suspense/mystery with humor. Here’s a good scene with Lerner (one of many) in the film: [2:41 clip on YouTube](https://youtu.be/VN54kkl_nTI/) (Sorry but for some reason it won’t let me embed the clips even though I’m using the youtu.be trick.) Though my favorite character, Ben Geisler is played by Tony Shalhoub, he was brilliant in that movie. Here’s a sample: [2:42 clip on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CrSOPGvblI) I couldn’t find my favorite scene in the movie, but it’s another exchange between Geisler and Fink. As in the above clip, it’s where Fink is struggling to write a screenplay and Geisler suggests asking another writer for help. It goes like this: > **Ben Geisler:** Look, you confused? You need guidance? Talk to another writer. > > **Barton Fink:** Who? > > **Ben Geisler:** Jesus, throw a rock in here, you’ll hit one. And do me a favor, Fink: throw it hard. Cracks me up every time. Since we’re talking about the late Mr. Lerner, here’s another good scene: [2:41 clip on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeBM3nwwmlE) LOL, “the carrot that wags the dog”, brilliant. But for anyone who hasn’t seen the film, if you like those clips above, go ahead and honor Michael Lerner’s memory and watch it when you can. When it premiered at Cannes, it won the Palme d’Or as well as winning best director and actor (John Turturro as Fink). It didn’t win any Oscars but was nominated for three. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470/7 "2023-04-11T18:57:25Z")
Yup. Me, too. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470/8 "2023-04-11T19:03:59Z")
I liked both parts of _Barton Fink_, but I’m a huge Coen Bros. fan. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470/9 "2023-04-12T01:06:41Z")
I’ve been intrigued enough that I’m planning on watching it. I’m not a massive Coen Brothers fan, but I haven’t disliked their movies. I’ve only seen: Ladykillers \<–I lied. I hated this movie. True Grit Hudsucker Proxy \<–saw once on VHS, barely remember it Raising Arizona The Big Lebowski \<–this was a fun movie No Country For Old Men Fargo \<–I liked the first season of the show better, to be honest. ---
**Author:** ![rippingtons\_fan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rippingtons_fan/32/11767_2.png) [@rippingtons\_fan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rippingtons_fan)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470/10 "2023-04-12T01:30:15Z")
I liked Michael Lerner in the role he played as Pierre Salinger in the Missiles of October. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470/11 "2023-04-12T06:22:22Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > He was awesome in _Barton Fink_ (and got an Oscar nomination for it). RIP He had IMO the funniest line in the movie, when Fink asks him where he can find a writer to discuss his writer’s block: _“Find a writer?!? My God Fink, you’re on a studio lot! Throw a rock, you’ll hit one! Do me a favor–throw it hard”._ ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470/12 "2023-04-12T06:57:14Z")
> [@F.U.Shakespeare](#): > > He had IMO the funniest line in the movie, when Fink asks him where he can find a writer to discuss his writer’s block: That was Tony Shalhoub as Ben Geisler (I quoted him earlier). And yes, it **was** the funniest line in the movie. 😆 ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470/13 "2023-04-12T15:11:11Z")
My favorite Coen film is _Miller’s Crossing._ ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2023, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470/14 "2023-04-13T00:34:57Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > I liked both parts of _Barton Fink_, but I’m a huge Coen Bros. fan. Thank you to everyone who recommended it. I went in blind and it was amazing. I think this is the best Coen Brothers movie I’ve seen. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2023, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470/15 "2023-04-13T00:48:05Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Thank you to everyone who recommended it. I went in blind and it was amazing. I think this is the best Coen Brothers movie I’ve seen. Trivia: The Coen Brothers were writing _Miller’s Crossing_ and had major writer’s block, so they wrote _Barton Fink_ as a way of working through it. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2023, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470/16 "2023-04-13T00:54:53Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Trivia: The Coen Brothers were writing _Miller’s Crossing_ and had major writer’s block, so they wrote _Barton Fink_ as a way of working through it. I could participate in a separate thread about Barton Fink it was so fascinating and I’ve rarely seen a movie that benefits from going in blind as much as this one. It now has a scene that is in my top list of most haunting scenes in movie history. It was: “I’ll show you the life of the mind!” I…was kind of disturbed by that scene. It was shocking. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2023, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470/17 "2023-04-13T16:51:33Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Trivia: The Coen Brothers were writing _Miller’s Crossing_ and had major writer’s block, so they wrote _Barton Fink_ as a way of working through it. Thanks, I’d known that, but forgotten it. _Miller’s Crossing_ has a convoluted plot, so I can see getting stuck. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2023, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-that-guy-actor-michael-lerner/982470/18 "2023-04-13T23:29:12Z")
I remember him from so many things but the studio exec in _Barton Fink_ is the best example of what he could do.