Martin Mull, whose droll, esoteric comedy and acting ... Mary Hartman,” and the starring role in its spinoff, “Fernwood 2 Night,” on which he played the host of a satirical talk show.

“Took me a moment to grasp that Martin Mull has passed. During the late 70s, we worked together on Fernwood Tonight & its successor series,” Shearer said. “We wrote together, often at the beach ...

Martin Mull, whose droll, esoteric comedy and acting made him a hip sensation in the 1970s and later a beloved guest star on sitcoms including ''Roseanne'' and ''Arrested Development,'' has died ...