Another Murder She Wrote Acting Icon Passes Away With Ron Masak, Who Played Sheriff Mort Metzger, At 86! RIP.
People reports.
Ron Masak, Angela Lansbury’s ‘Murder, She Wrote’ Costar, Dead at 86: He ‘Will Be Greatly Missed’
Ron Masak, who was also dubbed the “King of Commercials” for his voiceover work, played Sheriff Mort Metzger on Murder, She Wrote
Ron Masak, an actor best known for a recurring role opposite Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote, has died. He was 86.
Masak’s daughter revealed that her father died Thursday in a post shared on Facebook. “He has touched so many lives and will be greatly missed,” she wrote.
The Hollywood Reporter later confirmed through Masak’s granddaughter, Kaylie Defilippis, that he died of natural causes at a hospital in Thousand Oaks, California.
Per his daughter’s social media statement, Masak “was surrounded by his wife [Kay] and all six children” at the time of his death. Alongside his wife and children, Ron is now also survived by 10 grandchildren, Variety reported.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, on July 1, 1936, Masak starred in various television roles throughout the 1960s and 1970s, appearing in series such as The Twilight Zone, The Monkees, Get Smart, I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, among others.
His big break, however, came in 1985, when he landed the role of Sheriff Mort Metzger on Murder, She Wrote. Masak appeared in over 40 episodes of the series until its end in 1996.
Masak also starred in more than 20 films, including Ice Station Zebra, Evel Knievel, Listen to Me, The Benchwarmers and Angels on Tap. Per his IMDB page, Masak was set to appear in an upcoming project — Quigley 2, which is currently in pre-production.
The late star was also dubbed the “King of Commercials” in the 1980s and 1990s due to his voiceover work for Vlasic pickles, Rice-A-Roni and others, according to Deadline.
Masak’s death comes about shortly after that of his Murder, She Wrote costar Lansbury, who died at age 96 earlier this month.
“The children of Dame Angela Lansbury are sad to announce that their mother died peacefully in her sleep at home in Los Angeles at 1:30 a.m. today, Tuesday, October 11, 2022, just five days shy of her 97th birthday,” her family said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.
“In addition to her three children, Anthony, Deirdre and David, she is survived by three grandchildren, Peter, Katherine and Ian, plus five great grandchildren and her brother, producer Edgar Lansbury,” the statement continued. “She was proceeded in death by her husband of 53 years, Peter Shaw. A private family ceremony will be held at a date to be determined.”
Lansbury starred as dauntless mystery novelist Jessica Fletcher opposite Masak’s Sheriff Mort Metzger for 12 years on CBS’ Murder, She Wrote.
On behalf of the IP team, I offer our condolences to the family, friends and fellow fans of Ron Masak.
