Mark Blum, actor from Broadway, film and TV, dies from complications from coronavirus
Stage, movie and TV character actor Mark Blum, who had roles in the films Desperately Seeking Susan and Crocodile Dundee, has died from complications from the coronavirus. He was 69.
An executive with the labour union SAG-AFTRA and the off-Broadway theatre company Playwrights Horizons announced the death Thursday.
Blum's recent Broadway credits included The Assembled Parties, Twelve Angry Men, Gore Vidal's The Best Man — twice — and Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers.
Blum played Rosanna Arquette's husband in the 1985 comedy Desperately Seeking Susan and had a role in Crocodile Dundee as a newspaper editor. He was on the Amazon series Mozart in the Jungle and was in the Netflix crime drama You.
Madonna, who starred alongside Blum in Desperately Seeking Susan, called him "a remarkable human" who she remembered as "funny, warm, loving and professional," in an Instagram post.
She added that his death is "another reminder that this virus is no joke."
Colleagues, friends and family also paid tribute and shared memories of Blum on social media.
I am so devastated by Mark Blum’s passing. His performances in the dozens of plays I saw him in were unfailingly deep, subtle, hilarious and moving in equal measure. Seeing his name in the Playbill always meant you were in for a treat. Also just one of the loveliest humans ever. <a href="https://t.co/vC5rlpRJtq">pic.twitter.com/vC5rlpRJtq</a>
—@CynthiaNixonOne of our family of Mozart in the Jungle passed this morning from the corona virus. Mark Blum was a truly wonderful actor, but more importantly, was a funny sensitive, and beautiful man. RIP. - Malcolm <a href="https://t.co/fapOBe6WYp">pic.twitter.com/fapOBe6WYp</a>
—@McDowellMalcMark Blum, so generous, so kind, so humble,so talented. Our time together in the play The Assembled Parties at MTC was a true joy <br>May he rest in peace knowing that he transformed the lives of so many and was cherished by so many; me among them
—@JudithLightMy uncle, Mark Blum, has been known on stage by many names to many people over the years. But to me, he was just Uncle Mark. As you can imagine, my family is devastated. Reading tweets and seeing how many people loved & respected him is more special than you will ever know. <a href="https://t.co/PaB5X401Vq">pic.twitter.com/PaB5X401Vq</a>
—@awkward_ishThe coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, which can include fever and cough. Most people recover. The risk of death is greater for older adults and people with other health problems.
