Veteran actor Mark Blum tragically died from coronavirus complications, aged 69, according to a statement released by the Screen Actors Guild.
At least 20,599 people worldwide have died after contracting coronavirus, according to official figures, with more than 447,030 confirmed cases of the infection in 182 countries since the pandemic first broke out in China back in December
The star of both screen and stage had his breakthrough movie role in 1983 film Lovesick.
He was best known for his roles in Crocodile Dundee and Desperately Seeking Susan, Frasier, Roseanne, NYPD Blue and The Practice, but most recently featured in the Netflix drama You, Amazon’s Mozart in the Jungle and HBO series Succession.
His former co-star Madonna paid tribute to Mark, calling him a ‘remarkable human’. The pop icon shared photos of them together whilst filming the ’80s comedy Desperately Seeking Susan, before warning people that coronavirus is ‘no joke’.
But what roles was Mark Blum most famous for? Here’s a roundup of his most memorable on-screen moments.
Desperately Seeking Susan
In 1985 Mr Blum played home spa retailer Gary Glass in Desperately Seeking Susan – the husband of bored New Jersey housewife Roberta Glass, played by Rosanna Arquette.
When Roberta goes missing, Gary gets in contact with bohemian drifter Susan Thomas, played by Madonna, and smokes pot with her at his suburban home.
In a statement to The Wrap, Ms Arquette said: ‘I’m so sad for his family and all the people who love him. This is a tragedy on so many levels. Rest in peace and power Mark Blum.’
Madonna said: ‘This is really tragic and my heart goes out to him, his family and his loved ones.
‘I remember him as funny warm, loving and professional when we made Desperately Seeking Susan in 1985!!’
Crocodile Dundee
In the 1986 adventure comedy Crocodile Dundee, Mr Blum played newspaper editor Richard Mason to the film’s female lead Sue Charlton, played by Linda Kozlowski.
Sue Charlton is a New York journalist who interviews crocodile hunter Michael J. ‘Crocodile’ Dundee about surviving a crocodile attack, before she invites him to New York City. Richard is Mick’s love rival, but in the end Sue and Mick end up falling for each other.
The West Wing
The West Wing explored the lives of staffers inside the White House, and ushered in a new era in TV history. Mr Blum played Representative Katzenmoyer in the fourth episode Five Votes Down which aired in 1999.
When the presidential chief of staff Leo McGarry needs five more House votes to pass a bill restricting the sale of automatic firearms, Blum’s character was one of five Democrats who switched their votes to be against a gun control law.
You
Mr Blum memorably played Mr. Mooney, the bookstore owner and Joe Goldberg’s creepy father figure in the American psychological thriller You, which launched on Netflix in 2018 – and is set to launch a third series.
Succession
Most recently the veteran character actor featured in the hugely popular American HBO comedy drama series Succession. He played Bill in the Sad Sack Wasp Trap episode in 2018, and again in the DC episode in 2019.
MORE: Madonna pays heartfelt tribute to co-star Mark Blum after he dies from coronavirus
MORE: Crocodile Dundee actor Mark Blum dies of ‘coronavirus complications’ aged 69
Coronavirus latest news and updates
