1984 W201 hood stuck shut
 

How do I get the hood up when the latch doesn't work? The cable is not broken inside. I took it loose there and pulled it with some pliers. Its moving a couple of inches which would have been plenty to pop the latch normally. Yes, pulled the safety latch in the grill. Is there a way to remove the grill without the hood being raised? What can be removed to gain access to the latch behind the grill?

Thanks for the input.

Most likely the cable is partially seized.

I always use a LONG skinny screw driver from the passenger side to press & release the latch.