Jerry Adler, the veteran actor who captivated audiences as advisor Herman ‘Hesh’ Rabkin in HBO’s acclaimed crime drama The Sopranos, has died at the age of 96, per bbc.com. His representatives confirmed that he passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday.
While he found late-career fame on the small screen, Adler’s journey to acting was unconventional. For over three decades, he was a revered figure on Broadway, working behind the scenes as a stage manager, supervisor and director on more than 50 productions. His impressive credits include the original stagings of My Fair Lady with Julie Andrews, Coco starring Katharine Hepburn and the beloved musical Annie.
Adler’s transition to acting came in his early 60s, a surprising turn for a man preparing for retirement. A friend’s casting call for the 1992 film The Public Eye launched a new phase of his career. Subsequent film roles led to his memorable part in The Sopranos, where he portrayed a trusted advisor to Tony Soprano and a confidant of his father.
His success on The Sopranos paved the way for a series of recurring roles in other popular shows. He was known for his portrayals of the boorish law partner Howard Lyman in The Good Wife and its spin-off, The Good Fight, and as fire station chief Sidney Feinberg in Rescue Me. He also graced other iconic series, including Northern Exposure and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Jerry Adler’s career came full circle when he returned to Broadway as an actor in 2000 and 2015, a fitting final chapter for a man who dedicated his life to the stage and screen.
•Featured image: Jerry Adler/Getty Images
