Jerry Adler, the veteran actor best known for his role as Herman “Hesh” Rabkin in HBO’s acclaimed mob drama The Sopranos, has died at the age of 96.
Adler, who passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, only turned to acting late in life after a celebrated career behind the scenes on Broadway. His family confirmed the news through representatives, according to the Associated Press and Fox News.
A Life in Theatre
Born in Brooklyn, Adler spent more than three decades in theatre as a stage manager, supervisor, and director before moving in front of the camera. Introduced to the business by his father, who also worked in theatre, he managed over 50 Broadway productions.
His credits include the original My Fair Lady in 1956 with a then-20-year-old Julie Andrews, Coco (1969) starring Katharine Hepburn, Annie (1977), and Camelot (1980) with Richard Burton.
A Late Start in Acting
Adler only began acting in his early 60s. He made his screen debut in The Public Eye (1992), later appearing in Woody Allen’s Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993) and Getting Away with Murder (1996).
It was his portrayal of “Hesh” Rabkin—Tony Soprano’s trusted advisor and his father’s old friend—that cemented his place in television history.
Television Success
Beyond The Sopranos, Adler had recurring roles on The Good Wife and its spin-off The Good Fight as law partner Howard Lyman, and on Rescue Me as fire chief Sidney Feinberg.
He also appeared in Northern Exposure, Mad About You, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and The West Wing.
Return to Broadway
Adler returned to Broadway as an actor with Taller Than a Dwarf (2000) and Larry David’s Fish in the Dark (2015), bringing his career full circle.
From the backstage of Broadway to the spotlight of television, Adler’s journey was one of late-blooming success and lasting impact on American theatre and screen.
