As the entertainment world mourns, Jerry Adler, famed for depicting Herman 'Hesh' Rabkin on HBO's iconic series The Sopranos, has died at the age of 96. His family confirmed that he "passed peacefully in his sleep" on Saturday. Adler transitioned to acting in his early 60s after an esteemed career in Broadway, where he made his mark working with legends such as Julie Andrews and Angela Lansbury.
Born in Brooklyn, Adler initially steered his career behind the scenes as a stage manager and director across over 50 Broadway productions. Notably, he stage-managed original performances like the 1956 My Fair Lady and the 1969 Coco, featuring Katharine Hepburn. His impressive journey in theater saw him supervising the cherished Broadway musical Annie in 1977 and Camelot in 1980.
Venturing into television in the 1980s, Adler managed several notable productions, including the Tony Awards. However, it wasn't until a phone-call from a friend led him to act in the 1992 film The Public Eye that he embraced a new path. Subsequently, audience saw him in films such as 1993’s Manhattan Murder Mystery and 1996’s Getting Away with Murder.
Yet, it was his role in The Sopranos—where he played a trusted advisor to mob boss Tony Soprano, portrayed by James Gandolfini—that catapulted him to fame. Beyond The Sopranos, Adler showcased his talent in recurring roles on CBS's The Good Wife and its spin-off The Good Fight, as well as FX's Rescue Me.
With a rich television portfolio featuring appearances in classic series such as Northern Exposure and Mad About You, Adler also left a mark on shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm and The West Wing. In keeping with his roots, he returned to Broadway as an actor, performing in Taller than a Dwarf in 2000 and Fish in the Dark in 2015, thereby completing a full circle in his remarkable career.
Born in Brooklyn, Adler initially steered his career behind the scenes as a stage manager and director across over 50 Broadway productions. Notably, he stage-managed original performances like the 1956 My Fair Lady and the 1969 Coco, featuring Katharine Hepburn. His impressive journey in theater saw him supervising the cherished Broadway musical Annie in 1977 and Camelot in 1980.
Venturing into television in the 1980s, Adler managed several notable productions, including the Tony Awards. However, it wasn't until a phone-call from a friend led him to act in the 1992 film The Public Eye that he embraced a new path. Subsequently, audience saw him in films such as 1993’s Manhattan Murder Mystery and 1996’s Getting Away with Murder.
Yet, it was his role in The Sopranos—where he played a trusted advisor to mob boss Tony Soprano, portrayed by James Gandolfini—that catapulted him to fame. Beyond The Sopranos, Adler showcased his talent in recurring roles on CBS's The Good Wife and its spin-off The Good Fight, as well as FX's Rescue Me.
With a rich television portfolio featuring appearances in classic series such as Northern Exposure and Mad About You, Adler also left a mark on shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm and The West Wing. In keeping with his roots, he returned to Broadway as an actor, performing in Taller than a Dwarf in 2000 and Fish in the Dark in 2015, thereby completing a full circle in his remarkable career.
