Veteran Actor Jerry Adler Passes Away at 96

Jerry Adler, a seasoned actor celebrated for his roles in The Sopranos and The Good Wife, has died at the age of 96. His family confirmed that he passed away on Saturday.

Before gaining fame on screen, Adler had a significant career as a Broadway director and stage manager. His friend Frank J. Reilly shared the news on X, expressing sorrow over the loss.

Interestingly, Adler didn’t start acting until the mid-1960s, having spent many years working behind the scenes in Broadway productions. Over the last three decades of his life, he amassed an impressive portfolio of on-screen roles. One of his earliest TV appearances was as Rabya Lanshulman in the 1990s drama Northern Exposure. However, his most notable role was Herman “Hesh” Rabkin, the consigliere to Tony Soprano, on HBO’s The Sopranos. Adler’s character appeared throughout 51 episodes from the show’s debut in 1999 to its conclusion in 2007.

During that time, he also had a role in the firefighter drama Rescue Me, portraying the NYFD Station Chief Sidney Feinberg.

His film career was equally diverse, including appearances in Woody Allen’s Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993), the 2005 comedy-drama With This Ring, and the 2014 film A Most Violent Year, which starred Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain.

According to reports, Adler’s move from behind the scenes to the spotlight came as a surprise in 2017. “You do a TV show, and all of a sudden you’re a celebrity. Everyone knows your face. That’s so weird,” he commented about the shift.

Born on February 4, 1929, in Brooklyn, New York, Adler had been married to Joan Luxman since 1994. He was also related to the renowned acting coach Stella Adler, who trained major talents like Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro.