According to CNN, Jerry Adler (The Sopranos, The Good Wife) has passed away at the age of 96. A Broadway veteran who mostly worked behind the scenes, Adler transitioned to acting in his sixties. The family confirmed that his death occurred on Saturday via Riverside Memorial Chapel in New York.
CNN has reported that as an actor, Adler is known for his roles in The Sopranos as Hesh Rabkin and lawyer Howard Lyman on The Good Wife. Adler’s initial Broadway career consisted of numerous productions as stage manager, producer, and director.
Via CNN, his family was of Jewish descent and was deeply entrenched within the world of entertainment. His father worked as the general manager of the Group Theatre, and his cousin, Stella Adler (Suspense, My Girl Tisa), is one of the most prominent modern acting teachers.
According to CNN, Adler was thoroughly aware of his roots as he told Theatre Mania in 2015, “I’m a creature of nepotism.” He continued about his start in theater, “ I got my first job when I was at Syracuse University, and my father, the general manager of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, called me (because) there was an opening for an assistant stage manager. I skipped school.”
CNN has reported that Adler was considering retirement during the 1980s, and moved to California to work on a soap opera called Santa Barbara. “I was really getting into the twilight of a mediocre career,” he said to the New York Times in 1992. Casting director Donna Isaacson (Barton Fink, Date Night) had a different idea.
According to CNN, a friend of the family through Adler’s daughter, Isaacson was attempting to cast a tricky role when she thought of Adler, as reported by the New York Times in 1992. Mostly out of curiosity for the actor’s audition experience, Adler agreed to give it a try. His audition apparently gave Director Howard Franklin chills, according to the newspaper.
CNN has reported that Adler’s career had a second life in front of the camera. He would work as an actor for 30 years, landing a role in David Chase’s (The Sopranos, The Rockford Files) Northern Exposure, which would eventually lead to his role in The Sopranos.
Via CNN, Adler’s career included roles in Rescue Me, Mad About You, Transparent, and Woody Allen’s (Vicky Christina Barcelona, Midnight in Paris) Manhattan Murder Mystery. He would also guest star in shows such as The West Wing and Broad City.
According to CNN, Adler would eventually return to Broadway to act in Elaine May’s (Small Talks On The Universe, 3 x 3) Taller Than A Dwarf and Larry David’s (Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm) writing and stage debut Fish In The Dark. When speaking about the play and his career, he said. “I do it because I really enjoy it. I think retirement is a road to nowhere,”. He continued. “I wouldn’t know what to do if I were retired. I guess if nobody calls anymore, that’s when I’ll be retired. Meanwhile this is great.”
CNN has reported that Adler released a memoir about his time on Broadway and on the screen titled “Too Funny for Words: Backstage Tales from Broadway, Television and the Movies,” just last year, and told CT Scan about his job prospects. “I’m ready to go at a moment’s notice,”.
Via CNN, Adler initially believed that his appearance was “too funny looking” for a career as an actor, but spoke about the benefits of being in front of the camera to The New York Times in 1992. “I’m Immortal,” he stated.