Full Version: Jerry Orbach dies
I just heard on the news that the actor Jerry Orbach, who played Lieutenant Lenny Briscoe on the original Law & Order series, died of prostate cancer.
He was one of my favorite characters, very blase', very New York (He came from the Bronx, I believe). He always got the good wisecracks in the opening scenes.
I will miss him.
Will anyone else miss the characters he played?
He was one of my favorite characters, very blase', very New York (He came from the Bronx, I believe). He always got the good wisecracks in the opening scenes.
I will miss him.
Will anyone else miss the characters he played?
Don't forget the immortalizing role as Baby's father in Dirty Dancing.
He only stopped doing that Law and Order role this past season I believe.
He only stopped doing that Law and Order role this past season I believe.
Yes, I do remember him in Dirty Dancing. I also remember seeing him play a private detective (Harry?) on Murder She Wrote.
He was in The Fantasticks (sp?), a long-running Broadway show.
Orbach was 69 years old. He had been filming another Law & Order spin-off when the cancer was discovered. All I can figure is it must have been quite advanced when they found it, because prostate cancer isn't usually deadly these days.
He was in The Fantasticks (sp?), a long-running Broadway show.
Orbach was 69 years old. He had been filming another Law & Order spin-off when the cancer was discovered. All I can figure is it must have been quite advanced when they found it, because prostate cancer isn't usually deadly these days.
Yes, I'll miss Jerry.
He had part in one the two hour Perry Mason specials and in one episode of In the Heat the Night with (my favorite) Carroll O'Connor. I heard on NPR interview replay today that he played in the Broadway show Mack the Knife. Now he joins Bobby, Ella and Louis who made the song by that name famous. Jerry also mused that while he couldn't compete with the likes of Tab Hunter in his early days he had lasted longer. The NPR interview was from 1989.
He had part in one the two hour Perry Mason specials and in one episode of In the Heat the Night with (my favorite) Carroll O'Connor. I heard on NPR interview replay today that he played in the Broadway show Mack the Knife. Now he joins Bobby, Ella and Louis who made the song by that name famous. Jerry also mused that while he couldn't compete with the likes of Tab Hunter in his early days he had lasted longer. The NPR interview was from 1989.
Oh no! I love Jerry Orbach! He has been in a zillion movies in character roles; usually playing the tough guy, or the bad guy, or the tough, bad guy. I was saddened when he left L&O. He was also an accomplished Broadway actor. A bright light in the entertainment field has been extinguished. 
RIP Jerry.
On the heels of losing Jerry Orbach, Artie Shaw of “Stardust” fame died Thursday at age 94. Shaw was one of the last giants of the big band era.
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/obituaries/10537969.htm?1c
Fort Worth Star Telegram link may require registration.
This leaves Ray Anthony (82) and Maynard Ferguson (76), who blew the top out of the trumpet in Stan Kenton’s band and later formed his own group, surviving.
http://www.parabrisas.com/d_anthonyr.html
Fortunately the recordings of Shaw, Count Basie, Woody Herman, Jimmy Lunceford, Benny Goodman, Chick Webb, Lucky Millinder, Duke Ellington, others are preserved. Many of their works have been remastered and transferred to CD. I only wish modern recording equipment had been around in the 30s and 40s to capture the power of 16 piece jazz orchestras.
In my opinion the era Artie Shaw represented was the best in American pop music culture.
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/obituaries/10537969.htm?1c
Fort Worth Star Telegram link may require registration.
This leaves Ray Anthony (82) and Maynard Ferguson (76), who blew the top out of the trumpet in Stan Kenton’s band and later formed his own group, surviving.
http://www.parabrisas.com/d_anthonyr.html
Fortunately the recordings of Shaw, Count Basie, Woody Herman, Jimmy Lunceford, Benny Goodman, Chick Webb, Lucky Millinder, Duke Ellington, others are preserved. Many of their works have been remastered and transferred to CD. I only wish modern recording equipment had been around in the 30s and 40s to capture the power of 16 piece jazz orchestras.
In my opinion the era Artie Shaw represented was the best in American pop music culture.
Friends, co-stars mourn Jerry Orbach
I think this link expresses pretty well the type of person Jerry was. I was glad to see that Chris Noth (another favorite actor of mine who was on Law & Order) was there along with several of Orbach's other colleagues.
Ed Sherin, executive producer of "Law & Order," called Orbach "my best friend - and I imagine there are a lot of people here who would say the same."
He described Orbach as a man who would "break into song" at any moment, while also enjoying a reputation as "a deadly poker player" and avid golfing partner.
<snip>
The actor was equally gracious on the set of "Law & Order," the director said, pouring juice for nervous, dry-mouthed colleagues or whispering lines to them if they forgot them.
I think this link expresses pretty well the type of person Jerry was. I was glad to see that Chris Noth (another favorite actor of mine who was on Law & Order) was there along with several of Orbach's other colleagues.
QUOTE
Ed Sherin, executive producer of "Law & Order," called Orbach "my best friend - and I imagine there are a lot of people here who would say the same."
He described Orbach as a man who would "break into song" at any moment, while also enjoying a reputation as "a deadly poker player" and avid golfing partner.
<snip>
The actor was equally gracious on the set of "Law & Order," the director said, pouring juice for nervous, dry-mouthed colleagues or whispering lines to them if they forgot them.
Sure thing! The Lenny character made the show, I thought. It must have been fun thinking up new wisecracks, and Orbach delivered them so smoothly. My favorite is when the med examiner remarked that the victim had AB blood. "I got dibs on his liver!" Lenny smirked. NPR used that one in the newscast.
Lenny was the kind of guy you'd not mind being in deep kimshee with, making light of a bad situation. It's often hard not to associate a character with the actor, but this time I don't mind at all. Jerry Orbach was a good one, sorry he's gone.
Lenny was the kind of guy you'd not mind being in deep kimshee with, making light of a bad situation. It's often hard not to associate a character with the actor, but this time I don't mind at all. Jerry Orbach was a good one, sorry he's gone.
Saw on the news that he had been battling the cancer for a long time, but kept the problem pretty much to himself, only his closest colleagues knew.
Jerry's appearances were numerous. Here's at least a partial list. I had forgotten about Murder She Wrote
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/Perso...sonid-1371#cast
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/Perso...sonid-1371#cast
He was one of the main reasons I watched the show. Lenny Briscoe's attitude, humor, but most of all his humanity made the show better. You learned so much about his character's demeanor and history, but only if you watched the show for years, since he only let out pieces here and there. He was hilarious, but at the same time, you could see the map of the world on his face, which gave him sort of a "favorite uncle" persona.
I could go on, but I'll just say that his passing wil change Law & Order forever.
I could go on, but I'll just say that his passing wil change Law & Order forever.
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