Entertainment
Jerry Adler, ‘Sopranos’ and ‘The Good Wife’ actor who spent decades backstage on Broadway, dies at 96
Jerry Adler, who spent decades behind the scenes of storied Broadway productions before pivoting to acting in his 60s, has died at 96.
Adler died Saturday, according to a brief family announcement confirmed by the Riverside Memorial Chapel in New York. Adler “passed peacefully in his sleep,” Paradigm Talent Agency’s Sarah Shulman said on behalf of his family. No immediate cause was given.
Among Adler’s acting credits are “The Sopranos,” on which he played Tony Soprano adviser Hesh Rabkin across all six seasons, and “The Good Wife,” where he played law partner Howard Lyman. But before Adler had ever stepped in front of a film or television camera, he had 53 Broadway productions to his name — all behind the scenes, serving as a stage manager, producer or director.
He hailed from an entertainment family with deep roots in Jewish and Yiddish theater, as he told the Jewish Ledger in 2014. His father, Philip Adler, was a general manager for the famed Group Theatre and Broadway productions, and his cousin Stella Adler was a legendary acting teacher.
“I’m a creature of nepotism,” Adler told TheaterMania in 2015. “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.”
After a long theater career, which included the original production of “My Fair Lady” and working with the likes of Marlene Dietrich, Julie Andrews and Richard Burton, among many others, Adler left Broadway during its 1980s slump. He moved to California, where he worked on television productions like the soap opera “Santa Barbara.”
“I was really getting into the twilight of a mediocre career,” he told The New York Times in 1992.
But the retirement he was contemplating was staved off when Donna Isaacson, the casting director for “The Public Eye” and a longtime friend of one of Adler’s daughters, had a hunch about how to cast a hard-to-fill role, as The New York Times reported then. Adler had been on the other side of auditions, and, curious to experience how actors felt, agreed to try out. Director Howard Franklin, who auditioned dozens of actors for the role of a newspaper columnist in the Joe Pesci-starring film, had “chills” when Adler read for the part, the newspaper reported.
So began an acting career that had him working consistently in front of the camera for more than 30 years. An early role on the David Chase-written “Northern Exposure” paved the way for his time on a future Chase project, “The Sopranos.”
“When David was going to do the pilot for ‘The Sopranos’ he called and asked me if I would do a cameo of Hesh. It was just supposed to be a one-shot,” he told Forward in 2015. “But when they picked up the show they liked the character, and I would come on every fourth week.”
Films included Woody Allen’s “Manhattan Murder Mystery,” but Adler was perhaps best known for his television work. Those credits included stints on “Rescue Me,” “Mad About You,” “Transparent” and guest spots on shows ranging from “The West Wing” to “Broad City.”
He even returned to Broadway, this time onstage, in Elaine May’s “Taller Than a Dwarf” in 2000. In 2015, he appeared in Larry David’s writing and acting stage debut, “Fish in the Dark.”
“I do it because I really enjoy it. I think retirement is a road to nowhere,” Adler told Forward, on the subject of the play. “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.”
Adler published a memoir, “Too Funny for Words: Backstage Tales from Broadway, Television and the Movies,” last year. “I’m ready to go at a moment’s notice,” he told CT Insider then, when asked if he’d take more acting roles. In recent years, he and his wife, Joan Laxman, relocated from Connecticut back to his hometown of New York. Survivors include his four daughters, Shulman said.
For Adler, who once thought he was “too goofy-looking” to act, seeing himself on screen was odd, at least initially. And in multiple interviews with various outlets, he expressed how strange it was to be recognized by the public after spending so many years working behind the scenes. There was at least one advantage to being preserved on film, though, as he told The New York Times back in 1992.
“I’m immortal,” he said.
It looks like the Prince and Princess of Wales’ children are about to have a very merry Christmas indeed.
After Princess Kate revealed that Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, were a little sad about missing the Royal Variety Performance, their festive prayers have been answered.
The young royals have reportedly been invited to watch the West End sensation Paddington: The Musical.
This stage show, a heartwarming spin-off of the beloved marmalade-loving bear, has already cemented its status as a British cultural institution.
Paddington famously shared a sandwich with the late Queen Elizabeth II during her Platinum Jubilee, and the character has since become a symbol of tribute to the monarch.
Speaking exclusively to HELLO! from the red carpet, producer Sonia Friedman said, “We can’t wait for Paddington to meet the children of the Prince and Princess of Wales—it’s going to be very special.”
Friedman, known for hits like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, added, “We’re very proud. It’s taken hundreds of people and many years to get to this point, and now we’re handing it over to the audience—it feels amazing.”
The royal couple have already had a sneak peek, enjoying a performance number from their private box during the Royal Variety Performance on November 19.
Producer Eliza Lumley described the moment as “iconic,” calling it a royal seal of approval for the production.
Even Tom Fletcher couldn’t hide his excitement: “I invited Their Royal Highnesses to see the show, so hopefully they’ll make it to the theatre.
Performing a tiny peek for them at the Royal Variety was surreal—they seemed to really enjoy it, and I hope the kids do too.”
Charlie Puth did not audition for Wicked.
The popstar is shutting down the recent buzz claiming he auditioned for the blockbuster films.
The singer took to X on Saturday, November 29, and cleared the speculation in a joke-filled reply after a fan account shared a list of artists who were rumoured to have read for roles in the two-part movie.
“I never auditioned for Wicked I would be so bad lol,” wrote Puth, 33.
The list included some huge names such as Jennifer Lopez, Shawn Mendes, Renee Rapp, Katy Perry, Harry Styles, Amanda Seyfried, Nick Jonas, Joe Jonas, Dove Cameron, Lea Michele and Jessie J.
While Puth was never in the running, several of those stars have previously confirmed that they did audition for the films.
Amanda Seyfried has been open about how badly she wanted the role of Glinda. She explained her audition experience in 2022, saying she was juggling filming The Dropout while preparing for the musical tryout.
“Last summer while I was playing Elizabeth [The Dropout], on the weekends I was auditioning in person to play Glinda in the movie version of Wicked — because I wanted it that much,” she told Backstage.
She shared that she sacrificed her Sundays just to go for it.
Even before Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were cast as Glinda and Elphaba, other big names were linked to the project.
Lady Gaga had been attached to the film as Elphaba during early development before director changes were made, according to OK! Magazine.
Actress Cristin Milioti also confirmed she tried for the role. She told her audition story on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, explaining how she was excited but nervous to sing in person again after COVID.
She recalled being asked to belt the hardest music and said, “I open my mouth and the sound that escaped me is something I will hear on my deathbed. It was disgusting. I sounded terrible.”
Despite many stars chasing those iconic roles, Charlie Puth wasn’t one of them—and he’s more than happy to set the record straight himself.
American comedian and actor Sebastian Maniscalco reacted after Marcello Hernandez did an impression of him on Saturday Night Live.
Hernandez’s parody of the 52-year-old didn’t only get his stamp of approval but also drew a flattering reaction.
“He did a great job. I was very flattered that they did that,” the Bookie actor said, revealing that the SNL star had even asked him to join the sketch for a cameo but he couldn’t make it due to prior commitments.
“He actually called me on Thursday before the show, said, ‘Do you want to come in and do a cameo at the end of it?’ I couldn’t do it because I was performing in Palm Springs,” he explained.
“But I thought this kid did a fantastic job,” the comic added, per a preview clip of his upcoming appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show on December 2.
Known for his physical comedy style and exaggerated speech, Maniscalco noted that he hasn’t made his debut at the NBC comedy special yet but the impersonation was “absolutely all in love.”
He even joked if Barrymore could help him out as a member of the Five-Timers Club, notably the actress has hosted six times.
“I’m here today to kind of petition — and maybe you could help me,” The Irishman actor said. “You’re taking all the spots!”
The viral SNL sketch was aired during the November 15 episode hosted by Glen Powell.
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