Jerry Adler, a Broadway veteran who transitioned to a successful late-life acting career with memorable roles on The Sopranos, The Good Wife, and Rescue Me, has died at age 96, his family announced.
From Backstage to Broadway Legends
Born in Brooklyn, Adler’s career began in the 1950s when his father, then GM of the Group Theater, brought him onto Gentlemen Prefer Blondes as an assistant stage manager. What followed was decades behind the curtain as stage manager, production manager, and supervisor on iconic productions, including:
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The 1956 original My Fair Lady with Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison
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The Apple Tree (1966, directed by Mike Nichols)
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The Homecoming (1967, by Harold Pinter)
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Annie (1977 original)
He worked with theater giants including Zero Mostel, Arthur Miller, Angela Lansbury, Orson Welles, Richard Rodgers, Richard Burton, and Katharine Hepburn.
Adler told a legendary story of Hepburn’s determination to silence construction noise during her 1969 Broadway run in Coco: she personally negotiated with construction workers across the street to pause work whenever she performed a delicate song — at every matinee.
A Late Start in Acting
Despite family ties to famed acting teacher Stella Adler, Jerry didn’t begin acting until his 60s. While working as a stage manager on Santa Barbara, he was cast in the 1992 Joe Pesci film The Public Eye. Surprised by the opportunity, Adler embraced it just as he was winding down his backstage career.
Television & Film Roles
Audiences came to know his face through television:
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Herman “Hesh” Rabkin on The Sopranos
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Howard Lyman, the brash law partner, on The Good Wife
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Station Chief Sidney Feinberg on Rescue Me
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Rabbi Schulman on Northern Exposure
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Mr. Wicker, the handyman on Mad About You
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Moshe Pfefferman on Transparent
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A Holocaust survivor on Broad City
On film, he appeared in Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993), In Her Shoes (2005), Synecdoche, New York (2008), and A Most Violent Year (2014).
Return to Broadway
After years of managing productions, Adler came full circle — this time in front of the curtain. He acted in Elaine May’s Taller Than a Dwarf (2000) and later in Larry David’s comedy Fish in the Dark (2015), where he played David’s bedridden father.
Personal Life and Legacy
Married to psychologist Joan Laxman since 1994, Adler is remembered not only for his versatility on screen and stage but also for his unique career trajectory. Reflecting in 2017, he said:
“You spend your whole career backstage. Nobody knows who you are. And then you do a television show and suddenly you’re a celebrity and everyone knows your face. It’s so weird.”
From keeping My Fair Lady running smoothly in 1956 to helping define The Sopranos nearly 50 years later, Adler’s life was a rare blend of Broadway craftsmanship and late-blooming stardom.
