Jerry Adler’s Early Life and New York Roots
Jerry Adler, the beloved veteran actor best known for his role in The Sopranos, passed away on Saturday, his family said. He was 96.
Born in Brooklyn, he died in Manhattan, surrounded by family. The death notice noted, “Jerry was a resident of New York, New York,” a simple truth that underscored his lifelong attachment to the city.
Adler’s most memorable role was as “Herman ‘Hesh’ Rabkin,” the wise Jewish adviser to Tony’s uncle, a character who showed up in 28 installments of The Sopranos across its entire run.
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He enjoyed a late but rich peak on award-winning series The Good Wife and the firefighting dramedy Rescue Me.
Though he was a cousin of the legendary acting coach Stella Adler, Jerry Adler started on the New York stage, even serving as stage manager for the original My Fair Lady.
Michigan, Kaufman’s cerebral film, and Woody Allen’s Manhattan Murder Mystery were among the notable features in which he later played vital supporting roles.
Fellow actors and series creators remembered Jerry Adler for his uncanny skill in turning single lines into memorable moments. Executive producer Robert King noted that the intention was to give his Good Wife role only one episode, yet the character quickly demanded a bigger share of the spotlight.
“But he was so damn funny in the diner scene, screaming ‘I said ice cream, you stupid b*tch!’—we brought him back for six years of The Good Wife and three of The Good Fight. Couldn’t ask for a better collaborator,” King wrapped.
Adler never shied from dropping the wisdom you come to expect from someone whose resume is basically a masterclass in running a punch line.
“You know what’s funny,” he told a 2017 interviewer, the soundbite now classic in any clubhouse, “you spend your whole life backstage. Nobody learns your name, your story is kept for the punch lines.
“And then you shoot a season of a network show and suddenly everyone’s stopping you for selfies. Really screws with what you thought was a quiet exit after the last curtain.”
Mirroring the weirdness, the peak of the A-list was “Hesh” in The Sopranos, a role so perfectly him he had lines quoting BMW and bowling balls you half-suspected he might’ve improvised during a lunch break. “A hit is a hit,” he deadpanned in Season One. The line signals you’re in on the joke before the scene ever edits to black.
