R.I.P. Jerry Adler: ‘The Sopranos’ Actor Dead at 96

Jerry Adler, the veteran actor best known for playing Herman “Hesh” Rabkin on The Sopranos, has died at 96, his family confirmed.

Born in Brooklyn, Adler passed away Saturday in New York City surrounded by loved ones. His family’s statement proudly noted, “Jerry was a resident of New York, New York.”

Adler brought warmth and bite to The Sopranos as Tony Soprano’s Jewish consigliere, appearing in 28 episodes across all six seasons. But that was just one chapter in a wide-ranging career. He also had memorable runs on The Good Wife and Rescue Me, as well as roles in films like Woody Allen’s Manhattan Murder Mystery and Charlie Kaufman’s Synecdoche, New York.

A cousin of legendary acting teacher Stella Adler, Jerry got his start behind the curtain. He worked as stage manager on the original Broadway production of My Fair Lady before making his way onstage and onscreen.

He quickly became known for his knack for stealing scenes. The Good Wife co-creator Robert King recalled on X that Adler was originally hired for just one episode: “But he was so funny in a diner scene, yelling ‘I said ice cream, you stupid b*tch’ we had him back for six years of Good Wife and three years of Good Fight. One of our favorite collaborators.”

Adler himself reflected on his unusual late-in-life fame in a 2017 interview. “You spend your whole career backstage. Nobody knows who you are or even knows your name. They don’t know anything about you,” he said. “And then you do a television show and suddenly you’re a celebrity and everyone knows your face. It’s so weird.”

On The Sopranos, Adler delivered some of the show’s most memorable lines — including the iconic Season 1 moment, “A hit is a hit.”