December 29, 200421 yr Top Stories - AP 'Law & Order' Star Jerry Orbach Dies 12 minutes ago Top Stories - AP By FRAZIER MOORE, AP Television Writer NEW YORK - Actor Jerry Orbach, who played a sardonic, seen-it-all cop on TV's "Law & Order" and scored on Broadway as a song-and-dance man, has died of prostate cancer at 69, a representative of the show said Wednesday. AP Photo Reuters Slideshow: Actor Jerry Orbach Dies at 69 Orbach died Tuesday night in Manhattan after several weeks of treatment, Audrey Davis of the public relations agency Lippin Group said. When his illness was diagnosed, he had begun production on NBC's upcoming spinoff "Law & Order: Trial By Jury," after 12 seasons playing Detective Lennie Briscoe in the original series. His return to the new show had been expected early next year. On Broadway, the Bronx-born Orbach starred in hit musicals including "Carnival," "Promises, Promises" (for which he won a Tony Award), "Chicago" and "42nd Street." Earlier, he was in the original cast of the off-off-Broadway hit "The Fantasticks," playing the narrator. The show went on to run for more than 40 years. Among his film appearances were roles in "Dirty Dancing," "Prince of the City" and "Crimes and Misdemeanors." Orbach is expected to appear in early episodes of "Law & Order: Trial by Jury," for which he continued as Briscoe in a secondary role, when the series premieres later this season, Davis said. "I'm immensely saddened by the passing of not only a friend and colleague, but a legendary figure of 20th Century show business," said Dick Wolf, creator and executive producer of the "Law & Order" series, in a statement. "He was one of the most honored performers of his generation. His loss is irreplaceable." In a 2000 Associated Press interview, Orbach said the role in the acclaimed "Law & Order" brought him "wonderful security" rare in the life of an actor. "All my life, since I was 16, I've been wondering where that next job was gonna come from," he explained. "Now I take the summer off, relax, and I know that at the end of July we're gonna start another season." He said he didn't know "where I stop and Lennie starts, really. ... I know he's tougher than me and he carries a gun. And I'm not an alcoholic." "I know I wouldn't want to be him," Orbach sums up. "I guess THAT'S where I stop and he starts." In 1987-88, he starred in the series "The Law and Harry McGraw," a spinoff featuring a character he created in "Murder, She Wrote." In 1990, a shot on "The Golden Girls" brought him an Emmy nomination as best guest actor in a comedy series. "There's a pace in TV I like," he said in a 1993 interview. "I like to work fast. I don't like to dwell all day over one scene as you do in a big feature. Big feature films are another world."
December 29, 200421 yr This is so depressing.... He was easily on of my favorite actors. Rest in peace, Jerry. You will be missed.
December 29, 200421 yr Rest in peace Jerry!!! He was my favorite on all the L & O....man that sucks major.
December 29, 200421 yr What a shame. Jerry Orbach was excellent. Just the other night, I caught the tail end of an episode that Det. Briscoe was apparently retiring. Referring to his last case, Briscoe said something to the effect of "It feels good to go out with a win." Jerry Orbach went out as a winner.
December 29, 200421 yr Damn sad...RIP Even though he put Baby in a corner...He will be missed. I loved him...A great actor!!
December 29, 200421 yr Even though he put Baby in a corner...He will be missed. I just thought of that movie wit him. He was also great as the baseball manager in Brewster's Millions.
December 29, 200421 yr "All my life, since I was 16, I've been wondering where that next job was gonna come from," he explained. "Now I take the summer off, relax, and I know that at the end of July we're gonna start another season." Seems like he's gonna be taking more than the summer off from work. /obligatory Briscoe-esque 1 liner
December 29, 200421 yr Seems like he's gonna be taking more than the summer off from work. /obligatory Briscoe-esque 1 liner Perfect Lenny one liner.
December 29, 200421 yr I'm waiting to find out this is just some stupid hacker and it's not really real...
December 29, 200421 yr Seems like he's gonna be taking more than the summer off from work. /obligatory Briscoe-esque 1 liner Pure Lenny
December 29, 200421 yr I'm waiting to find out this is just some stupid hacker and it's not really real... Like Rick Moranis?
December 29, 200421 yr This seemed appropiate... Try to remember when life was so tender that no one wept except the willow. Try to remember when life was so tender that dreams were kept beside your pillow. Try to remember when life was so tender that love was an ember about to billow. Try to remember and if you remember then follow. Deep in December it's nice to remember although you know the snow will follow. Deep in December it's nice to remember without the hurt the heart is hollow. Deep in December it's nice to remember the fire of September that made us mellow. Deep in December our hearts should remember and follow. - El Gallo from "The Fantastiks" (Jerry originated the role) Lights on Broadway will be dimmed tonight.
December 30, 200421 yr Word from NBC is that the 4th Law and Order series, Trial by Jury, will go on without Orbach. http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/12/30/t...reut/index.html
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