Role

:

Performer

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

October 20, 1935 in Bronx, NY

Death

:

December 28, 2004 in New York City, NY

Genre

:

Film

 

 

Orchestral

 

Jerry Orbach was an American actor and singer, best known for his work in musical theater and his role as Detective Lennie Briscoe on the television series Law & Order. He was born on October 20, 1935, in the Bronx, New York, to a family of Jewish immigrants from Russia and Lithuania. Orbach began his career in show business as a teenager, performing in local theater productions and singing in nightclubs. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he studied drama and music, and later trained at the Actors Studio in New York City. Orbach made his Broadway debut in 1960 in the musical The Fantasticks, which became the longest-running musical in history. He went on to star in a number of other Broadway shows, including Carnival!, Promises, Promises, Chicago, and 42nd Street. He also appeared in several films, including Dirty Dancing, Crimes and Misdemeanors, and Beauty and the Beast, in which he provided the voice of Lumiere the candelabra. Orbach was known for his distinctive voice and his ability to convey emotion through song. He won a Tony Award in 1969 for his performance in Promises, Promises, and was nominated for two more Tonys for his work in Chicago and 42nd Street. He also received a Drama Desk Award for his performance in The Threepenny Opera. In addition to his work in musical theater, Orbach was a prolific television actor. He appeared in numerous TV shows and made-for-TV movies, including Murder, She Wrote, The Golden Girls, and Prince of the City. He is perhaps best known for his role as Detective Lennie Briscoe on Law & Order, which he played from 1992 until his death in 2004. Orbach was also a dedicated philanthropist, and was involved in a number of charitable organizations throughout his life. He was a longtime supporter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and helped to raise millions of dollars for the organization through his work on behalf of the annual Jerry Orbach Memorial Golf Classic. Orbach was married twice, first to Marta Curro from 1958 to 1975, and then to Elaine Cancilla from 1979 until his death. He had two sons, Chris and Tony, from his first marriage. Orbach was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1994, but continued to work throughout his treatment. He died on December 28, 2004, at the age of 69, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. Jerry Orbach was a beloved figure in the world of musical theater and television, known for his talent, his generosity, and his dedication to his craft. His legacy lives on through his many performances and his work on behalf of charitable causes.

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