Camilla Jessen
The beloved actor passed away in his sleep.
From Broadway’s backstage to HBO stardom, Jerry Adler’s seven-decade career shaped American theater and television.
The actor passed away in his sleep, leaving behind a legacy of strong characters and cultural influence.
Died Peacefully
According to his representative, Adler passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in New York City on August 23, 2025.
Though he rose to fame later in life, Adler’s roots in performance stretched back to childhood.
Born in Brooklyn in 1929, he grew up in a family steeped in Jewish and Yiddish theater. His cousin was the famed acting coach Stella Adler, and his father, Phil Adler, managed New York’s influential Group Theatre in the 1930s.
“I’m a Creature of Nepotism”
Adler’s entry into the entertainment world began offstage.
“I’m a creature of nepotism,” he once joked, explaining how his first job came via his father, who called him while he was at Syracuse University to offer an assistant stage manager role on Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. He never returned to class.
Broadway Veteran
What followed was an extraordinary behind-the-scenes Broadway career that spanned more than 50 productions, including My Fair Lady and collaborations with Katharine Hepburn, Orson Welles, Julie Andrews, and Richard Burton.
But it wasn’t until his 60s that Adler stepped in front of the camera.
A Late-Life Shift to Acting
After leaving Broadway during a downturn in the 1980s, Adler moved to California and worked on TV dramas like Santa Barbara.
A suggestion from casting director and family friend Donna Isaacson led him to audition for The Public Eye, a Joe Pesci film directed by Howard Franklin.
Despite having no acting experience, Adler impressed so thoroughly that Franklin reportedly got “chills” from his performance.
The Sopranos
This unexpected success opened doors to roles on Northern Exposure, Law & Order, and eventually The Sopranos, where his character Hesh Rabkin—Tony Soprano’s confidant and his father’s old mob associate—became a recurring favorite.
Though originally intended as a one-off role in the pilot, Hesh became part of the core supporting cast.
“When they picked up the show, they liked the character, and I would come on every fourth week,” Adler recalled, as cited by Newsner.
From Mob Wisdom to Comedic Timing
Hesh Rabkin offered wisdom, cultural commentary, and unexpected humor to The Sopranos.
In one scene, set at a funeral, Adler delivered a line that fans still share today: When a rabbi asked the congregation to say something kind about the deceased, someone shouted, “His brother was worse.”
Adler brought that same comedic instinct to other roles in The Good Wife, Rescue Me, The West Wing, Transparent, and Broad City. He also appeared in Woody Allen’s Manhattan Murder Mystery and never lost his affection for the theater.
“Retirement Is a Road to Nowhere”
Despite his age, Adler remained professionally active well into his 90s.
In 2015, he appeared in Larry David’s Broadway play Fish in the Dark and returned to the stage as often as possible.
“I do it because I really enjoy it. I think retirement is a road to nowhere,” Adler said in a 2015 interview. “I wouldn’t know what to do if I were retired.”
Last year, Adler published his memoir Too Funny for Words: Backstage Tales from Broadway, Television and the Movies, filled with insights and stories from a life behind the curtain and under the spotlight.
Remembered by Family, Colleagues, and Fans
Adler is survived by his wife of 31 years, Joan Laxman, and his four daughters—Alisa, Amy, Laura, and Emily.
As news of his death spread, tributes poured in from across the entertainment world, honoring a man who quietly helped shape American stage and screen across generations.
