Edwin Sherin facts for kids

Edwin Sherin (born January 15, 1930 – died May 4, 2017) was a talented American director and producer. He was best known for his work on the popular NBC drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He served as a director and executive producer for the show from 1991 to 2005.

Early Life and Education

Edwin Sherin was born in Danville, Pennsylvania. His mother, Ruth, was a homemaker, and his father, Joseph, worked with textiles. He spent his childhood in different places, including Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and Inwood, Manhattan. He had a sister named Edith Sherin Markson, who helped start the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

When he was 16, Sherin left DeWitt Clinton High School. He traveled to West Texas and worked on a cattle ranch. Later, he went back to school at the Fountain Valley School of Colorado. He graduated from there in 1948. In 1952, he earned a degree in international relations from Brown University. After college, Sherin joined the Navy and served during the Korean War.

Career in Theater and Film

Edwin Sherin began his career as an actor. He trained at Paul Mann's Actors Workshop and studied with John Houseman. He became a resident director at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.. There, he met actress Jane Alexander. He cast her and James Earl Jones in a play called The Great White Hope.

In 1968, Sherin directed The Great White Hope on Broadway. This play was a big step in his Broadway directing career. It also marked the beginning of a long professional and personal relationship with Jane Alexander. He directed her in several other plays, including First Monday in October and a revival of The Visit.

While at the Arena Stage, Sherin directed many different plays. These included famous works like Galileo, St. Joan, and Macbeth. His directing skills earned him awards. He won the 1969 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director for The Great White Hope. He was also nominated for a Tony Award in 1974.

Sherin also directed a revival of A Streetcar Named Desire in London in 1974. In 2009, he directed Jane Alexander again in a play called A Moon to Dance By.

Television Work

Edwin Sherin had a very successful career in television. He was an executive producer for 163 episodes of the NBC drama Law & Order from 1993 to 2000. He also directed episodes for all three Law & Order shows. His other television directing credits include popular series like Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, Doogie Howser, M.D., Homicide: Life on the Street, and Medium.

He also directed several television films. These included Lena: My 100 Children (1987) and The Father Clements Story (1987).

Movies

Sherin directed two movies for theaters. These were Valdez Is Coming, starring Burt Lancaster, and My Old Man's Place. Both films were released in 1971.

Personal Life

Edwin Sherin's first wife was actress Pamela Vevers. They had three sons together, but their marriage ended in divorce. In 1975, he married actress Jane Alexander.

He and Jane Alexander later became Canadian citizens. They had a home in Lockeport, Nova Scotia, since 1998.

Death

Edwin Sherin passed away on May 4, 2017, in Nova Scotia. He was 87 years old.