Jerry Orbach facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jerry Orbach
Orbach in a 1965 publicity photo
Born	Jerome Bernard Orbach (1935-10-20)October 20, 1935 New York City, U.S.
Died	December 28, 2004(2004-12-28) (aged 69) New York City, U.S.
Resting place	Trinity Church Cemetery and Mausoleum, Manhattan
Occupation	Actor, singer
Years active	1955–2004
Spouse(s)	Marta Curro ​ ​ (m. 1958; div. 1975)​ Elaine Cancilla ​ ​ (m. 1979)​
Children	2, including Chris Orbach

Jerome Bernard Orbach (born October 20, 1935 – died December 28, 2004) was a famous American actor and singer. Many people called him one of the last true leading men of Broadway musicals. He was also a very talented actor in movies and on TV.

Orbach started his acting career in New York City. He performed in many plays both on and off-Broadway. He was the first actor to sing the popular song "Try to Remember" in the musical The Fantasticks. He also played important roles in famous musicals like Chicago and 42nd Street. He won a Tony Award for his role in Promises, Promises.

Later, Orbach appeared in many movies, including Dirty Dancing and Crimes and Misdemeanors. He also lent his voice to the charming character Lumière in Disney's animated movie Beauty and the Beast. He became very well-known around the world for playing Detective Lennie Briscoe on the TV show Law & Order. He was on the show from 1992 until 2004.

Early Life and Education

Jerry Orbach was born on October 20, 1935, in the Bronx, New York. He was the only child of Emily and Leon Orbach. His mother made greeting cards and sang on the radio. His father managed restaurants and performed in vaudeville shows. Jerry's father was from Hamburg, Germany. His mother was from Pennsylvania and was Roman Catholic. Jerry was raised in her faith.

His family moved many times when he was a child. They lived in places like Mount Vernon, New York, Wilkes-Barre, and Waukegan, Illinois. Jerry went to Waukegan High School and finished school early in 1952. He played on the football team. He also started learning about acting in a speech class.

After high school, Jerry worked at a theater in Wheeling, Illinois. He then went to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In 1953, he moved back to the Chicago area and studied at Northwestern University. In 1955, Jerry moved to New York City to become a full-time actor. He studied at the Actors Studio with a famous teacher named Lee Strasberg.

Jerry Orbach's Acting Career

Orbach as Billy Flynn in the original 1975 Broadway production of Chicago, with M. O'Haughey as Mary Sunshine.

Jerry Orbach became a very successful actor on Broadway and off-Broadway. His first big role was El Gallo in The Fantasticks in 1960. This show ran for many years. He was the first person to sing the famous song "Try To Remember" from that show. He also starred in The Threepenny Opera and Carnival!.

He was nominated for a Tony Award for his role as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls. He won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for Promises, Promises. He also played Billy Flynn in the first production of Chicago, which earned him another Tony nomination. Later, he starred in 42nd Street.

In the 1980s, Jerry started working more in movies and on TV. He played a tough detective named Gus Levy in the movie Prince of the City. He also played gangsters in F/X and Crimes and Misdemeanors. In 1985, he often appeared on the show Murder, She Wrote as a private detective named Harry McGraw. This led to his own short TV show called The Law & Harry McGraw. In 1987, he was in the popular movie Dirty Dancing. He played Dr. Jake Houseman, the father of the main character, Baby. He also appeared on TV shows like The Golden Girls.

In 1991, Jerry Orbach was the voice of Lumière, the charming candelabra, in Disney's animated movie Beauty and the Beast. He did both the speaking and singing parts. He even performed the song "Be Our Guest" live at the 64th Academy Awards. He later voiced Lumière again in other Beauty and the Beast movies and TV shows.

In 1992, Orbach joined the TV show Law & Order. He played the wise and funny NYPD homicide detective Lennie Briscoe. He had been a guest star on the show before as a lawyer. The show's creator, Dick Wolf, thought Jerry would be perfect for the detective role. Jerry Orbach played Lennie Briscoe for over 11 seasons. He became one of the most popular characters on the show. During his time on Law & Order, the show won an Emmy Award in 1997. Jerry himself was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2000. TV Guide even named Lennie Briscoe one of the top 25 greatest TV detectives ever.

While on Law & Order, Jerry also voiced the bad guy Sa'luk in the movie Aladdin and the King of Thieves. He also acted with Al Pacino in the movie Chinese Coffee.

Personal Life and Legacy

Jerry Orbach married Marta Curro in 1958. They had two sons, Anthony Nicholas and Christopher Benjamin. Their marriage ended in 1975. His older son, Tony, builds things and creates crossword puzzles for The New York Times. His younger son, Chris Orbach, is also an actor and singer. Chris even played Lennie Briscoe's nephew on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

In 1979, Jerry Orbach married Elaine Cancilla, a Broadway dancer. They met while working together in the musical Chicago.

Jerry Orbach lived in Hell's Kitchen in New York City. He was well-known in his neighborhood. In 2007, a part of 53rd Street in New York City was renamed "Jerry Orbach Way" in his honor. This showed how much people loved him and how much he loved New York.

Illness and Passing

In 1994, Jerry Orbach was diagnosed with a serious illness. He received treatment for many years while still acting on Law & Order. After leaving the show in 2004, he continued his treatment. Sadly, he passed away on December 28, 2004, at the age of 69. His illness was not known to the public until shortly before he died.

The day after he passed, the lights on Broadway were dimmed to honor him. This is a very special tribute in the theater world. The TV show Law & Order also re-aired his last episode to remember him. Other Law & Order shows dedicated episodes to him.

Jerry Orbach had perfect eyesight his whole life. He wanted to donate his eyes after he passed away. His wish came true, and two people received his corneas, helping them to see better. He was buried at Trinity Church Cemetery in Manhattan.

Honors and Awards

Jerry Orbach Way in New York City

Besides his Tony Award, Jerry Orbach was also added to the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2002, he was called a "Living Landmark" by the New York Landmarks Conservancy. He joked that it meant "they can't tear me down."

In 2005, after he passed away, he received a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series for his long-time role on Law & Order. His wife, Elaine, accepted the award for him.

In 2007, a theater in New York City was named the Jerry Orbach Theatre in his honor.

Film Roles

Television Roles

Images for kids

• 

  Orbach in a 1965 publicity photo

• 

  Orbach as Billy Flynn in the original 1975 Broadway production of Chicago

• 

  Jerry Orbach Way in New York City

See also

In Spanish: Jerry Orbach para niños