Jerry Adler, ‘Sopranos’ Actor and Broadway Veteran, Dies at 96
Jerry Adler, the beloved actor known for playing Hesh Rabkin on The Sopranos, has died at age 96. He passed peacefully in his sleep at his New York City home on August 23, 2025.
Born in Brooklyn in 1929, Adler began his career behind the scenes on Broadway, eventually working with legends like Marlene Dietrich, Julie Andrews, and Katharine Hepburn. He amassed over 50 Broadway credits before transitioning to screen acting in his 60s.
Adler got his start thanks to family connections in Jewish theater—his cousin was Stella Adler and his father managed the Group Theatre in the 1930s. Despite never acting before, he was encouraged by a casting director to audition for The Public Eye, launching a 30-year screen career.
After roles on Northern Exposure and Santa Barbara, Adler landed his breakout TV role on The Sopranos, originally intended as a one-off appearance. His portrayal of Hesh, a close advisor to Tony Soprano, became a fan favorite.
He also appeared in The Good Wife, Transparent, Rescue Me, The West Wing, and Broad City, and returned to Broadway later in life in productions like Fish in the Dark.
In 2024, he published a memoir, Too Funny for Words: Backstage Tales from Broadway, Television and the Movies, saying he had no plans to retire: “I’m ready to go at a moment’s notice.”
Adler is survived by his wife of 31 years, Joan Laxman, and his four daughters: Alisa, Amy, Laura, and Emily.