Jerry Orbach Passes Away

[Chief Rum]

I know there are a lot of past and present Law & Order fans here today.

It was reported on local radio (on my way into work) that Jerry Orbach, who played Lenny Brisco, passed away today (or late last night) from prostate cancer.

I haven't searched for a link yet, but I am guessing it's out there somewhere already.

I have never been as big of a fan of L&W as its sibling SVU, but I did enjoy the show, and I thought Orbach was consistently great on it. He had that character down to a tee. I never heard why he left the show last year, so I guess now I know (to fight the cancer, I assume).

In any case, RIP Lenny Briscoe.

CR

[QuikSand]

Orbach played a great supporting role in Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors, as Martin Landau's seedier brother.

He'll be missed.

[Cuckoo]

Oh no. :( A lot of tough losses lately, it seems.

[Anthony]

i never liked him ever since he tried to stop Patrick Swayze from seeing his daughter Jennifer Gray in Dirty Dancing.

[Swaggs]

I have seeen, seemingly, thousands of hours of Law and Order and will miss Jerry Orbach. Many of the parents and Disney fans out there may not realize this, but Orbach was the voice of Lumiere in Beauty in the Beast, so everytime you hear "Be Our Guest," you can remember him. :)

Chief, he had left to play a smaller role (still Lenny Briscoe) on (yet) another L&O spinoff.

[samifan24]

I am a big L&O fan and avid autograph collector. I just got his autograph, personalized, through the mail several weeks ago. It means so much more to me to have a memento of him now that he's gone. He was one of my favorite actors and the man who made L&O, IMHO. RIP, Jerry Orbach.

[Celeval]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/12/29/obit.orbach.ap/index.html


When his illness was diagnosed, he had begun production on NBC's upcoming spinoff "Law & Order: Trial By Jury," after 12 seasons playing Detective Lennie Briscoe in the original series. His return to the new show had been expected early next year.
RIP

[JonInMiddleGA]

:(

[Alan T]

That is sad news.. I also love Law and Order, and have to have seen way more than I should have. TNT is my favorite station these days because I get to watch several shows of it a day (2 in the afternoon if home, and at least 1 and some nights 3 or 4 episodes in the evening).

I loved how some of the older shows had Orbach play as a defense attorney before he got on the show as a permanent actor.

[Cuckoo]

That is sad news.. I also love Law and Order, and have to have seen way more than I should have. TNT is my favorite station these days because I get to watch several shows of it a day (2 in the afternoon if home, and at least 1 and some nights 3 or 4 episodes in the evening).

I loved how some of the older shows had Orbach play as a defense attorney before he got on the show as a permanent actor.

Yeah, S. Epatha Merkerson (sp?) played at least one other character on an episode before she got her permanent role. And if you've seen as many episodes as I have, you know that they reuse a lot of the supporting actors in other roles. There was a girl on an episode earlier this season who has been on at least three other episodes as different characters over the years.

[jbmagic]

wow a sad day..

he was really good on law and order.

what going to happen to the L&O spinoff he was going to be on?

[JonInMiddleGA]

The Briscoe character was not the centerpiece of the new "Trial By Jury" spin-off, so it isn't a deal-breaker for the show AFAIK. They had already begun production according to a couple of stories I've read today & Orbach is expected to appear in several early episodes.

[sabotai]

Orbach was the voice of Lumiere in Beauty in the Beast

That's just weird....

[oliegirl]

i never liked him ever since he tried to stop Patrick Swayze from seeing his daughter Jennifer Gray in Dirty Dancing.

But in the end he realized his mistake and Johnny and Baby are now living in the Poconoes living happily ever after...

[Hurst2112]

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/12/29/obit.orbach.ap/vert.orbach.ap.jpg

Look how white those teeth were! He WILL be missed.

[Suicane75]

Bastard made some kick ass popcorn, im gonna miss him.

[Bubba Wheels]

NBC flashed his portrait at the end of tonight's Law and Order, a rerun he was in. Hard to believe he went that fast.

[TLK]

just too sad....