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Remembering Jerry Orbach
By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 30, 2004
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 30, 2004
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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It's unfortunate that we have to read all these wonderful stories about Jerry Orbach in the many obituaries today, but Gothamist is heartened by the fact that many people, from fans to critics, as well as his peers, found him to be a great actor and a wonderful person. Gothamist thinks that was part of why we love Jerry so much, whether he was Detective Lennie Briscoe or Lumiere or Harry McGraw: He was wise and approachable. A few of the quotes we like:
- From the NY Times obituary, which has links to Al Hirschfeld drawings of Orbach from his Broadway days: Whether singing "Try to Remember" as the dashing narrator of "The Fantasticks" in 1960 or trading barbs with fellow detectives and reluctant witnesses on television in recent years, Mr. Orbach exuded a wry, ragged masculinity that was all his own.
- From a Newsday article, "Orbach, a True New Yorker": "There's a feeling that I am a typical New Yorker -- and everyone else seems to agree," he told a Scottish paper in 2002. "I'm the guy on the street who everybody waves to."
- On being named a Living Landmark by the City of New York (from the Daily News obituary): "This means," he joked, "that they can't tear me down."
- - From Jeffrey Wells' Hollywood Elsewhere, where Wells says he must rent Crimes & Misdemeanors to see Orbach play a criminal: "I love it when [Orbach] says to [Martin] Landau in that Crimes scene in the Jonah's guest house, 'I can't afford to be....aloof.'"
And a little story from Gothamist: When we visited the Law & Order set earlier this year, we were absolutely giddy when we saw Jerry glide onto set with Jesse L. Martin and S. Epatha Merkerson. As they were getting settled, they were all singing and seemed to be in high spirits, and we could tell the cast and crew loved working together. So, in our hearts, Jerry is singing, flashing those gleaming white teeth, while wearing a trench coat and wondering what the next case will bring.
Our post from yesterday, where readers joined in to share their Jerry memories. And the "Lennie Grabs A Dog" painting is by Brandon Hunt, part of the Law & Order: Artistic Intent art show put together by Brandon Bird.
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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