Orbach, Jerry

▪ 2005

Jerome Bernard Orbach 

      American actor and singer (b. Oct. 20, 1935, Bronx, N.Y.—d. Dec. 28, 2004, New York, N.Y.), made his mark in the theatre world as a Broadway song-and-dance man—originating such roles as El Gallo in the Off-Broadway The Fantasticks (1960), Paul Berthalet in Carnival (1961, his Broadway debut), Chuck Baxter in Promises, Promises (1968; Tony Award, 1969), Billy Flynn in Chicago (1975), and Julian Marsh in 42nd Street (1980)—but later became better known to the American television-viewing public as Detective Lennie Briscoe in 12 seasons of Law & Order and to movie audiences as the father in Dirty Dancing (1987). At the time of his death, Orbach was filming episodes of a new spin-off series, Law & Order: Trial by Jury.

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