A Life in Scenes Remembering Jerry Adler’s Theatrical and TV Legacy

Jerry Adler passed away at 96, leaving behind a legacy that spans Broadway direction and television stardom. After decades behind the curtain—including work with Arthur Miller and Orson Welles—he began acting in 1991. As Hesh in The Sopranos, Howard Lyman in The Good Wife, and station chief in Rescue Me, Adler elevated every scene. A fan recalled his ability to “own a line and steal a scene.” He once remarked that fame felt impossible after a lifetime in the shadows—an irony he embraced with humor. Adler’s legacy endures through his vibrant, late-starting career.