Farewell: Jerry Orbach Has Died

Gothamist is utterly sad to report that Jerry Orbach, the versatile actor of stage, screen, and tube who epitomized the seen-it-all cynical NYPD detective on Law & Order for twelve years, is dead at age 69. Earlier this month, Orbach's manager had confirmed to the Daily News that Orbach had been suffering from prostate cancer but was recovering, but now it seems that he succumbed. Radio station 1010 WINS was first to report Orbach's death, and they have a nice obituary that runs down from his birth in the Bronx (born Jerome Orbach) to childhood and teen years in Illinois, from moving back to New York for an acting break to his successes. Updated: The AP's early obituary for Orbach has some great quotes, like how he didn't know "where I stop and Lennie starts, really. ... I know he's tougher than me and he carries a gun. And I'm not an alcoholic...I know I wouldn't want to be him. I guess THAT'S where I stop and he starts."

Jerry Orbach was Gothamist's favorite actor. We missed him even before he left Law & Order earlier this year, because there was something comforting about knowing that Detective Lennie Briscoe was on the case. Sure, Orbach may be considered "just an actor" by some, but he provided countless moments of pleasure to us. Here are some of our posts about Jerry:
- Visiting the Law & Order set
- Seeing Jerry Orbach film one of his last scenes and our thoughts on the episode (1, 2)
- At a Times Talk with Orbach, Law & Order creator Dick Wolf, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly
- Reaction to Orbach leaving L&O and Lennie Briscoe being on the fourth L&O spin-off
- Wondering which was the best L&O cast - for our money, Orbach must be in it
- Jerry liked Carnegie Deli and Judson Grill
- On Late Night with Conan O'Brien, who showed him the Law & Order Coloring Book
- Law & Order art (1, 2)
- And the impossible task of giving up Law & Order for Lent

Plus IMDB's filmography for Orbach and Brandon Bird has been selling his Lennie Briscoe t-shirts to donate proceeds to the American Cancer Society. And thanks to all our readesr who emailed us to share their condolences - Gothamist is proud to be one of Jerry's biggest fans.