Jerry Adler, beloved Jewish ‘Sopranos’ actor and Broadway veteran, dies at 96

His breakout television role came when he was cast as “Hesh,” the Jewish consigliere and close confidant to Tony Soprano, on the legendary HBO show “The Sopranos.”

By Jewish Breaking News

Jerry Adler, the acclaimed actor best known for his role as Herman “Hesh” Rabkin on The Sopranos, has died at the age of ninety-six. His family confirmed that Adler passed away Saturday in New York City, surrounded by loved ones.

Born in Brooklyn in February of 1929, Adler came from a family steeped in theater. His father, Philip Adler, managed Broadway and touring productions for decades, while his great-uncle Jacob Pavlovich Adler was a towering figure in Yiddish theater.

Adler’s cousins included legendary acting teacher Stella Adler and actor Luther Adler. Raised in an observant, Yiddish-speaking household, he would carry his cultural roots into a career that spanned stage and screen.

Adler began behind the scenes on Broadway, serving as stage manager for the original production of My Fair Lady.

He eventually found his way in front of the curtain, carving out a reputation as a late-blooming character actor who could command a scene with subtlety and wit.

His breakout television role came when he was cast as “Hesh,” the Jewish consigliere and close confidant to Tony Soprano, on HBO’s The Sopranos.

Adler appeared in dozens of episodes across all six seasons, delivering one of the show’s most memorable lines: “A hit is a hit.”

Though best remembered for The Sopranos, Adler’s versatility extended far beyond. He portrayed Fire Chief Sidney Feinberg in Rescue Me, Moshe Pfefferman in Transparent, Saul Horowitz in Broad City, and Hillston in Living with Yourself alongside Paul Rudd.

On The Good Wife, his one-off guest appearance was so compelling that showrunner Robert King later admitted, “The intent was only to have him on one episode.”

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Adler reflected on his late-blooming fame with humility:

“You spend your whole career backstage. Nobody knows who you are or even knows your name. And then you do a television show and suddenly you’re a celebrity and everyone knows your face. It’s so weird.”

Adler is remembered not only for his decades of work on Broadway and television but also for the wry wisdom he brought to his roles—and to life.