The entertainment industry is mourning the death of Jerry Adler, the veteran actor best known for his role as Herman “Hesh” Rabkin on HBO’s groundbreaking series The Sopranos. Adler passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in New York City on August 23, 2025. He was 96 years old.

Though Adler became a recognizable face to television audiences later in life, his journey through show business spanned more than seven decades, and his contributions went far beyond his memorable on-screen performances.

Born in Brooklyn in 1929, Jerry Adler grew up surrounded by theater—his cousin was famed teacher Stella Adler, and his father managed the Group Theatre. He once joked he was a “creature of nepotism,” getting his first job as assistant stage manager on Gentlemen Prefer Blondes while still in college.

For decades, Adler worked behind the scenes on Broadway, with more than 50 credits as a stage manager, producer, and director. He collaborated with legends like Katharine Hepburn, Orson Welles, and Julie Andrews, long before audiences knew his face.

In the 1980s, as Broadway declined, Adler turned to television, but it wasn’t until his 60s that he reinvented himself as an actor. A powerful audition for The Public Eye (1992) launched a second career, leading to roles in Northern Exposure and, most famously, as Hesh Rabkin on The Sopranos. What began as a cameo became a recurring role, with Hesh serving as Tony Soprano’s sharp, wise confidant—delivering some of the show’s most memorable lines.

Adler’s versatility carried him into The Good Wife, Rescue Me, Transparent, Broad City, and more, while he continued returning to Broadway well into his 80s and 90s. In 2024, he published his memoir Too Funny for Words, reflecting on a lifetime in show business.

Adler, who passed at 96, is remembered as a devoted husband, father of four, and a performer who proved it’s never too late to reinvent yourself. His journey from backstage to iconic screen roles remains a testament to resilience, humor, and passion.