‘Sopranos’ actor Jerry Adler dead at 96

Jerry Adler, best known to many audiences for his work on “The Sopranos,” has died at the age of 96.

A publicist for Adler confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter.

Frank J. Reilly, a friend of the late actor, also shared a touching tribute on X.

"You know him from one of his iconic roles, which he had from many of his guest appearances. Not bad for a guy who didn't start acting until he was 65,” Reilly wrote.

Adler, who was a relative of famed acting teacher Stella Adler, began his career behind the scenes as a stage manager for Broadway shows like “My Fair Lady” and “Annie.”

The Brooklyn native later pursued acting and landed the memorable role of Herman “Hesh” Rabkin, a consigliere on HBO’s “The Sopranos.”

He also starred in series like “The Good Wife” and “Rescue Me.”

Looking back on his unexpected acting career, Adler said in a 2017 interview, "You spend your whole career backstage. Nobody knows who you are or even knows your name. They don't know anything about you. And then you do a television show and suddenly you're a celebrity and everyone knows your face. It's so weird."

He released a book, “Too Funny for Words: Backstage Tales From Broadway, Television, and the Movies,” in May 2024.

According to THR, he is survived by his wife, psychologist Joan Laxman, whom he married in 1994, and his daughters, Alisa, Amy, Laura and Emily.