Jerry Orbach

Jerry Orbach (1935-2004) was an American Actor best known for playing Detective Lennie Briscoe on Law and Order tv series.

He provided the voices of Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Sa'luk in Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996). Orbach was also famous on Broadway for playing roles in musicals such as Chicago, 42nd Street, and Promises Promises. He was also famous in movies such as playing Jennifer Grey's dad Dr. Jake Houseman in Dirty Dancing and the villain Jack Rosenthal in Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors. Orbach was married to Marta Curro from 1958-1975 (divorced) by whom he has two sons Tony Orbach and Chris Orbach. Chris Orbach guest starred as Lennie's Briscoe's nephew Ken Briscoe on Law & Order SVU. In 1979 Orbach married Broadway star and dancer Elaine Cancilla whom he met while starring in Chicago. On December 28 2004 Jerry Orbach died at a hospital in New York City at the age of 69 from prostate cancer. He was survived by his loving wife Elaine, his two sons Tony and Chris, two grandchildren, and his mom Emily Orbach. Orbach who had left Law & Order in April 2004 was supposed to bring his character of Lennie Briscoe on another show Law & Order Trial By Jury but only filmed the first two episodes before his death. The fifth episode Baby Boom was dedicated to him. At the end of the episode it said For Jerry.