Hollywood is mourning the loss of one of their own.
Jerry Adler—who was best known for his roles in The Sopranos and The Good Wife—died on Aug. 23, according to his obituary. He was 96.
Moments after the tragic news broke, Adler’s friend Frank J. Reilly paid emotional tribute to the late actor on social media.
“The great actor, my friend Jerry Adler died today at the age of 96,” Reilly wrote on X alongside several throwback photos of Adler. “You know him from one of his iconic roles had from many of his guest appearances. Not bad for a guy who didn’t start acting until he was 65.”
Indeed, the New York native spent much of his early career working behind-the-scenes on Broadway productions, including the original 1956 production of My Fair Lady.
He didn’t go on to make his onscreen acting debut until 1991 in the series Brooklyn Bridge before going on to secure his career-defining role as loan shark Herman “Hesh” Rabkin in The Sopranos eight years later.
“RIP Jerry Adler,” his former Sopranos costar Steven Van Zandt—who played Silvio Dante in the HBO series—wrote on X Aug. 24. “Such an honor working with you. Travel well my friend.”
Following the end of the iconic HBO series in 2007, Adler went on to play another major role in The Good Wife as well as its spin-off series The Good Fight. And the executive producer of both shows, Robert King, penned a few words of his own to reflect on what a wonderful talent Adler truly was.
“Jerry Adler died yesterday,” King wrote on X Aug. 24. “The intent was only to have him for one episode of The Good Wife, but he was so funny in a diner scene, yelling ‘I said ice cream, you stupid b---h’ we had him back for six years of Good Wife and three years of Good Fight. One of our favorite collaborators.”
Throughout his career, Adler—who is survived by his wife Joan Laxman—also played a major role in Woody Allen’s Manhattan Murder Myster as well as supporting roles in several other shows, including Alright Already, Hudson Street and Rescue Me.
“You know what’s interesting” Adler said to the Connecticut Post in 2017. “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.”