Fans of The Sopranos are still mourning the loss of beloved actor Jerry Adler, who died over the weekend. He was 96.
Adler, of course, played the role of Herman “Hesh” Rabkin, a lifelong family friend of Tony Soprano’s late father, Johnny Soprano. Though he was much older when Tony rose to the rank of underboss and ultimately New Jersey’s mafia boss, “Hesh” also dabbled in organized crime in his younger days as an associate of the DiMeo crime family.
According to Page Six, Adler died peacefully in his sleep in New York City. Adler, who is also known for his role in The Good Wife, died on Saturday, according to his online obituary. According to the outlet, Adler is survived by his daughters Alisa, Amy, Laura, and Emily.
Following Adler’s death, fans, family and friends took to social media to express their condolences.
“The great actor, my friend Jerry Adler died today at the age of 96. 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,” wrote Frank J. Reilly on X.
Related: Michael Imperioli Pays Tribute to ‘Sopranos’ Co-Star Jerry Adler
On Adler’s online obituary, friends and family also poured in with messages.
One friend, Bob Claster, wrote, in part, “I was Jerry’s friend during his Los Angeles era. He tried to get me a job as an assistant stage manager on “Santa Barbara,” but his failure to do so was a blessing, since I’d have been a terrible stage manager. Jerry was an unforgettable character. The sweetest guy you could ever want to meet, beloved by just about everyone on sight. He had a seemingly endless store of fabulous stories from his great career, and he told them brilliantly.”
Janice Kasni wrote, in part, “How blessed am I to have known and worked with this wonderful and delightful man. [A]nd although years have passed, to remember him as a cherished friend. It forever remains a joy to unexpectedly catch a show that Jerry worked on and always – no matter the project, his beautiful, fun loving nature shines through.”
