Actor Jerry Adler, best known for his roles on โThe Sopranosโ and โThe Good Wife,โ has died.
According to his obituary from the Riverside Memorial Chapel, the actor, a resident of New York, died Aug. 23, 2025, at age 96.
A cause of death was not listed in the obituary.
Robert King, who co-created โThe Good Wife,โ confirmed Adlerโs death on X and shared a tribute, revealing that the actor’s character of Howard Lyman was only meant to have a cameo in the series.
โJerry Adler died yesterday,โ King wrote. โThe intent was only to have him for one episode of THE GOOD WIFE, but he was so funny in a diner scene, yelling โI said ice cream, you stupid b—-โ we had him back for six years of Good Wife and three years of Good Fight. One of our favorite collaborators.โ
Prior to the โThe Good Wife,โ Adler was well-known for his “The Sopranos” portrayal of Herman โHeshโ Rabkin, adviser to Tony Soprano. He also held several other recurring roles, including Howard Lyman on โThe Good Wifeโ spin-off โThe Good Fight,โ and Sidney Feinberg on โRescue Me.โ
However, prior to his work on screen, the actor largely worked behind-the-scenes, following in his fatherโs footsteps.
His father, Philip Adler, was previously the GM of the Group Theater and served as a producer, company manager and general manager across two dozen Broadway productions.
Speaking to the outlet TheaterMania in March 2015, Jerry Adler said, โIโm a creature of nepotism.โ
โI got my first job when I was at Syracuse University and my father, the general manager of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, called me [because] there was an opening for an assistant stage manager,โ he explained. โI skipped school.โ
He had a storied career working on Broadway, with more than 50 credits to his name as a stage manager, production supervisor and director, according to Playbill. He also assisted the famous Broadway stage manager Samuel โBiffโ Liff, including working on the original production of โMy Fair Lady.โ
Adler didn’t come to acting until later in life, telling TheaterMania, โI probably would have retired when I was sixty-five as a stage manager and director. But then at sixty-five, I started acting.โ
Like his role on โThe Good Wife,โ Adler came on โThe Sopranosโ as a cameo, with the actor explaining, โWhen David Chase was doing the pilot, he called me because he had a cameo for this Jewish guy. They liked the character. Ten years laterโฆโ
Michael Imperioli, who starred as Christopher Moltisanti on โThe Sopranos,โ posted a touching tribute to Adler on Instagram, calling him a โfantastic actorโ and โthe kindest of human beings.โ
โHe brought so much humor, intelligence and truth to the role of Herman โHeshโ Rabkin and was one of my favorite characters on The Sopranos,โ he wrote. โI loved working and spending time with Jerry. A true class act. Much love to the family.โ
Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who starred as Meadow Soprano on the HBO series, reposted Imperioliโs tribute on her Instagram story. She added a brief message of her own, writing, โWhat a wonderful man an actor.โ
Steven Van Zandt, who appeared as Silvio Dante in โThe Sopranos,โ re-shared an article about Adlerโs death on the social media site X.
โRIP Jerry Adler,โ he wrote. โSuch an honor working with you. Travel well my friend.โ
