Jerry Orbach was an American actor.
Biography[]
Born in New York City, Orbach first worked at the theatre of Wheeling, Illinois, and later went to study at the Actor's Studio under Lee Strasberg. He soon became a major player on Broadway after his leading role in The Fantasticks. He also began to appear in a number of film and television productions, including his award-nominated role in Prince of the City.
Orbach gained Tony Awards and nominations for his Broadway roles, winning for Promises, Promises. He also played the father in Dirty Dancing and gained particular recognition for his long running role as Detective Lennie Briscoe in Law and Order. In later years, Orbach became known among younger audiences for voicing the charming candlestick Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast.
Orbach passed away in 2004.
Singing[]
Orbach had an extensive musical career on stage and screen, debuting in The Threepenny Opera and originating the role of El Gallo in The Fantasticks before making his first Broadway appearance in Carnival!.
Orbach later originated roles in Promises, Promises, notably as Billy Flynn in Chicago and Julian Marsh in the original cast 42nd Street. His voiceover roles also brought singing roles, as Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast performing "Be Our Guest" and as the villainous Sa'luk in Aladdin and the King of Thieves.
Film[]
Beauty and the Beast (1991)[]
- Be Our Guest (contains solo lines)
- Something There (contains solo lines)
- Human Again (contains solo lines)
Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996)[]
- Are You in Or Out (contains solo lines)
Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997)[]
- Deck The Halls (contains solo lines)
- As Long As There's Christmas (contains solo lines)
- A Cut Above The Rest (contains solo lines)
Stage[]
The Threepenny Opera (1955)[]
- Mack the Knife (solo)
The Fantasticks (1960)(originated the role)[]
- Try to Remember (contains solo lines)
- It Depends On What You Pay (contains solo lines)
- I Can See It (duet)
- Round and Round (contains solo lines
- Try to Remember (reprise)(solo)
Carnival! (1961)(originated the role)[]
- I've Got to Find a Reason (solo)
- Everybody Likes You (solo)
- Her Face (solo)
- She's My Love (solo)
The Cradle Will Rock (1964)[]
- Leaflets (solo)
- The Cradle Will Rock (solo)
- Finale/The Cradle Will Rock (reprise)(contains solo lines)
Guys and Dolls (1965)[]
- I'll Know (duet)
- My Time of Day (solo)
- I've Never Been in Love Before (duet)
- Luck Be a Lady (contains solo lines)
- Guys and Dolls (reprise)
Carousel (1965)[]
- Blow High, Blow Low (contains solo lines)
- There's Nothin' So Bad for a Woman (contains solo lines)
Annie, Get Your Gun (1966)[]
- Colonel Buffalo Bill (contains solo lines)
- There's No Business Like Show Business
- There's No Business Like Show Business (reprise)
Promises, Promises (1968)(originated the role)[]
- Half as Big as Life (solo)
- Upstairs (solo)
- You'll Think of Someone (duet)
- Our Little Secret (duet)
- She Likes Basketball (solo)
- A Fact Can Be a Beautiful Thing (duet)
- A Young Pretty Girl Like You (duet)
- I'll Never Fall in Love Again (duet)
- Promises, Promises (solo)
Chicago (1975)(originated the role)[]
- All I Care About (contains solo lines)
- We Both Reached for the Gun (contains solo lines)
- Razzle Dazzle (contains solo lines)
42nd Street (1980)(originated the role)[]
- Lullaby of Broadway (contains solo lines)
- Forty-Second Street (Reprise)(solo)
- Finale Ultimo
Albums[]
Jerry Orbach: Off-Broadway (2000)[]
- In A Little While (solo)
- What Can It Be? (solo)
- I Could Be Happy With You (solo)
- There's A Small Hotel (solo)
- Laddie (solo)
- King Of The World (solo)
- Portofino (solo)
- Try to Remember (solo)
- I'm Going To Find A Girl (solo)
- Lazy Afternoon (solo)
- Once In A Blue Moon (solo)
- Mack The Knife (solo)
Television[]
The Judy Show (1999)[]
- Maitre'd (French with an French accent and the French version)
Gallery[]
