Biography: Jerome Bernard Orbach was born on October 20, 1935 in the Bronx, New York to Emily and Leon Orbach, a former vaudevillian actor. He attended the University of Illinois and then Northwestern. He studied acting with Herbert Berghof, Mira Rostova and Lee Strasberg. He first professional work as an actor was with stock companies. He originated the part of Billy Flynn in Bob Fosse's 1975 production of Chicago. He married Marta Curro, with whom he had his sons Anthony and Christopher. He then married Elaine Cancialla.

Film/TV Credits: Film credits include: "Beauty and the Beast," "Dirty Dancing," "Out for Justice," "Universal Soldier," "Toy Soldiers," "Bye Bye Birdie," "Brewster's Millions," and "Someone to Watch Over Me." Television credits include: "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "The Golden Girls," "Law & Order," "Frasier," "Murder, She Wrote," "One Life to Live," and "Who's the Boss?."

Other Awards: Inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1999. Named a "Living Landmark" by the New York Landmarks Conservancy in 2002.

Trivia:
A portion of New York City's 53rd Street near Eighth Avenue was renamed "Jerry Orbach Way" in his honor on September 18, 2007.
The marquees of Broadway theaters were dimmed in his honor on December 29, 2004.