Carl Gordon, Late Bloomer

In his late 30s, Carl Gordon found himself twice-divorced, stuck in a dead-end manual labor job with the feeling that his life was going nowhere. By the time he died this week at age 78, he’d appeared in 26 TV shows and movies and a slew of Broadway productions.

Fred Thompson (1942 - 2015)

Fred Thompson, a Republican U.S. senator from Tennessee for eight years who also acted in feature films and on television, has died, his family says in a statement, according to the Associated Press.

Michi Kobi (1924–2016)

Actress Michi Kobi, who was known for roles in movies including "12 to the Moon," died March 1, according to a statement released by her family this weekend. She was 91.

Steven Hill (1922–2016), Law & Order star

Actor played DA Adam Schiff on TV's "Law & Order."

Frank Pellegrino (1944–2017), The Sopranos actor

Actor appeared on “The Sopranos,” co-owned Rao’s restaurant in Manhattan.

Why Is Jerry Orbach's Face Painted All Over This Car?

A very unlikely tribute to Law & Order's late star.

Jan Maxwell (1956 – 2018), Broadway star

Five-time Tony Award nominee…

Robert Morgenthau (1919–2019), NYC district attorney prosecuted high-profile cases

Robert Morgenthau was the district attorney of Manhattan from 1975 to 2009, the borough’s longest-serving DA who presided over cases that made nationwide news.

Bill Macy (1922–2019), starred on TV’s “Maude”

Bill Macy was best known for his starring role as Walter Findlay on the popular 1970s sitcom “Maude.”

Cynthia Harris (1934–2021), actress known for “Mad About You”

Cynthia Harris was an actress best known for playing Sylvia Buchman, the mother of Paul Reiser’s character, on “Mad About You.”

Nehemiah Persoff (1919–2022), character actor known for “Yentl,” “The Twilight Zone”

Nehemiah Persoff was a prolific character actor whose many memorable roles included Rebbe Mendel, the father of Barbra Streisand’s character in “Yentl.”

Mary Mara (1960–2022), actress in “ER,” “Nash Bridges”

Mary Mara was an actress known for roles in TV shows including known for roles in “ER,” “Nash Bridges,” and “Star Trek: Enterprise.”

Adam Wade (1935–2022), singer, actor, and pioneering game show host

Adam Wade was a singer and actor, as well as the first Black game show host in U.S. TV history.

Paul Sorvino (1939–2022), actor known for “Law & Order,” “Goodfellas”

Paul Sorvino was an actor known for his performances as Paulie Cicero in “Goodfellas” and NYPD Sergeant Phil Ceretta in “Law & Order.”

Michael Levin (1932–2023), “Ryan’s Hope” star

Michael Levin was an actor who starred as Jack Fenelli in the soap opera “Ryan’s Hope.”

Melinda Dillon (1939–2023), A Christmas Story mom

Melinda Dillon was an actress known for roles in movies including “A Christmas Story” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”

Richard Belzer (1944–2023), Law & Order: SVU costar 

Richard Belzer was an American comedian and actor best known for his role as detective John Munch in “Homicide: Life on the Streets” and “Law & Order: SVU.”    

Lance Reddick (1962–2023), star of The Wire, John Wick

Lance Reddick was an actor known for prominent roles in many TV shows and movies including “The Wire,” “Fringe,” and the “John Wick” series.

Michael Lerner (1941–2023), actor in Elf, Barton Fink

Michael Lerner was an actor who was nominated for an Academy Award for his supporting role in the 1991 Coen brothers' film “Barton Fink.” 

Elizabeth Hubbard (1933–2023), longtime As the World Turns star 

Elizabeth Hubbard was an actress who starred in the soap operas “The Doctors” and “As the World Turns.” 

Lynette Dupree-Richardson (1964–2023), stage singer and actress

Lynette Dupree-Richardson was a stage singer and actress who made her career performing in musicals, and who also made appearances on shows like “Desperate Housewives” and “Law and Order.” 

Paxton Whitehead (1937–2023), actor in Friends, Mad About You 

Paxton Whitehead was an English actor who worked widely on Broadway and in movies, as well as playing memorable recurring roles on “Friends” and “Mad About You.” 

Nicolas Coster (1933–2023), Santa Barbara star 

Nicolas Coster was an actor best known for his role as Lionel Lockridge in the soap opera “Santa Barbara.” 

Carlin Glynn (1940–2023), singer and Sixteen Candles actress

Carlin Glynn was a Tony Award-winning singer and actress with appearances in “Sixteen Candles,” “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” and others. She was also the mother of actress Mary Stuart Masterson. 

Pamela Blair (1949–2023), actress in A Chorus Line, Loving 

Pamela Blair was an actress, singer, and dancer who originated the role of Val in “A Chorus Line” on Broadway and appeared on such soap operas as “Loving.” 

Ron Cephas Jones (1957–2023), Emmy-winning This Is Us actor 

Ron Cephas Jones was an actor who won two Emmy Awards for his portrayal of William Hill on the hit NBC drama “This Is Us.”

David McCallum (1933–2023), star of NCIS, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

David McCallum was a Scottish actor who played secret agent Ilya Kuryakin in the 1960s spy series “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” and later starred as medical examiner Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard on “NCIS.” 

Joanna Merlin (1931–2023), Law & Order judge

Joanna Merlin was the original Tzeitel in the first Broadway production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” and later became a familiar face to television audiences for her recurring role as Judge Lena Petrovsky on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” 

Suzanne Shepherd (1934–2023), actress from GoodFellas, the Sopranos

Suzanne Shepherd was an actress, teacher, and stage director who appeared in “The Sopranos,” “Mystic Pizza,” “Uncle Buck,” and “Requiem for a Dream,” and is perhaps best known for playing Karen’s mother in the gangster classic, “GoodFellas.” 

Andrea Fay Friedman (1970–2023), Life Goes On actress

Andrea Fay Friedman was an actress with Down syndrome who appeared on “Life Goes On” and the drama “Carol of the Bells,” and did voice work on “Family Guy.” 

Andre Braugher (1962–2023), Brooklyn Nine-Nine star 

Andre Braugher was an actor known for his performances as police officers on TV’s “Homicide: Life on the Street” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” 

James McCaffrey (1958–2023), Rescue Me, Max Payne actor 

James McCaffrey was an actor who was a regular on the firefighter dramedy “Rescue Me” and the voice of Max in the popular “Max Payne” video game series.

Kamar de los Reyes (1967–2023), One Life to Live star

Kamar de los Reyes was an actor who starred as Antonio Vega on “One Life to Live” and had a prominent video game role in several installments of “Call of Duty.”

Sandra Reaves-Phillips (1944–2023), Lean on Me actress and singer

Sandra Reaves-Phillips was an actress and singer for both stage and screen, and who appeared in such films as “Lean on Me” and “Round Midnight.” 

Peter Crombie (1952–2024), played “Crazy” Joe Davola on Seinfeld

Peter Crombie was an actor best known for his recurring role as “Crazy” Joe Davola on “Seinfeld.” 

Carl Weathers (1948–2024), Rocky’s Apollo Creed

Carl Weathers was an actor best known for co-starring in the “Rocky” film series as boxer Apollo Creed.

Lynda Gravátt (1947–2024), Broadway star who appeared in Law & Order

Lynda Gravátt was an actress known for her Broadway career as well as for roles in such TV shows as “Law & Order” and “The Hoop Life.” 

Ed Wheeler (1936–2024), actor in Blue Bloods, Law & Order

Ed Wheeler was a veteran actor whose work included shows like “Law & Order,” “Blue Bloods,” and “One Life to Live.”

David Harris (1949–2024), played Cochise in The Warriors

David Harris was an actor best known for his performance as gang member Cochise in the cult classic 1979 film “The Warriors.” 

Teri Garr (1944–2024), Oscar nominee for Tootsie

Teri Garr was an actress known for roles in such movies as “Tootsie,” “Young Frankenstein,” “Mr. Mom,” and many more.

Helen Gallagher (1926–2024), award-winning star of Ryan’s Hope

Helen Gallagher was an award-winning actress, decorated with two Tony Awards for her stage work and best known for her three-time Daytime Emmy Award-winning turn as Maeve Ryan on “Ryan’s Hope.”

Thom Christopher (1940–2024), One Life to Live star

Thom Christopher was an actor and soap opera star best known for his long runs on “One Life to Live” and “Loving,” as well as for playing Hawk on “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.”