Law & Orderhas expanded into a vast media franchise, with spinoffs, video games, and books. But it all started with the original series, which premiered in 1990 with a then-innovative concept: Each episode features New York City detectives investigating a crime, followed by the prosecution of the apprehended criminals.
While the format kept people hooked, it was the cast that helped audiences grow attached to the show, from early stars like Chris Noth, Michael Moriarty, and Steven Hill to series mainstays like Jerry Orbach,Sam Waterston, and S. Epatha Merkerson. Each played their respective roles with admirable consistency, providing comfort to long-term viewers through the show's initial conclusion in 2010. While NBCrevived the series in 2022, we'll always have a fondness for original varietyLaw & Order.
Ahead, read what the original cast ofLaw & Orderhas been up to lately.
Sam Waterston (Jack McCoy)
Coming intoLaw & Order, Sam Waterston was perhaps the most accomplished cast member. The actor impressed in films like 1984'sThe Killing Fields(netting an Oscar nomination) and multiple Woody Allen movies, includingHannah and Her Sisters(1986). However, he's best known for his tenure as DA Jack McCoy onLaw & Order.
"I thinkLaw & Orderis a show to be proud of being in,"he told NPR'sFresh Airpodcastin 2022. "It also permitted me and even enabled me to do other things like Shakespeare plays andLong Day's Journey into Nighton the spur of the moment, with my son playing my son. These things were made possible by...the celebrity that came with doingLaw & Order."
Since his initial departure fromLaw & Order, Waterston took on notable television roles onThe NewsroomandGrace and Frankie. And, of course, he reprised his role as Jack McCoy in Dick Wolf's revived series from 2022 to 2024.
After getting divorced from Barbara Johns in 1975, Waterston married Lynn Louisa Woodruff. In addition to his son from the previous marriage, Waterston has three children with Woodruff.
S. Epatha Merkerson (Anita van Buren)
S. Epatha Merkerson started her career with small roles in films likeJacob's Ladder(1990), and she delighted audiences as Reba the Mail Lady onPee-Wee's Playhouse. However, it wasLaw & Orderthat put her on the map as a serious dramatic actor. She first appeared in a one-off role as a grieving mother in season 1, and her strong performance left a lasting impression on the producers, who later recruited her to the main cast in season 4. Merkerson's new character, Anita van Buren, even became a lieutenant before any real woman in the NYPD broke that glass ceiling.
During her tenure on the series, the actress starred in the 2005 TV movieLackawanna Blues, winning an Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG award in the process.
AfterLaw & Orderfirst ended in 2010, the actor seemed excited about starting the next chapter of her career. "I'm taking all the good with me,"she told EW. "It was 16 years of employment — actors rarely have that experience. And so I know that I'm really, really lucky, because that's what we look for — the next gig. And I've always been able to say, 'I'm going back toLaw & Order."
As it turns out, her confidence wasn't misplaced. Merkerson ended up joining the world ofChicago Fireand its spinoffs.
Jerry Orbach (Lennie Briscoe)
The lateJerry Orbachwas a Broadway veteran long before he became a film and television actor, notably originating the role of Billy Flynn inChicagoand winning a Tony in 1969 forPromises, Promises. He soon appeared in blockbusters like the pop culture sensationDirty Dancing(1987) and as the voice of Lumière inBeauty and the Beast(1991).
Even with that stacked résumé, Orbach is still best remembered forLaw & Ordercharacter Lennie Briscoe, a patient, methodical, and wry detective whom he played for 12 seasons.
"When I'd gotten the job, I saw [Law & Ordercostar Paul] Sorvino at Billy Crystal's roast at the Friars' Club, and I hugged and kissed him and said, 'My whole family thanks you,"Orbach told EWin 1992. "I'm getting really busy, but as Damon Wayans says, 'Mo' money, mo' money, mo' money!"'
The actor married Marta Curro in 1958 and had two children together. Following their divorce in 1975, he married fellow Broadway star Elaine Cancilla in 1979.
Just two years after joining the cast ofLaw & Orderin 1992, Orbach was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He continued to star in the series while quietly undergoing treatments. Orbach eventually left the show at the end of season 14 and died from his illness on Dec. 28, 2004, at age 69.
Chris Noth (Mike Logan)
WhileChris Nothwould go on to appear in multiple major franchises throughout his career,Law & Orderwas effectively his big break. He starred as NYPD Det. Mike Logan, whose womanizing ways softened over time, onLaw & Orderfrom 1990 to 1995. The character would eventually headline the spinoff seriesLaw & Order: Criminal Intent.
He may have starred in more episodes and spinoffs if he had a better working relationship with Dick Wolf. The repetitive procedural aspect wasn't a highlight for Noth, either. "I started to get bored and the magic sort of wore off," hetold theChicago Tribunein 2021.
Following his departure from the series, Noth stayed active both personally and professionally. His biggest role outside theLaw & Orderuniverse was playing Mr. Big onSex and the Cityand the subsequent films. He later appeared in more than 100 episodes ofThe Good Wife. The actor also began dating model Tara Lynn Wilson around 2001, and the couple had a son together before tying the knot in 2012. They had another son in 2020.
In 2021,Noth was accused of sexual misconductby multiple women. The fallout cost him some business deals and affected his acting career: His character waskilled offscreen onThe Equalizer, and plans to bring Mr. Big back for the season 1 finale ofAnd Just Like Thatwere canceled.
Steven Hill (Adam Schiff)
On the small screen, Steven Hill was initially best known for headlining the originalMission: Impossibleseries from 1966 to 1967. He eventually netted two Emmy nominations forLaw & Orderas District Attorney Adam Schiff, whose gentle nature often helped Jack McCoy get away with quite a few things over the years.
Interestingly, Hill and showrunner Dick Wolf saw the character differently. WolftoldThe Washington Postin 1996 that he considered Hill to be "the Talmudic influence on the entire Zeitgeist of the series. Steven has more moral authority than anyone else on episodic TV. He isLaw & Order'smoral keystone." In response, a somewhat embarrassed Hill said, "I take Dick's statement as a compliment. I always saw Schiff as a man simply trying to do his job on a case-by-case basis."
Hill had starred onLaw & Ordersince the beginning, and after an impressive 229-episode run, he left the series in 2000 and effectively retired from acting.
As for his personal life, Hill had been married twice, first to Selma Stern from 1951 to 1964, then to Rachel Schenker in 1967, with whom he shared five children. Hill died of cancer in 2016 at age 94.
Jesse L. Martin (Ed Green)
Jesse L. Martin established his acting chops by playing Tom Collins in the original Broadway production ofRentin 1996. Once he was cast in season 10 ofLaw & Orderas Det. Ed Green, who was never afraid to ruffle some feathers if it meant cracking a case, the world got to see what theater fans had been raving about.
Martin exited the show after season 18 to further pursue stage acting, and he left on good terms with Dick Wolf. "I honestly couldn't leave, according to my contract. I could have said, 'Hey, I'm ready to go,' but they could have easily said no,"he told EW in 2008. "But Dick has always been really cool about that sort of thing...I had a great time there. I feel like I went to actor boot camp and I'm coming out a colonel."
Advertisement
It didn't take Martin long to land another iconic role, though. In 2014, he joined the cast of the long-running CW superhero dramedyThe Flashas Joe West. After that series ended in 2023, he starred on NBC'sThe Irrationaluntil its end in 2025.
Leslie Hendrix (Elizabeth Rodgers)
Leslie Hendrix had little acting experience before joining the cast ofLaw & Orderas the brusque but effective Medical Examiner Elizabeth Rodgers. Previously, she only played small parts in a handful of shows likeAnother WorldandGuiding Light. She later carried the role of Dr. Rodgers intoSpecial Victims Unit,Criminal Intent, andTrial by Jury.
Hendrix continued to act onLaw & Orderuntil the show initially ended in 2010. She next appeared in episodes ofBlue Bloods,Elementary, andThe Blacklistbefore landing a recurring role in the Batman prequel seriesGotham. She hasn't been in a project since 2020, but we wouldn't be surprised to see this procedural veteran return to primetime TV.
Fred Thompson (Arthur Branch)
WhileLaw & Orderput many of his costars on the map, Fred Thompson had already made a name for himself as a Republican senator for Tennessee. He joined the cast of the hit NBC series in 2002, just months before his 12-year tenure in the Senate ended, playing no-nonsense Manhattan DA Arthur Branch.
He appeared onLaw & Orderand its spinoffs until 2007. After leaving the show, he returned to politics by campaigning for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008. Thompson continued to make appearances on the small screen with roles onThe Good WifeandAllegiance.
Thompson died in 2015at age 73 due to a recurrence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which he was first diagnosed with in 2004. He was survived by his second wife, Jeri Kehn, and his five children.
Dann Florek (Donald Cragen)
Dann Florek was no stranger to police procedurals before collaborating with Dick Wolf, having appeared in 22 episodes ofL.A. Law. He soon joinedLaw & Orderin 1990 as Capt. Donald Cragen, a recovering alcoholic and fiercely loyal leader, though he's best known for his longtime starring role on the spinoffLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit.
When it comes to his early days on the original show, Florekshared an odd anecdote with PEOPLEin 2015, explaining, "I remember starting on the show years ago. We were at Chelsea Piers. And nobody was down there then. And my buddy Chris Noth and I used to take the golf carts and drive all the way around there...It was a lot of fun to go out there and we actually would go hunting for vermin. We found and we conquered."
The actor's last appearance on the originalLaw & Orderwas in 2004, though he would continue to helmSVUuntil 2021 and reprised the role of Captain Cragen in some episodes of the spinoffLaw & Order: Organized Crime.
Florek has been married to his wife, Karen, since 1980.
Michael Moriarty (Benjamin Stone)
Michael Moriarty brought quite the acting pedigree toLaw & Order, having won an Emmy for the 1978 miniseriesHolocaust. He was also a Tony-winning stage actor thanks to his performance inFind Your Way Home. In seasons 1 through 4 ofLaw & Order, he dazzled as District Attorney Benjamin Stone, whose Catholic faith colors his views of social justice, though his tenure was ironically cut short due to real-world legal drama.
Moriarty claims he was written out of the series after publicly lashing out against Attorney General Janet Reno, who partially attributed violence in America to TV shows likeLaw & Order. "Television is the most open, it's the most potentially rebellious — we've got new channels coming in every day, and young, new people with fresh ideas,"he told theL.A. Timesin 1994. "But because it is this mass medium and it has to turn out so much product, there is a caste system, and a contempt and self-loathing I despise."
Regardless of why he departed, Moriarty made his last appearance onLaw & Orderin 1994. He then moved to Canada and declared himself a political exile, but this didn't keep him from continuing to find work. He later appeared on television shows likeThe Dead ZoneandThe 4400and in movies such asCourage Under Fire(1996).
George Dzundza (Max Greevey)
George Dzundza had quite the storied résumé heading intoLaw & Order. He was already known for television shows such asThe Waltonsand films likeThe Deer Hunter(1978). Still, landing a role in season 1 ofLaw & Orderas Sgt. Max Greevey, an investigative officer and friend of Captain Cragen, was quite the opportunity for the actor.
After leavingLaw & Orderin 1991, Dzundza went on to appear in some of the biggest films of the '90s, includingBasic Instinct(1992),Crimson Tide(1995), andDangerous Minds(1995). He also did voice work for shows likeBatman: The Animated SeriesandSuperman: The Animated Series, and had a brief arc onGrey's Anatomy. It appears he's retired from acting, though, with his last credit being the 2011 TV movieDanni Lowinski.
Dzundza has been married to Mary Jo Vermeulen since 1982. The couple shares three daughters and two grandchildren.
Richard Brooks (Paul Robinette)
Richard Brooksappeared intermittently onLaw & Orderbetween 1990 and 2006. Still, he left his mark as Paul Robinette, the only Black male district attorney in the series.
"Of course,Law & Orderin Paul Robinette had a more transformative role for me because I had to really grow as a man, as an intellect, as a scholar,"Brooks told Andscapein 2017. "I had to become more versed in current affairs, and law, and politics and things like that… my research for it actually influenced me as a person a lot… To grow into that role, I think, has helped me with the rest of my career to take on more challenging parts and things like that."
The rest of his career has proven to be quite impressive. Since leavingLaw & Order, Brooks has appeared in multiple episodes of shows like BET'sBeing Mary Jane,The Flash, andThe Rich & The Ruthless. You may have also spotted him in episodes ofAbbott Elementary,9-1-1, andReasonable Doubt. Those wishing to discover a completely different side of Brooks can check out his debut album,Smooth Love.
Paul Sorvino (Phil Cerreta)
When Paul Sorvino was cast onLaw & Order, it felt a bit ironic. After all, the larger-than-life actor was mostly known for playing a gangster inGoodfellas(1990). He wasn't on the show very long, but having an onscreen career criminal play a good guy (specifically Sgt. Phil Cerreta, a homicide detective who replaced the deceased Max Greevey) ended up being a stroke of genius.
In a1991 interview withToday, Sorvino revealed that the role posed a unique challenge because, "To my knowledge, I've never played myself, and this will be the first time I'm doing that." He clarified that he had built a career off of playing robust characters known for their outsized lines and big personalities. OnLaw & Order, however, he had to channel a quieter performance, and it was one that quickly won audiences over.
Sorvino left the show in 1992, and he had quite the career afterward. He played the head of the Capulet family inRomeo + Juliet(1996), and starred in dozens of episodes of the showThat's Life.
Sorvino died of natural causesin 2022 at the age of 83. He is survived by his wife, Dee Dee Benkie, and his three children, including actors Michael and Mira Sorvino.
Benjamin Bratt (Rey Curtis)
Benjamin Brattwas mostly known to film lovers for his supporting roles in memorable movies such asDemolition Man(1993) andClear and Present Danger(1994). He then joinedLaw & Orderin 1995 as homicide detective Rey Curtis, who often had very strident religious views.
After initially leaving the series in 1999, Bratt starred in two of his most famous films,Miss CongenialityandTraffic, both of which were released in 2000. He later reprised hisLaw & Orderrole in a season 20 episode, and he went on to appear on shows likePrivate Practice,Poker Face, andAndor.
Bratt married former Bond girl Talisa Soto in 2002. The couple has two children together.
Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly
Post a Comment