The stars turned out Friday in New York to remember, mourn and memorialize Jerry Orbach as a great song-and-dance man, an astute poker player, an avid golfer, a fine friend and co-worker and a quintessential New Yorker, reports E!Online.
The Bronx-born Tony winner, most famous as the sleepy-eyed, seen-it-all, wisecracking Detective Lennie Briscoe on Law & Order, died of prostate cancer on Tuesday at 69.
About 300 friends joined Orbach's family for the hourlong secular service at Riverside Memorial Chapel on Manhattan's West Side, including many who patrolled the airwaves with Orbach during his 12-year stint on L&O.
His TV boss, S. Epatha Merkerson (Lieutenant Anita Van Buren), was on hand, as were his three partners, Chris Noth (Detective Mike Logan), Benjamin Bratt (Detective Rey Curtis) and final sidekick Jesse L. Martin (Detective Ed Green).
Representing the Law were Sam Waterston (Assistant D.A. Jack McCoy) and show alum and current Crossing Jordan star Jill Hennessy (who was Assistant D.A. Claire Kincaid).
Also present were fellow members of the Friars Club, former New York Mayor David Dinkins, veteran character actors like Olympia Dukakis, Danny Aiello and Brian Dennehy (who worked with Orbach on the 1986 thriller F/X), and stars who had hoofed and crooned with Orbach onstage.
Chita Rivera, who costarred with Orbach in the 1970s in the musical Chicago, recalls how he looked originating the role of Billy Flynn. ''This huge silhouette would appear in a fedora, smoking a cigar,'' she said. ``There was our anchor. There was our rock in a pinstriped suit.''
Orbach, who left Law & Order for the spinoff Law & Order: Trial by Jury, will be seen as Briscoe in three episodes of the series when it premieres early this year.
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