Jerry Adler, American actor who played Hesh Rabkin in "The Sopranos," has died at the age of 96.

Jerry Adler, who spent decades behind the scenes of legendary Broadway productions in New York City before beginning an acting career at the age of 60, died at the age of 96 on Saturday, according to a statement from his family sent Sunday, August 24.

Among his most notable roles during this late career in front of the camera, Jerry Adler played Hesh Rabkin, Tony Soprano's advisor during all six seasons of The Sopranos , and Howard Lyman, a law firm partner in The Good Wife . Before making his first steps in front of a film or television camera, Adler had already worked in 53 Broadway productions, all behind the scenes, as a stage manager, producer, or director.

He came from a showbiz family with deep roots in Jewish and Yiddish theater. His father, Philip Adler, was the managing director of the renowned Group Theatre and Broadway productions, and his cousin Stella Adler was a drama teacher.

After a long career in theater, which included work on the original production of My Fair Lady and work with Marlene Dietrich, Julie Andrews, and Richard Burton, among others, Jerry Adler left Broadway during the Depression. He moved to California, where he worked on television productions. But his planned retirement was delayed when Donna Isaacson, a casting director and longtime friend of one of his daughters, asked him to audition for a role she couldn't fill—and he eventually got it.

Jerry Adler starred in Woody Allen's Manhattan Murder Mystery , but was better known for his television work. He returned to Broadway in two plays, running until 2015.