In memoriam
Dec. 29th, 2004 08:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
candylandA hard-bitten detective with a wicked sense of humor. An overprotective father whose daughter had the time of her life. A singing, dancing candlestick who invited the audience for a magical dinner. What do they all have in common?
Jerry Orbach.
Who, sadly, passed away of prostate cancer Tuesday night.
I wanted to commemorate this because Briscoe was one of my all-time favorite characters, and Orbach was one of my all-time favorite actors. It broke my heart when he left Law and Order, but I was thrilled to hear he was going to be in another series. I hadn't even known he was ill, so imagine my shock when my mother told me over dinner, "Oh, by the way, Jerry Orbach died." The words, "What the hell?" left my mouth.
I did a little reading on AOL News, and found out that not only was he one of my favorite TV characters, but he had originated or portrayed several Broadway personas that I know and love. He starred as the original Billy Flynn in "Chicago" in 1975, the role that Richard Gere would inherit in the (AWESOME) movie.
He also played Julian Marsh in "42nd Street" when it opened on Broadway in 1980--another perennial favorite at our house. Everytime we watch the movie, my sister walks around for weeks declaring that everything is 'grand.' He was one of Broadway's premiere song-and-dance men, and the marquis lights on Broadway will be dimmed for a minute tonight at curtain time in Orbach's memory.
But most of us probably knew him best as Detective Lenny Briscoe, the sharp-tongued detective who caught the bad guy and made us laugh while doing it. Or, perhaps, as a loveable candelabra named Lumiere, who sang and danced with a frustrated clock while cajoling the world to 'Be our guest.'
Hollywood and Broadway both lost a dear, talented friend last night, and he will be missed dearly. God speed, Jerry Orbach.
Try to remember the kind of September
when life was slow and oh, so mellow
Try to remember the kind of September
when grass was green and grain was yellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
when you were a tender and callow fellow,
Try to remember and if you remember, then follow
Try to remember when life was so tender
that no one wept except the willow
Try to remember when life was so tender that
dreams were kept beside your pillow
Try to remember when life was so tender that
love was an ember about to billow
Try to remember and if you remember, then follow
Deep in December it's nice to remember
altho you know the snow will follow
Deep in December it's nice to remember
without the hurt the heart is hollow
Deep in December it's nice to remember
the fire of September that made us mellow
Deep in December our hearts should remember and follow
- "Try to Remember," from the Broadway show 'The Fantasticks'
Jerry Orbach.
Who, sadly, passed away of prostate cancer Tuesday night.
I wanted to commemorate this because Briscoe was one of my all-time favorite characters, and Orbach was one of my all-time favorite actors. It broke my heart when he left Law and Order, but I was thrilled to hear he was going to be in another series. I hadn't even known he was ill, so imagine my shock when my mother told me over dinner, "Oh, by the way, Jerry Orbach died." The words, "What the hell?" left my mouth.
I did a little reading on AOL News, and found out that not only was he one of my favorite TV characters, but he had originated or portrayed several Broadway personas that I know and love. He starred as the original Billy Flynn in "Chicago" in 1975, the role that Richard Gere would inherit in the (AWESOME) movie.
He also played Julian Marsh in "42nd Street" when it opened on Broadway in 1980--another perennial favorite at our house. Everytime we watch the movie, my sister walks around for weeks declaring that everything is 'grand.' He was one of Broadway's premiere song-and-dance men, and the marquis lights on Broadway will be dimmed for a minute tonight at curtain time in Orbach's memory.
But most of us probably knew him best as Detective Lenny Briscoe, the sharp-tongued detective who caught the bad guy and made us laugh while doing it. Or, perhaps, as a loveable candelabra named Lumiere, who sang and danced with a frustrated clock while cajoling the world to 'Be our guest.'
Hollywood and Broadway both lost a dear, talented friend last night, and he will be missed dearly. God speed, Jerry Orbach.
Try to remember the kind of September
when life was slow and oh, so mellow
Try to remember the kind of September
when grass was green and grain was yellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
when you were a tender and callow fellow,
Try to remember and if you remember, then follow
Try to remember when life was so tender
that no one wept except the willow
Try to remember when life was so tender that
dreams were kept beside your pillow
Try to remember when life was so tender that
love was an ember about to billow
Try to remember and if you remember, then follow
Deep in December it's nice to remember
altho you know the snow will follow
Deep in December it's nice to remember
without the hurt the heart is hollow
Deep in December it's nice to remember
the fire of September that made us mellow
Deep in December our hearts should remember and follow
- "Try to Remember," from the Broadway show 'The Fantasticks'