Was Jerry Adler in the Military? Service background explored as The Good Wife and Sopranos star dies

Actor Jerry Adler, best known for his roles in Sopranos and The Good Wife, has died at the age of 96 on August 23, 2025, according to a report in Deadline.

According to reports, Adler was surrounded by family in New York City at the time of his death. His death was confirmed by his friend, Frank J. Reilly, who wrote on X:

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“The great actor, my friend Jerry Adler died today at the age of 96. You know him from one of his iconic roles had from many of his guest appearances. Not bad for a guy who didn’t start acting until he was 65.”

Although he was the cousin of famed acting teacher Stella Adler, his career began on Broadway when he was in his 60s as a stage manager and director.

Jerry Adler also served in the military during the Korean War. According to his interview with WAMC, he was drafted in 1952 and stationed at Fort Dix in Wrightsville, New Jersey. During his time in the military, he directed soldier shows. He put on plays and sent them out to different forces in the First Army.

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Exploring Jerry Adler's military background

Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1929, Jerry Adler began his career as an assistant stage manager in the Broadway musical comedy Gentlemen Prefer Blondes in 1950, according to a report in the New York Times.

During that time, he was a student at Syracuse University. It was his father, Philip, who called him with the job offer. Philip was working as the General Manager of the Group Theatre on the Carol Channing musical, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, as per The Hollywood Reporter. His mother was called Pauline.

When he was 23, Adler was drafted into the US military during the Korean War in 1952. In an interview with WAMC, he explained how he managed show business and his time in the service. He said:

“I got drafted in 1952 during the Korean War. And I got stationed at Fort Dix over in Wrightsville, New Jersey. What I did for the whole time I was in the Army, I directed soldier shows. We put on plays and sent them out to the different forces in the First Army. I wasn’t exactly in trouble.”

Speaking about his career at Broadway, he said that he did 40 shows as a stage manager. Jerry Adler reportedly left Broadway in the 1980s; however, he unexpectedly ended up in acting during the early ‘90s.

His first appearance as an actor was in a guest role in an episode of the television series Brooklyn Bridge in 1991. In that episode, he played the character Bert Mendel. This marked the beginning of his onscreen career as an actor.

Adler was married three times in his life. His first marriage was to Dolores Parker in June 1950; his second marriage was to Cathy Rice. He then married Joan Laxman in July 1994, who was with him until his death.

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