Biography
Jerry Orbach was an American actor and singer. He originated the role of El Gallo in the off-Broadway musical The Fantasticks and played Chuck Baxter in the original Broadway production of Promises, Promises, for which he received a Tony Award.
Orbach is best known for portraying Detective Lennie Briscoe in the television series Law & Order from 1992 to 2004 and for voicing Lumiere in the Disney film Beauty and the Beast (1991). His other notable film roles include Jake Houseman in Dirty Dancing (1987) and appearances in Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) and Universal Soldier (1992). He also provided voices for Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996) and Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997).
