Greetings,
When someone mentions Law & Order, there are certain people who immediately spring to mind. Here's one of them. No need for an introduction. Ladies and gentlemen, Detective Lennie Briscoe.
Lennie Briscoe was portrayed by Jerry Orbach for about twelve years. He showed up a few episodes into season three and lasted all the way to the end of season fourteen. That is quite a time. And he's not even the one who lasted the longest. Anyway, during those years, we got to know a whole lot about him. Briscoe was from the Meatpacking District in Manhattan and was raised as a Catholic, despite being Jewish on his father's side. He was sometimes a victim of anti-Semitism, even though he never really practiced the religion. Because, to some people, it doesn't matter either way. Anyway, Briscoe was also close friends with some of the few Jewish cops with whom he associated. He was friends...ish with John Munch, even though he may have hooked up with Munch's first wife. No. No maybe. He did it, and when that little tidbit was revealed, we sure did get a classic scene.
Anyway, speaking of the cop life, Briscoe began working NYPD Homicide in the early eighties, though, in his youth, he actually considered law school. That is kind of hilarious if you remember the time he said that he hated lawyers. In 1992, he began his time at the 27th precinct, partnered first with Mike Logan, then Rey Curtis, and finally, Ed Green. Briscoe was known for making a few controversial decisions in his career, in order to get the bad guy. This sometimes caused problems with his partners or the DA. Personally, I say the ends justify the means, because it's Briscoe, and it's just a show, not real life. So I can say that.
Despite a few mishaps, I doubt anyone would call Briscoe a bad cop. In fact, he has overcome a lot to be seen as a good one. Briscoe is another character afflicted by alcoholism, his own actually. It did have an effect on his professional life, but, even more so, on his personal life. He had two failed marriages, one of which gave him two daughters, Julia and Cathy. His drinking often caused him to not be around much for his girls, which strained their relationships. His younger daughter, Cathy, had problems with drugs and was eventually murdered. It was sad, but it was one of the best story arcs for Briscoe as well as for Jerry Orbach as an actor. He does suffer a "falling off the wagon" situation at the end of season six, the start of the events which lead to the death of Claire Kincaid. It hit him deeply, and he ends up staying sober from then on.
On a lighter note, because we need it, Briscoe is the one who normally gives us the one liner or "zinger" at the end of each opening scene. So, his dry sense of humor certainly came in handy. And being that he was the older guy in all of his police partnerships, there were a few jokes about that with his co-workers, such as with his taste in music. Don't worry, though. Those young whipper-snappers always had a lot of respect for him, as well they should. As well they better have, or else they are in big trouble.
After leaving Law & Order, Briscoe moved over to the short-lived spin-off Law & Order: Trial By Jury. He was only present for a couple of episodes, since, in reality, Jerry Orbach had become quite ill with cancer. Sadly, Jerry passed away in December of 2004, and his character is mentioned to have also passed during the same time. I don't cry often when famous people die; I cried this time.
Honestly, standing out and even becoming an icon on a show that has become iconic as well cannot be an easy thing to accomplish. Jerry Orbach did this with his character of Lennie Briscoe. He was a respected and acclaimed actor before his time on the show, but I think being a part of it let us, as his audience, really get attached to him in a way we, otherwise, may not have been able to. I really believe he is one of the reasons why people started to erase that massive line between movie and TV actors, because if someone like Jerry Orbach can do some television, anyone would be thrilled to get that kind of job. I am so grateful that he decided to do this, and I'm sure many people agree.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
