Orbach will be greatly missed

There are a lot of things unfair about the Emmys, but the fact that Jerry Orbach never won one — and was nominated only once — is nothing short of a crime.

The news that the ever-likable, hugely talented actor lost his battle with prostate cancer on Tuesday night came as a shock. Word from his publicists and producers was that his departure from "Law & Order" had nothing to do with his illness — indeed, he was continuing his role as Detective Lennie Brisco in the upcoming spinoff "Law & Order: Trial by Jury"

"I'm immensely saddened by the passing not only of a friend and colleague, but a legendary figure of 20th-century show business," said "Law & Order" creator/executive producer Dick Wolf said in a prepared statement. "He was one of the most-honored performers of his generation. His loss is irreplaceable."

Certainly "Law & Order," which has survived cast changes without missing a beat, feels his loss. Without the wisecracking, sardonic Briscoe, something has definitely been missing this season.

It is not, perhaps, simply because of the competition from "CSI: NY" that "Law & Order" has seen its ratings drop sharply in recent months.

The fact that Orbach could create a character who was so real, so fleshed-out, so human on a show that has never been about its characters demonstrates just how good he was. You could argue that performing in a show in which the people take a backseat to the plot is the hardest acting job of all.

While he's best known for his role on the TV series — and, perhaps, second-best known for providing the voice of Lumiere in Disney's animated feature "Beauty and the Beast" — most viewers are probably unaware that he had a big career on Broadway as a song-and-dance man. He was in the original cast of "The Fantasticks"'; he created the role of the lawyer (that Richard Gere played in the movie) in "Chicago"; he had starring roles in "Guys and Dolls," "Carnival" and "42nd Street."

And he won a Tony for his starring role in the musical "Promises, Promises."

"We are saddened by the passing yesterday of the legendary Jerry Orbach, who had an unforgettable presence on stage and screen for more than forty years," said NBC Universal chairman and CEO Bob Wright. "He was a man of extraordinary talents and personal grace

Having interviewed him both formally and informally several times over the years, Orbach was always affable, pleasant and patient. He never failed to express his gratitude for the "Law & Order" role that made him a household name at the age of 57 — a part he played for a dozen years.