Lewis J. Stadlen (born March 7, 1947) is an American stage and screen character actor.[1] He is best known for playing Ira Fried in The Sopranos.

Lewis J. Stadlen
Born (1947-03-07) March 7, 1947 (age 77)
OccupationActor
Years active1966–present
SpouseMary MacLeod (ex)
ChildrenDiana Stadlen Taylor, Peter Stadlen

Career

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Born in Brooklyn, New York, to voice actor Allen Swift, Stadlen studied acting with Sanford Meisner and Stella Adler. He made his Broadway debut as Groucho Marx in the musical comedy Minnie's Boys in 1970. Other noted Broadway roles include Senex in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Banjo in a revival of The Man Who Came to Dinner, Milt in Laughter on the 23rd Floor, and Dr. Pangloss in the 1973 production of Candide. He has been nominated for two Tony Awards during his career.

The Time of Your Life was revived on March 17, 1972, at the Huntington Hartford Theater in Los Angeles where Stadlen, Henry Fonda, Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Thompson, Strother Martin, Gloria Grahame, Jane Alexander, Richard X. Slattery and Pepper Martin were among the cast with Edwin Sherin directing.[2][3]

His autobiography, Acting Foolish, was published by Bear Manor in 2009.

Film and television credits

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Stadlen's film credits include Portnoy's Complaint (1972), Serpico (1973), The Verdict (1982), To Be or Not to Be (1983), Windy City (1984), and In & Out (1997).

On television, Stadlen had a regular role in the first season of Benson as John Taylor, Governor Gatling's chief of staff, before being replaced in the second season by René Auberjonois, who assumed the role of Clayton Endicott, Taylor's replacement as chief of staff, on the series. He also has appeared in Law & Order and The Sopranos.

Film credits

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Year Title Role Notes
1972 Portnoy's Complaint Mandel
1972 Savages Julian Branch, a Song Writer
1972 Parades Potofski
1973 Serpico Jerry Berman
1977 Between the Lines Stanley
1982 Soup for One Allan's Father
1982 The Verdict Dr. Gruber
1983 To Be or Not to Be Lupinsky
1984 Windy City Marty
1990 Funny About Love Avi
1994 I.Q. Moderator
1995 The Real Shlemiel Lekish / Zeinvel / The Peddler Voice
1997 In & Out Ed Kenrow
1998 The Impostors Bandleader

Television credits

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Year Title Role Notes
1966 The Edge of Night Newsboy 1 episode
1970 George M! The Stage Manager TV movie
1975 Three to Get Ready Dr. Carl Smeltz TV movie
1975 Judge Horton and the Scottsboro Boys Sam Liebowitz TV movie
1979-1980 Benson John Taylor 23 episodes
1980 Omnibus Groucho Marx 1 episode
1987 Murder by the Book Norman Wagstaff TV movie, uncredited
1988 Monsters Jay Blake 1 episode
1986 The Equalizer Mr. Cooper 1 episode
1989 The Equalizer Danny 1 episode
1991 Law & Order Eli Schwab 1 episode
1995 New York News 1 episode
2000 The Man Who Came to Dinner Banjo TV movie, recording of stage production
2004 Curb Your Enthusiasm Himself 1 episode
2000-2007 The Sopranos Dr. Ira Fried 5 episodes
2010 Damages Dr. Maurice Samuels 1 episode
2012 Smash Ralph Masius 3 episodes
2014 Live From Lincoln Center Efram 1 episode, Recording of stage production of The Nance

Theatre credits

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Year Title Role Notes
1967 Fiddler on the Roof Mendel National Tour
1970 Minnie's Boys Julius "Groucho" Marx Broadway
1970 The Happiness Cage Reese Joseph Papp Public Theater
1972 The Sunshine Boys Ben Silverman Broadway
1974 Candide Dr. Pangloss/Governor/Host/Sage/Voltaire Broadway
1985 The Odd Couple Manalo Costazuelo Broadway
1986 Olympus on My Mind Sosia Lamb's Theater
1987 One Two Three Four Five New York City Center, Stage II
1989 S.J. Perelman in Person S.J. Perelman Cherry Lane Theatre
1991 The My House Play Ernie Battaglia WPA Theatre
1992 Guys and Dolls Nathan Detroit National Tour
1993 Laughter on the 23rd Floor Milt Broadway
1996 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Senex Broadway
1997 The American Clock Moe/Sherriff Peter Norton Space
1998 Mizlansky/Zilinsky or "Schmucks" Sam Zilinsky New York City Center, Stage I
1999 Epic Proportions D.W. Dewitt
1999 Do Re Mi Brains Berman New York City Center, Encores!
2000 The Man Who Came to Dinner Banjo
2000 Wonderful Town Appopolous New York City Center, Encores!
2001 45 Seconds From Broadway Mickey Fox
2003 The Producers Max Bialystock National Tour and Broadway
2006 Of Thee I Sing Louis Lippman New York City Center, Encores!
2007 Hello, Dolly! Horace Vandergelder St. Louis MUNY
2011 The People in the Picture Avram Krinsky Broadway
2012 Fiddler on the Roof Tevye Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera
2012 Checkers Murray Chotiner Vineyard Theatre
2013 The Nance Efram Broadway
2014 Little Me Bennie Buchsbaum New York City Center, Encores!
2015 Fish in the Dark Stewie Drexel Broadway
2016 The Front Page Endicott Broadway
2018 Hello, Dolly! Horace Vandergelder National Tour
2019 Let 'em Eat Cake Louis Lippman Carnegie Hall Concert
2022 Death of a Salesman Willy Loman Flint Reperatory Theatre

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result
1970 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Performance Minnie's Boys Won
1970 Theatre World Award Minnie's Boys Won
1974 Tony Award Best Actor in a Musical Candide Nominated
1996 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Nominated
2001 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play The Man Who Came to Dinner Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Erickson, Hal. "Lewis J Stadlen". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2012-07-11. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
  2. ^ The Time Of Your Life. OCLC 611053954 – via WorldCat.
  3. ^ Lane, Bill (1972-04-08). "Hollywood Beat". The Afro American. Baltimore. Retrieved 2022-01-07.

Further reading

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Acting Foolish, by Lewis J. Stadlen. BearManor Media, Albany, 2009. ISBN 1-59393-329-0.

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