Orbach died Tuesday night in Manhattan. Earlier this month, Orbach's manager, Robert Malcolm, confirmed that the veteran actor had been diagnosed with the disease and had been undergoing treatment since last spring, but was expected to be okay.During his years on L&O, Orbach netted one Emmy nomination for Lead Actor and seven Screen Actors Guild nominations as part of the show's ensemble cast.
Apart from playing the wisecracking Briscoe on the small screen for the last decade-plus, the Bronx-born Orbach's credits extended to both the stage and cinema.
On the New York stage, Orbach created the roles of El Gallo in the long-running off-Broadway sensation The Fantasticks, Billy Flynn in Chicago and Julian Marsh in 42nd Street.
Orbach won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for Promises, Promises in 1969 and was nominated for Tonys for his performances in Guys and Dolls in 1965 and Chicago in 1976.
He played Baby Houseman (Jennifer Grey)'s stern, but loving father in 1987's cult classic, Dirty Dancing, and provided the voice of the cheery candelabra Lumiere in 1991's Oscar-nominated animated feature Beauty and the Beast.
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