# Lewis J. Stadlen

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

## Career

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

## Awards and nominations

| 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 |

## Credits
### Film

| 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

| 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

| 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 |