Lennie Briscoe

Detective Leonard "Lennie" W. Briscoe (played by Jerry Orbach) was a fictional character on NBC's long running drama, Law & Order for 12 seasons from 1992 to 2004. He also appeared in all three Law & Order spinoffs, and was part of the original cast of ', appearing in only the first two episodes.

Related Topics:
Jerry Orbach - NBC - Law & Order - 1992 - 2004 - Spinoff

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Briscoe worked for the 27th Precinct division of the New York City Police Department as a homicide detective. His boss during his first year on duty at the 27th was Captain Don Cragen (portrayed by Dann Florek); later Lt. Anita Van Buren (portrayed by S. Epatha Merkerson) took over the homicide squad.

Related Topics:
New York City Police Department - Homicide - Don Cragen - Dann Florek - Anita Van Buren - S. Epatha Merkerson

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Briscoe had two daughters named Cathy and Julia, and a nephew, Detective Ken Briscoe (played by Orbach's son, Chris), who appeared in early episodes of '. His family was fairly dysfunctional, however; an alcoholic for much of his life (he went sober in late middle age), he was often absent from his daughters' lives, and they had distant, fractious relationships with him as adults. Briscoe blamed himself, especially when Julia, a methamphetamine addict, was murdered in 1998.

Related Topics:
Dysfunction - Alcoholic - Sober - Methamphetamine - Murder - 1998

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Briscoe first appeared on the show's third season, after Detective Mike Logan's partner Sgt. Phil Cerreta was shot by a black market arms dealer and was given a desk job. Since then, Briscoe became one of the two most popular characters over the 15-year history of the show (the other being Executive Assistant District Attorney Jack McCoy). Logan was transferred to Staten Island in 1995 for slugging a politician who had just gotten off on a murder charge, and was replaced with Detective Rey Curtis (later, Detective Ed Green in 1999).

Related Topics:
Detective Mike Logan - Sgt. Phil Cerreta - Black market - Executive Assistant District Attorney Jack McCoy - Staten Island - 1995 - Murder - Rey Curtis - Ed Green - 1999

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Over the twelve years Briscoe was featured on L&O, his wry, sarcastic wit became one of the show's most popular, endearing trademarks.

Related Topics:
Wit - Trademark

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Briscoe fell off the wagon in 1996, resulting in the death of Assistant District Attorney Claire Kincaid, who was struck and killed by a drunk driver while driving him home from a bar. The experience shook him deeply, and he remained sober for the rest of his life.

Related Topics:
1996 - Assistant District Attorney Claire Kincaid - Drunk driver - Bar - Sober

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Although raised Catholic, Briscoe was Jewish on his father's side and occasionally attended rabbinic services as a courtesy to his first wife. He was sometimes the target of antisemitism from criminals and even some of his own colleagues.

Related Topics:
Catholic - Jew - Rabbi - Antisemitism

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Lennie Briscoe is one of many characters on the show to have served in the military; he was at one point a corporal in the United States Army. After leaving the Army, Briscoe walked a beat for several years before getting his detective's badge.

Related Topics:
Military - Corporal - United States Army

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In 2004, Briscoe retired from the detective business, and went to become a District Attorney Investigator with partner Hector Salazar, for DA Arthur Branch.

Related Topics:
2004 - Retired - Hector Salazar - Arthur Branch

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He died in 2005, coinciding with Orbach's death from prostate cancer. Logan and Cragen were among the chief mourners at his funeral.

Related Topics:
2005 - Prostate cancer - Funeral

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