Lewis J. Stadlen
Lewis J. Stadlen is an American stage and screen character actor. He is best known for playing Ira Fried in The Sopranos.
Career
Stage
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.
Film
Stadlen's film credits include Portnoy's Complaint, Serpico, The Verdict, Windy City, and In & Out.Television
In 1966, Stadlen made his debut in a single appearance on The Edge of Night, playing a newsboy. His television credits in the 1970's were limited to guest appearances until 1979, when he was cast as a series regular in the first season of Benson as John Taylor, Governor Gatling's chief of staff.Stadlen found this role to be dissatisfying, frequently clashing with producers over the scripts and the direction of his character. He asked to be released from his contract, leaving him to be replaced in the second season by René Auberjonois, who assumed the role of Clayton Endicott. He also has appeared in Law & Order and The Sopranos.
His autobiography, Acting Foolish, was published by Bear Manor in 2009.