Joanna Merlin, known for her roles on Broadway, in the film Fame and as non-nonsense Judge Lena Petrovsky in TV’s Law & Order: SVU, has passed away at 92. Her death was announced by the New York University Tisch Graduate Acting Program, where she had been a faculty member since 1998.
“Joanna was an actress, master Chekhov teacher, and former casting director for Harold Prince, Stephen Sondheim, Bernardo Bertolucci, and James Ivory,” the NYU statement said. “Joanna will be deeply missed at Grad Acting, by the Chekhov community, and by the many people she touched through her artistry.”
Merlin, renowned for her work as a casting director, played a pivotal role in casting for several iconic Broadway productions by Stephen Sondheim. She served as the trusted casting director for Harold Prince for many years.
A specific cause of death has yet to be disclosed.
Born Joann Ratner in Chicago on July 15, 1931, she adopted a stage name as she embarked on her show business journey. Her career led her to the Broadway stage, where she performed in three noteworthy productions, including the original 1960 rendition of “Becket” featuring Laurence Olivier and Anthony Quinn and the original 1961 production of “A Far Country” starring Kim Stanley.
Merlin’s breakthrough on stage occurred in 1964 when she portrayed Tzeitel, the eldest daughter of milkman Tevye, in the hit musical Fiddler on the Roof. Her character’s desire to marry the poor tailor Motel was a pivotal element in the story, and she was part of the memorable musical number “Matchmaker, Matchmaker.”
Following her role in Fiddler, Merlin shifted her focus to casting, particularly on Broadway. She cast crucial roles in some of Stephen Sondheim’s most significant musicals, including Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd, and more.
Merlin’s screen career began with her role as Jethro’s Daughter in Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments (1956), followed by more minor roles in television and film during the 1960s and ’70s, such as Naked City and Bob Fosse‘s All That Jazz.
Merlin had guest or small roles in films like Mr. Wonderful and The Wackness and appeared in later television series such as New York Undercover, All My Children, The Good Wife, and Homeland.
For TV fans she will forever be remembered for her role within the Law & Order franchise. While she appeared in the original Law & Order series in the mid-1990s, her portrayal of the no-nonsense and formidable Judge Lena Petrovsky in over 40 episodes of Law & Order: SVU from 2000 to 2011 became the defining role of her later career.
