Joanna Merlin

Joanna Merlin (born Joann Ratner; July 15, 1931 – October 15, 2023) was an American actress and casting director who worked with Stephen Sondheim and starred in the original Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof. She wrote two acting guides and was a faculty member of New York University's graduate acting program.[1] From 2000 to 2011, she was known for her recurring role on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Judge Lena Petrovsky.

Joanna Merlin
Born
Joann Ratner

(1931-07-15)July 15, 1931
DiedOctober 15, 2023(2023-10-15) (aged 92)
Occupation(s)Actor, teacher, author, casting director
Years active1956–2017
Spouses
Martin Lubner
(19501955)
    David Dretzin
    (m. 1965)
    Children2

    Early life

    Joann Ratner, who later took her mother's maiden name, was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Toni Merlin and Harry Ratner, a Jewish grocer.[2] Her family also included her older sister, Harriet Glickman, who would go on to gain recognition for having helped persuade Charles Schulz to add a black character to his Peanuts strip.[3] Merlin first acted on stage at age 11, joining a community theatre production, Too Many Marys.[4] Merlin graduated from UCLA[5] and later studied under Michael Chekhov, learning his world-renowned acting technique. She was described as the last student of Chekhov who was still alive and teaching.[1]

    Career

    Merlin made her first screen appearance in Cecil B. DeMille's film The Ten Commandments in 1956. Five years later, she made her Broadway debut in Becket before playing Tzeitel in Harold Prince's production of Fiddler on the Roof. She left the cast of Fiddler on the Roof before the end of its tour to take care of her two small children,[4] but Harold Prince gave her the opportunity to become involved in casting with a more flexible schedule. Company was the first musical for which Merlin served as the casting director. She was also in charge of casting for such plays as Follies, Evita and Sweeney Todd.

    In 1986, she served as casting director for the John Carpenter film, Big Trouble in Little China.

    After making appearances in several feature films, including the movie Fame, in which she played Miss Olivia Berg, a classical dance teacher; Merlin appeared in the NBC crime drama Law & Order in 1992 as a defense attorney. Like many actors from that show, she went on to play other characters in the Law & Order franchise - another defense attorney in the original show and a more recurring role as Judge Lena Petrovsky, a judge who was very stern, by-the-book, and scolded or sanctioned, at various times, ADAs Casey Novak (Diane Neal) and Alexandra Cabot (Stephanie March) and Detective (now Lieutenant) Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), in its first spin-off Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In the latter role, she appeared in every season between the years 2000 and 2011.

    Merlin taught in New York University's graduate acting program at the Tisch School of the Arts[1] and in 1999, founded the Michael Chekhov Association where she taught acting workshops.[6]

    Death

    Merlin died in Los Angeles on October 15, 2023, at the age of 92.[7][8]

    Filmography

    Film

    Year Title Role Notes
    1956 The Ten Commandments Jethro's Daughter
    1958 Weddings and Babies Josie
    1975 Hester Street Jake's Landlady
    1979 All That Jazz Nurse Pierce
    1980 Fame Miss Berg
    1982 Soup for One Allan's Mother
    1982 Love Child Mrs. Sturgis
    1983 Baby It's You Mrs. Rosen
    1984 The Killing Fields Sydney Schanberg's Sister
    1985 Year of the Dragon Casting Director
    1986 Big Trouble in Little China Casting Director
    1987 Prince of Darkness Bag Lady
    1987 The Last Emperor Casting Director
    1988 Mystic Pizza Mrs. Araújo
    1990 Mr. and Mrs. Bridge Casting Director
    1991 Class Action Estelle Ward
    1992 The Lover Casting Director
    1993 Little Buddha Tibetan Casting: New York
    1993 M. Butterfly Casting Consultant
    1993 Mr. Wonderful Loretta
    1995 Jefferson in Paris Casting Director
    1995 Two Bits Guendolina
    1996 MURDER and Murder Doris
    1998 City of Angels Teresa Messinger
    2001 The Jimmy Show Emily
    2003 Just Another Story Sadie
    2007 The Invasion Joan Kaufman
    2008 Beautiful Hills of Brooklyn Producer, Co-writer and the role of Jesse Sylvester
    2008 The Wackness Grandma Shapiro
    2010 Sarah's Key Mme. Rainsferd
    2017 Active Adults Miriam

    Television

    Year Title Role Notes
    1960 CBS Repertoire Workshop Musya Episode: "The Seven Who Were Hanged"
    1962 Naked City Gloria Werminski Episode: "King Stanislaus and the Knights of the Round Stable"
    1963 The Defenders Katy Martinez Episode: "The Bagman"
    1964 East Side/West Side Lucia Lopez Episode: "It's War, Man"
    1967 The Winter's Tale Paulina TV movie
    1978 The Last Tenant Mrs. Farelli TV movie
    1980 Nurse Nan Riley TV movie
    1981 ABC Afterschool Specials Inez Marin Episode: "Starstruck"
    1982 Another World Dr. Emily Cole Soap Opera
    Unknown episodes
    1983 Jacobo Timerman: Prisoner Without a Name, Cell Without a Number Unknown TV movie
    1986 Amazing Stories Marie / Wealthy Lady Episode: "Gather Ye Acorns"
    1989 CBS Schoolbreak Special Marian Rosenberg Episode: "A Matter of Conscience"
    1990 Murder in Black and White Dr. Bromberg TV movie
    1991 L.A. Law Assistant District Attorney Ellen Kennedy Episode: "Pump it up"
    1991 A Marriage: Georgia O'Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz Dolly Stieglitz TV movie
    1991 In a Child's Name Frances Silvano TV movie
    1992 Baby Talk Unknown Episodes: "Scenes from a Marriage"
    1992–1993 Law & Order Carla Bowman 2 episodes
    1993 Love, Honor & Obey: The Last Mafia Marriage Rose Profaci TV movie
    1993 Northern Exposure Nadine Fleischman Episode: "Birds of a Feather"
    1995 Everyman Casting Advisor
    1996 The Prosecutors Unknown TV movie
    1996–1997 New York Undercover Carmella McNamara 4 episodes
    1997 All My Children Judge Brauer Soap Opera
    Unknown episodes
    1994–1998 Law & Order Deirdre Powell 3 episodes
    1999 Black and Blue Ann Benedetto TV movie
    1999 Witness Protection Mrs. O'Connor, Cindy's Mother TV movie
    2004 The Jury Jackie Ochs Episode: "Too Jung to Die"
    2008 The American Experience Family Member
    2010 Frontline Herself Episode: Digital Nation"
    2011 The Good Wife Loni Goslin Episode: "In Sickness"
    2000–2011 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Judge Lena Petrovsky 43 episodes
    2013 Homeland Grandma Lois Episode: "Tin Man Is Down"

    Stage

    Year Title Role Notes
    1961 Becket Gwendolyn
    1961 A Far Country Replacement Performer
    1964 Fiddler on the Roof Tzeitel
    1970 Company Casting Director
    1971 Follies Casting Director
    1973 A Little Night Music Casting Director
    1976 Pacific Overtures Casting Director
    1978 On the Twentieth Century Casting Director
    1979 Evita Casting Director
    1979 Sweeney Todd Casting Director
    1981 Merrily We Roll Along Casting Director
    1982 A Doll's Life Casting Director
    1987 Into The Woods Casting Director
    2014 Absence Helen Bastion

    Awards and nominations

    Year Award Category Film or series Result
    1988 Casting Society of America Artios Award Best Casting for a Feature Film, Drama The Last Emperor Won
    2009 Strasbourg International Film Festival Award Best Actress Beautiful Hills of Brooklyn Won

    References

    1. "Graduate Acting Faculty Directory". New York University. Archived from the original on 2012-08-27. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
    2. "Joanna Merlin" Profile. Memim.com. Accessed October 2015.
    3. Slotnik, Daniel E. (2020-04-03). "Harriet Glickman, Who Pushed 'Peanuts' to Add a Black Character, Dies at 93". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
    4. Eaker, Sherry (2000-11-10). "Audition Advice From an Industry Vet: Joanna Merlin". Back Stage. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
    5. Erickson, Hal. "Joanna Merlin - Movie and Film Biography". All Movie. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
    6. "Joanna Merlin". The Michael Chekhov Association. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
    7. Greg Evans (October 16, 2023). "Joanna Merlin Dies: Original Fiddler On The Roof Tzeitel, Longtime Judge On Law & Order: SVU Was 92". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
    8. Michael Starr (October 16, 2023). "Fiddler on the Roof actress Joanna Merlin dead at 92". New York Post. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
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