If you watch any of the Law & Order franchises at all regularly, you’ve seen more of them than you could possibly count. They’re bit actors — not extras, since they have speaking parts, but not exactly supporting characters either, since those parts are limited to a few quick lines in the middle of a single episode. In this week’s New York Observer, writer/actor Peter Lettre calls these appearances "bridge scenes… full of enough exposition to move the story forward, but with just enough suspicion to keep it interesting." He would know. That was him on Law & Order: Criminal Intent last weekend, briefly playing a guy named Minister Billy Lester on the episode with the improbable title "Please Note We Are No Longer Accepting Letters of Recommendation From Henry Kissinger."
Lettre, of course, was overjoyed to land this minor role. He calls these bit parts on the L&O shows "a rite of passage" for hundreds and hundreds of actors in NYC, and they’re clearly an integral part of making the shows happen each week. Lettre’s Observer story provides a very cool inside look at that world, from awkward off-camera chit-chat with Vincent D’Onofrio (pictured) to the premiere party his mom threw when his ep aired. From a viewer’s perspective, it’s fascinating stuff — like a slightly less absurd version of Ricky Gervais’ Extras, y’know? So let’s hear it, L&O fans: What do you think of Lettre’s behind-the-scenes story? And are there any L&O bit parts that have stuck with you over the years?
Jennifer Gardner seducing Benjamin Bratt, but I guess that doesn’t really count as a bit part. I have always thought that a great L&O promotion would be a contest to play the dead victim at the beginning of an episode. Any L&O fan would “die” to play a victim!
I love the M.E. who plays the part on all 3 shows – I miss the days when Lenny used to hit on her!
now the boss on law and order ci is hiting on the same lady sometimes she looks 30 and the in another ep she apearrs 40 what gives
I always like the beginning of the episodes, where there’s another story going on with the characters that discover the body, sometimes I wish we could follow those characters and see what happen with them, lol.
S. Epatha Merkerson actually played one of these bit parts on “Law & Order” in 1991, two years before she began portraying Lt. Van Buren.
Also, I think it’s interesting to see how sometimes these bit part actors appear on more than one episode in different roles, crossing from Law & Order to SVU or CI.
As you can imagine, I watch this show way too much.
Law&Order is awsome!I watch it every night!!!!
Ladybug: I’ve been saying that for years, about wanting to play a victim! The whole show is about you, but you just play dead—gotta love it!
And I remember Jerry Orbach as a defense lawyer before he played Lennie. What’s memorable for me are the repeat offenders (the actors that show up multiple times in different roles)…no joke, I’ve seen this one dude at least five times.
I remember being pleasantly surprised to see Amy Sedaris on Law and Order: SVU (not sure if she’s been on the others) and occationally a NYC-based soap opera actor will pop up. Also, it was more than a bit part, but it’s still bizarre to catch the ep. that Stephen Colbert did.
Darby: I loved their banter.
When I go to the theater, one thing I do while waiting for the curtain to go up is read through the Playbill checking which members of the cast list L&O in their credits. They’re always there. Then we hopelessly try to remember who they played…a judge, a defense attorney, someone who knew the victim – options seem endless.