Steven Hill (born Solomon Krakovsky; Yiddish: ; February 24, 1922
August 23, 2016) was an American actor. His two better-known roles are
district attorney Adam Schiff on the NBC television drama series Law &
Order, whom he portrayed for 10 seasons (19902000), and Dan Briggs,
the original team leader of the Impossible Missions Force on the CBS
television series Mission: Impossible, whom he portrayed in the
initial season of the show (19661967).Hill was highly esteemed by his
peers, but his strict adherence to Orthodox Judaism--which he adopted
after becoming an established actor--limited his career.Hill was born
Solomon Krakovsky in Seattle, Washington, to Russian Jewish
immigrants. His father owned a furniture store. He decided to become
an actor at age six when he played the lead in The Pied Piper of
Hamelin. After graduating from West Seattle High School in 1940, Hill
attended the University of Washington and served four years in the
United States Navy during World War II. He graduated from the
University of Washington and moved first to Chicago and then to New
York City to pursue an acting career.Hill made his first Broadway
stage appearance in Ben Hecht's A Flag Is Born in 1946, which also
featured a young Marlon Brando. Hill said that his big break came when
he landed a small part in the hit Broadway show Mister Roberts. "The
director, Joshua Logan, thought I had some ability, and he let me
create one of the scenes," said Hill. "So, I improvised dialog and it
went in the show. That was my first endorsement. It gave me tremendous
encouragement to stay in the business." Hill said this was a thrilling
time in his life when, fresh out of the Navy, he played the hapless
sailor Stefanowski. "You could almost smell it from the very first
reading that took place; this is going to be an overwhelming hit,"
said Hill. "We all felt it and experienced it and were convinced of
it, and we were riding the crest of a wave from the very first day of
rehearsals."
August 23, 2016) was an American actor. His two better-known roles are
district attorney Adam Schiff on the NBC television drama series Law &
Order, whom he portrayed for 10 seasons (19902000), and Dan Briggs,
the original team leader of the Impossible Missions Force on the CBS
television series Mission: Impossible, whom he portrayed in the
initial season of the show (19661967).Hill was highly esteemed by his
peers, but his strict adherence to Orthodox Judaism--which he adopted
after becoming an established actor--limited his career.Hill was born
Solomon Krakovsky in Seattle, Washington, to Russian Jewish
immigrants. His father owned a furniture store. He decided to become
an actor at age six when he played the lead in The Pied Piper of
Hamelin. After graduating from West Seattle High School in 1940, Hill
attended the University of Washington and served four years in the
United States Navy during World War II. He graduated from the
University of Washington and moved first to Chicago and then to New
York City to pursue an acting career.Hill made his first Broadway
stage appearance in Ben Hecht's A Flag Is Born in 1946, which also
featured a young Marlon Brando. Hill said that his big break came when
he landed a small part in the hit Broadway show Mister Roberts. "The
director, Joshua Logan, thought I had some ability, and he let me
create one of the scenes," said Hill. "So, I improvised dialog and it
went in the show. That was my first endorsement. It gave me tremendous
encouragement to stay in the business." Hill said this was a thrilling
time in his life when, fresh out of the Navy, he played the hapless
sailor Stefanowski. "You could almost smell it from the very first
reading that took place; this is going to be an overwhelming hit,"
said Hill. "We all felt it and experienced it and were convinced of
it, and we were riding the crest of a wave from the very first day of
rehearsals."
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