is anita van buren still alive is anita van buren still alive

(L&O: "Competence"), In 1997, she sued the NYPD after a white woman with less experience was promoted over her. (commonly used by. ", a nickname Briscoe and Curtis had been using by that time since at least Season Eight (L&O: "Navy Blues"). Orbach who was so ill at that point he could barely speak, and producers worried he wouldnt recover his voice to re-record his lines later. Van Buren appeared in 390 episodes of Law & Order. See how Camryn Manheim fits into the Law & Order cast as Lt. Kate Dixon when the series returns after more than ten years in 2022. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. To her surprise, the Chief gives her mints and directs her to someone who sells medicinal drugs and is careful and discreet. HBO Maxs Penguin Series Has Cast Its Sal Maroni, So Does This Mean Two-Face Is Coming To The Batman Universe. She was replaced with Angie Harmons tough-talking Texan ADA Abbie Carmichael. 2023 Getty Images. (L&O: "Rubber Room") Law & Order (1 season, 7 episodes): Season 20 . But even with Law & Order over, Merkerson is still working with Dick wolf. The show, which premiered in 1990 and has since launched spinoffs like "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," was named the 36th best show of all time by Rolling Stone and lives on in reruns. A graduate of John Jay College (as is Ron Carver from Law & Order: Criminal Intent), Van Buren is divorced from Donald, who owns a hardware store (L&O: "Scoundrels"). She has won numerous awards, including an Emmy, a Golden Globe, a SAG Award, an Obie, and four NAACP Image Awards. Orbach, who tried to put Baby in the corner in Dirty Dancing, once said hed never leave Law & Order. The show always used an ensemble cast of six characters, split between the cops and the attorneys. Her parents separated when she was five. Read more about this topic: Anita Van Buren, The dialectic between change and continuity is a painful but deeply instructive one, in personal life as in the life of a people. The squad then announced that they and several of her friends in an out of the NYPD have all put in donations for her to afford cancer treatment. One of the donations came from the head of a teacher's union that the police had clashed with during their case who brought with him donations from the Police Commissioner and the Mayor, stating that Van Buren had a lot of friends standing with her. However, in the final episode of the series, "Rubber Room", her health appears to have improved: she receives a call from her doctor, looks back at her colleagues and whispers "Thank youThank you" to herself. In Season 20, Van Buren was diagnosed with Stage-II cervical cancer, caused by the sexually-transmitted human papillomavirus which she had contracted from Donald, who had been cheating on her. Anita Van Buren "I've given it my best for 16 years. Scream VI Has Screened, Heres What People Are Saying About The Latest Ghostface Movie, Following New Hellboy Casting, The Upcoming Reboot Has Added Some Yellowstone And Resident Evil Stars, After Kaia Gerber's Nepo Baby Comments, Cindy Crawford's Son Opens Up About Mental Health Troubles And Raising Awareness, Wood Harris Recalls Losing Roles In The Best Man and Denzel Washington's Fallen. In that same episode, her boyfriend Frank (portrayed by Ernie Hudson) appears for the first time. Laura turned a lifelong love of television into a valid reason to write and think about TV on a daily basis. Van Buren lost hair, conducted short telephone skirmishes with her insurance carrier and . S. Epatha Merkerson (born November 28, 1952) is a film, stage, and television actor. And the show has cast an actress with extensive experience in a legal drama to occupy the role as a series regular: The Practice alum Camryn Manheim. Van Buren was in charge of the detectives of the27th Precinct. Ron Carver in setting up a sting operation to arrest another former acquaintance, Terry Randolph, for murder. The NYPD's Anita Van Buren has led the detective squad at Manhattan's 27th Precinct on "Law and Order" since 1993. ( L&O: "Fed") Briscoe's revolver (L&O: "Bad Girl"; "Monster"), In 2001, Van Buren discovered that a case she solved 12 years earlier had been tainted by a fabricated fingerprint match given to her by her friend in the forensics department, Lisa Russo. The 2-7 got its new boss in Lieutenant Anita Van Buren played by S. Epatha Merkerson. Van Buren was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing in the shooting as she didn't intentionally kill the young man, but it continued to haunt her. Donald Van Buren (ex-husband)Ric Van Buren (son)Stefan Van Buren (son)Frank Gibson (fiance)Unnamed sister Yet before "Law & Order" was canceled, Merkerson had already announced her decision to leave the series. Following that, she played Berniece in the original Broadway production of August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "The Piano Lesson." Last Appearance This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. So I thought, legitimately, everybody could be whispering in that scene, he said. Merkerson received a Tony Award nomination for her work. They have two sons, Ric (who is diagnosed with scoliosis at the age of six in 1995) and Stefan. NYPD Merkerson had many other credits during the run of "Law & Order." "There are very few things in life that are literally dreams come true. S. Epatha Merkerson came on as a series regular on "Law & Order" in 1993 and stayed in her role as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren until the show was abruptly canceled in 2010. She has four older siblings named Linda, Debbie, Barrie, and Zephry; the kids were raised by their mother Ann, a post office worker. That longevity earned her the distinction ofbeing TV's longest-running Black female character in primetime (via Mental Floss). She replaced Captain Donald Cragen as head of the precinct in 1993. The squad then announced that they and several of her friends in an out of the NYPD have all put in donations for her to afford cancer treatment. She appeared in 395 episodes of the franchise (including guest appearances . It was Lupo's idea after he overheard Van Buren's phone conversation in which she mentioned increasing medical bills. ", In the early 00s, Merkerson had supporting roles in "The Rising Place," "Radio," and "Jersey Girl." Her television movies include "A Mother's Prayer," "A Place for Annie," "Breaking Free," Lifetime's "The Gabby Douglas Story" and NBC's "Exiled," which featured former "Law & Order" cast member Chris Noth.In early 2012, Merkerson completed "The Contradictions of Fair Hope," marking her first feature documentary as executive producer/co-director. Menu. Her first was in 1991, followed by her second in 1993 and her third in 1994. Alive (retired) She had interestingly already decided to leave the show before its 2010 cancellation, and her character may not even be alive right now. ago. . (L&O: "Rubber Room") She presumably retired sometime afterward; as of 2013, Toni Howard was head of the Two-Seven until 2022, where Kate Dixon took over. The revival of the original Law & Order is just a few months away, and star Anthony Anderson already confirmed that filming has begun. After Since leaving "Law & Order" in 2010, she has continued to appear in a wide variety of film, television, and theater projects. However, she's arguably best known for being the longest-running character on "Law & Order"portraying Lieutenant Anita Van Buren on the show for 17 seasons (via NPR). S. Epatha Merkerson is an Emmy Award-winning actress with quite an extensive filmography. Dann Florek, who played Captain Donald Cragen, who led the fictitious NYPDs 27th Precinct, and Richard Brooks played Assistant District Attorney Paul Robinette were released so the show could add women into the cast. He spent time at Tulsa VA Hospital in Oklahoma (L&O: "Over Here"). Anita Van Buren - Personal Life Personal Life A graduate of John Jay College (as is Ron Carver from Law & Order: Criminal Intent ), Van Buren is divorced from Donald, who owns a hardware store ( L&O: "Scoundrels"). Name She replaced Captain Donald Cragen as head of the precinct in 1993. "Merkerson is an accomplished actress who has won critical acclaim for her work in theater, television and film. Lieutenant Anita Van Buren is a fictional character on NBC 's long-running police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order, portrayed by S. Epatha Merkerson. She remained on the show until 1989. Last Appearance Merkerson's other stage credits have included "The Old Settler," "F**king A," "While I Yet Live," and "Come Back, Little Sheba," for which she earned her second Tony nomination. She's also great in the interrogation room. Showing Editorial results for anita van buren. Police officer I'm Black, I'm female and I'm in my 50s. FirstTacoInSpace 10 mo. (CI: "Badge"), In 2010, Van Buren spoke of and was seen getting treatment for cervical cancer. She WAS L&O as much as Sam Waterston! Though Briscoe assured Van Buren that she was not at fault for what happened, she still felt very much guilty as her involvement in the original case was what got her promoted. Merkerson's next main role came in 2015, when she began playing Sharon Goodwin on NBC's "Chicago Med." Anita Van Buren (fiance) He left SVU in 2013. Frank Gibson is the fiance of Anita Van Buren. It is revealed in L&O: "Boy Gone Astray", that she has not been eating much since she began chemotherapy; her son tries to help by offering her some medical marijuana, which she initially rejects because it is a crime in New York and she is a sworn police officer. But early on, the show didnt have that reputation. ( L&O: "Sweeps") Contents 1 History 2 Officer-involved shootings 3 Trivia 4 Appearances History Movies. I'm doing other things and this will be a great way to leave what has been an extraordinary gig. For its premiere date (which may be bad news for another show), as well as the other Law & Order shows, be sure to check out our 2022 winter and spring premiere schedule. DeMore Barnes is another notable one, as he appeared in One Chicago as one character before joining SVU as a different series regular. Click to reveal Merkerson is currently a series regular on another show set in the same universe as Law & Order, thanks to her longtime role as Sharon Goodwin on Chicago Med, and Med is just a few degrees of separation away from Law & Order under the Wolf Entertainment banner. Lieutenant Anita Van Buren was the commanding officer of the 27th Precinct for almost 20 years. In 2015 she began appearing as a main cast member of the "Chicago" series of shows (Fire, Med, P.D.). Anyone who watched the original Law & Order knows the casts line-up was shaken up like a snow globe every few years. Merkerson made it through until the show was canceled more than a decade later. Van Buren is divorced from Donald, who owns a hardware store. Other credits include "Radio," which garnered her a Cammie Award, "Black Snake Moan," "Terminator II: Judgment Day," "Random Hearts," "Navy SEALs," "Mother and Child," "The Six Wives of Henry Lefay" "Peeples" and "Lincoln. 27th Precinct (1993-2010) Van Buren was a resilient and determined leader who wasn't afraid to make hard decisions, and deal with their subsequent (often even harder)consequences. Lieutenant She later began chemotherapy (L&O: "Just a Girl in the World"). Merkerson made an important mark on the show with her role as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren on the original Law & Order series, which aired from 1990 to 2010. . Up until then, there weren't very many or really any full-time female actresses in Law & Order. Anita Van Buren is the Commanding Officer of the Detective Squad at the 27th Precinct in Law & Order. "Law & Order" Vendetta (TV Episode 2004) S. Epatha Merkerson as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren. Merkerson has made guest appearances on "Deception," "The Cosby Show," "Frasier," "The Closer" and "Being Mary Jane." Before Ice-T started his 18th season on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," Van Buren had also beenTV's longest-running Black character in primetime. At a party, Van Buren introduces Gibson to the squad before Van Buren announced to the squad that she was getting engaged to Frank. Alive Name The couple did not have any children together. Played by Jerry Orbach, Briscoe added levity to the show and at times some serious sadness. (L&O: "Myth of Fingerprints"), In 2002, she assisted A.D.A. Family By using the site, you consent to these cookies. We and our partners use cookies on this site to improve our service, perform analytics, personalize advertising, measure advertising performance, and remember website preferences. New York, Really, the point is that I come from a specific background. Unfortunately, that decision was made for him after 12 seasons of being one of the best police officers on television, Jerry Orbach died of prostate cancer in 2004. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). What hadn't been business as usual throughout Season 20 was the battle with cancer fought by Lt. Anita Van Buren, the show's longest-tenured character. Epatha Merkerson is probably best-known for her long-running role as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren on NBC's "Law & Order". "Sweeps" She has also been nominated for two Tony Awards. Ernie Hudson Performance & security by Cloudflare. But I got the scene. She appeared in 391 episodes of the seriesmore than any other cast member. There was a problem. S. Epatha Merkerson Deceit" Episode 17 -- Aired -- Pictured: S. Epatha Merkerson as Lt. Anita Van Buren -- Photo by: Robert Gilberg/NBCU Photo Bank . By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. No further details about Dixons character have been released at the time of writing, but S. Epatha Merkerson was a longtime member of the cast as Van Buren during its original run on NBC. NBC canceled the show in 2010, but it still has two surviving spinoffs and a third spinoff on the way. First Appearance Up until then, there werent very many or really any full-time female actresses in Law & Order. Law & Order" finally ended its run in 2010. Frank Gibson is the fiance of Anita Van Buren. Merkerson has also appeared in many films, including "She's Gotta Have It," "Jacob's Ladder," "Lackawanna Blues," "Lincoln," and "Year by the Sea.". Her sister lives in Queens (L&O : "Whiplash"). Manhattan North Homicide SquadNarcotics Division (formerly) Following that, she appeared on "The Closer" and in the Lifetime television movie "Girl, Positive." Submit a correction suggestion and help us fix it. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Robinette was replaced with Assistant District Attorney Claire Kincaid, played by Jill Hennessy. Through 20 seasons she has broken through many barriers, including sexism. The case would have gone unsolved, with the primary suspect in the murder dead within a couple of years. During her lengthy tenure as squad leader of the Two-Seven, she commanded various detectives; this included Lennie Briscoe, Mike Logan, Tony Profaci, Rey Curtis, Morris LaMotte, Sammy Kurtz, Ed Green, Reina Perez, Ana Cordova, Joe Fontana, Nick Falco, Nina Cassady, Cyrus Lupo, and Kevin Bernard. Heres how it works. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. NBC press releases at the time of the character's departure mentioned that Robinette had moved to a Park Avenue law firm. This is mine," the show's creator Dick Wolf told Deadlineabout "Law & Order" being renewed. Family (, She enjoys the poet Langston Hughesand she is left-handed. That's how Jill Hennessey and I ended up on the show because NBC was going to cancel it if he didn't bring skirts in. Although best known since 1993 as the smart and shrewd Lieutenant Anita Van Buren on the long-running TV crime drama Law & Order (1990), she has a long list of Broadway and off-Broadway credits and honors that include Drama Desk Award and Tony Award nominations for Best Actress for her performance in the August Wilson play The Piano Lesson "It's a graceful way to go," she told Entertainment Weekly at the time. 210.65.88.143 Despite the show finding its footing in season 5 and later, it was still two unexpected firings. In the 90s, she appeared in the television films "A Place for Annie" and "A Mother's Prayer." Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. However, a sudden twist helped law enforcement officials to catch the perpetrator. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Cinemablend is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The commander of the 27th Precinct, Anita Van Buren, is an integral part of the show and showcases a tough-as-nails female police officer willing to do whatever needs to be done. (L&O: "Memo From The Dark Side") She initially resists taking medical marijuana due to its illegality, but the Chief of Detectives gives her advice and help, revealing that he is a testicular cancer survivor and is willing to look the other way for Van Buren as long as she is discreet about it. This is far from unprecedented, and not just because of S. Epatha Merkersons role as Van Buren followed by her role as Goodwin. In another fun twist, Kate Dixon for the Law & Order revival isnt Camryn Manheims only appearance in Wolf Entertainment to date. Precinct Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Collect, curate and comment on your files. "Rubber Room". However, it seems that a huge aspect of why Merkerson enjoyed her role, as revealed in a2009 panel interview at the Paley Centerback when "Law & Order" was still on the air, was that the showrunners allowed her to voice her opinion. Law & Order as well as SVU have been running for such a long time that there are bound to be examples of actors returning for different parts. ", How S. Epatha Merkerson Really Feels About Her Law & Order Character. Twenty-nine actors appeared in the permanent cast over the 20 seasons of Law & Order. Next, Merkerson played the mother of Kerry Washington's character in the 2013 romcom "Peeples." From 1994 until their divorce in 2006, Merkerson was married to Toussaint Jones Jr. And even though "Law & Order" finally ended its run in 2010, Merkerson's character has remained a memorable TV icon, and will certainly be remembered for years to come something that Merkerson herself has commented upon a few times. Van Buren relentlessly pursues a cocky suspect she believes was responsible for driving a friend's daughter to suicide, because he allegedly attacked her with drain cleaner. For more information on cookies including how to manage your consent visit our. After that, Merkerson obtained her MFA from New York University in 1978. Due to the chemotherapy, she has lost her hair and begun using a wig (L&O: "Human Flesh Search Engine"). With Dennis Farina, Jesse L. Martin, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sam Waterston. (L&O: "Boy Gone Astray") By the end of the season, she appeared to have been cured of her cancer. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. via: NBC NBC's police procedural 'Law and Order' has seen a great cast turnover with several actors departing the show and returning in special appearances throughout the years. Actor While there's no word yet on who from the original cast will be returning, avid viewers are hoping thatSam Waterson will be reprising his role as DA Jack McCoy. Merkerson played Lieutenant Anita Van Buren on 17 seasons of NBC's beloved procedural until she mysteriously vanished. In "For the Defense", van Buren regained her appetite for the first time in six weeks. ("I play it cool / I dig all jive / That's the reason / I stay alive"). Title So, then I got the scene and I knew what I was going to do at the beginning. Browse 299 anita van buren stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. She was affectionately addressed by two shortened versions of her rank: earlier on, many of her detectives, including Ed Green, Lennie Briscoe and Rey Curtis, called her "Lieu"; Dets. Merkerson went on to play Lieutenant Anita Van Buren for 17 seasons of "Law & Order" through 2010, when the show ended. At the party where she appeared to get the good news, she also announced her engagement to her boyfriend Frank Gibson and received donations from all of her friends to help pay for Van Buren's treatment. In the following episode, L&O: "Great Satan", one of her sons (it is unclear which one, as he is not named onscreen), is portrayed by Sean Nelson. The two faces of the series! They have two sons, Ric (who is diagnosed with scoliosis at the age of six in 1995) and Stefan. It is revealed that she spent five years as a patrol officer and seven years in undercover narcotics (L&O: "Fame"). At a party, Van Buren introduces Gibson to the squad before Van Buren announced to the squad that she was getting engaged to Frank. She continued appearing in supporting roles in such films as "Black Snake Moan," "Slipstream," "The Six Wives of Henry Lefay," and "Mother and Child." In her post on Instagram celebrating the news that she has joined the cast of the upcoming revival, Manheim wrote: I am over the moon to be joining the cast of Law & Order as Lt. Kate Dixon. Status She's not a doctor, lawyer, or detective, but watches a lot of them in primetime. Most times, I lose but sometimes Iwin. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Actor Search instead in Creative? In "Slave," she gets off a perfect groin shot to subdue a dangerous perp. Full range WITHIN story & context while her time on the series still stayed in its bread & butter lane of plot focused stories week to week. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Law & Order: What Happened to Don Cragen and Paul Robinette. Your IP: Van Buren has been a cop for over 30 years. Appearing on Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s PBS genealogy television show "Finding Your Roots," Merkerson learned that she is a descendant of Isaac Hawkins and eight other enslaved people who were sold in the 1838 Jesuit slave sale. NY 10036. Status She also shared the screen with Dylan McDermott for seven seasons of The Practice, and McDermott has gone on to land a prime role in Law & Order: Organized Crime. In her final season, Van Buren was diagnosed with Stage II Cervical cancer. So I said, Lets get everybody back and loop the scene so that everybody whispers. And it worked.. It was quite a tragic end for her, and fans were sad to see her character suffer. He spent time atTulsa VA Hospitalin, Some of her detectives often addressed her affectionately by two shortened versions of her rank: "L.T." Producers switched out his partners several times, as well. TV Shows. I know of nothing so miraculous in our history.Henry David Thoreau (18171862). Will not time travel, but will sneak references to The X-Files into daily conversation. In the end, Russo went to jail for her misconduct. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. She went on to earn further plaudits, including a pair of Obie Awards, for her work in "I'm Not Stupid" and "Birdie Blue." The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Anita Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson): The rock of the NYPD. It was really that simple.". She also valued how "integral" her role on the series was, both onscreen and off. For many years Merkerson held the record for the longest-running African-American character on television. Resident of One Chicago, the galaxy far, far away, and Northeast Ohio. "Sometimes, I win. Her father was wounded in Wasu, Korea during the Korea War in 1952. To see the light too often has meant rejecting the treasures found in darkness.Adrienne Rich (b. Law & Orders director and producers went back and forth on what they should do. Like the other cops in her squad, she knows that her life is on the line every day, and her very survival can be at stake. As Alessandra Stanley wrote last week, the show's treatment of it was graceful but unblinking. "Merkerson has completed filming on three upcoming independent films: "The Challenger" with Michael Clark Duncan; "Sexual Healing," a biopic about Marvin Gaye with Jesse L. Martin; and "Year by the Sea," opposite Joan Allen.Her theater credits include the 2008 Broadway revival of "Come Back Little Sheba," (Tony nomination); August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson," (Tony, Drama Desk, Helen Hayes Award nominations); "Birdie Blue" and "I'm Not Stupid," (Obie Awards); "The Old Settler (Helen Hayes Award); "F*cking A" and "While I Yet Live" (Lucille Lortel nomination).On television, she was a series regular on "Pee-wee's Playhouse," "The Cosby Show" spin-off "Here and Now" and Dick Wolf's "Mann & Machine." There's no one who sits at our table who sits from my perspective,"Merkerson said. It's time to move on. 2023 Celebrity Net Worth / All Rights Reserved. We welcome all corrections and feedback using the button below. Acid: Directed by Michael Pressman. Thats why when fans were stunned when they turned on season 4 to find Captain Don Cragen and ADA Paul Robinette were gone. But her resulting actions could put the case in jeopardy. Division In a 2015 interview with "The Today Show"(via E! Unfortunately, by the episode "Fed," her treatment was apparently not progressing well and she is becoming increasingly worried about her chances of survival. Manheim is best known for her role on ABCs The Practice, where she won an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. She finishes it for him. Lieutenant Anita Van Buren was the commanding officerof the 27th Precinctfor almost 20 years. S. Epatha Merkerson is probably best-known for her long-running role as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren on NBC's "Law & Order". There's something going on there, too. Robinette was replaced with Assistant District Attorney Claire Kincaid, played by Jill Hennessy. Bravo to BOTH her & the writers for giving Anita Van Buren the moments, lines, arc she & the series deserved! She started in Season 4 and carried all the way through to the initial final season in 2010. Merkerson's fearless take on Van Buren's character helped showcase the delicate balance between professional and personal life that can define "Law & Order." She also appeared in the role in some episodes of "Chicago Fire" and "Chicago P.D. Cookies help us deliver our Services. As a result, two innocent suspects were imprisoned and one of them died before they could be exonerated. She started in Season 4 and carried all the way through to the initial final season in 2010. Showing Editorial results for anita van buren. Although best known since 1993 as the smart and shrewd Lieutenant Anita Van Buren on the long-running TV crime drama Law & Order (1990), she has a long list of Broadway and off-Broadway credits and honors that include Drama Desk Award and Tony Award nominations for Best Actress for her performance in the August Wilson play The Piano Lesson Sometimes, it would lead to arguments, which Merkerson says she appreciated because it let her know that her bosses cared about her input. Fans of the original "Law & Order" are thrilled that NBC has renewed the series for Season 21 more than a decade after the network canceled the series. And Van Buren remained in that position until the show's final episode during its 20th season. Another fan favorite that could be making an appearance is S. Epatha Merkerson, whoplayed Lieutenant Anita Van Buren. Occupation In 1994, during an attempted robbery on her while at an ATM, Van Buren shot one of her robbers in the arm, but the bullet passed through and killed the other robber, a mentally disabled kid who was unarmed. In 1997, the Orlando Sentinel wanted to know why so many actors left the show seemingly so suddenly. Merkerson won a slew of laurels for her performance, including Golden Globe, Emmy, SAG, and NAACP Image Awards. On the same occasion it is revealed that she and Frank are engaged (that episode turned out to be the final episode of the entire series). Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. While we work diligently to ensure that our numbers are as accurate as possible, unless otherwise indicated they are only estimates. "Rubber Room" Frank Gibson The actress is currently starring on another Dick Wolf series, "Chicago Med," so it seems that anything is possible (via IMDb). In 2012, Merkerson portrayed Lydia Smith, the housekeeper of Congressman Thaddeus Stevens, in Steven Spielberg's Academy Award-winning biopic "Lincoln." Cyrus Lupo and Kevin Bernard call her "L.T. "They were going to cancel 'Law & Order' I think in its third season, because NBC wanted women on the show," Merkerson recalled to NPR. Sharon Epatha Merkerson was born on November 28, 1952 in Saginaw, Michigan and grew up in Detroit. (L&O: "Rubber Room"). By episode count, she is the longest-running character on the original show. Merkerson began her television career in 1986 playing Reba the Mail Lady on the CBS Saturday morning show "Pee-wee's Playhouse."