Judd Hirsch

Early life and education Hirsch was born in the Bronx, New York, to Sally (née Kitzis) (1903–1999) and Joseph Sidney Hirsch (1904–1989), an electrician. Joseph was born in New York, to a German Jewish father, Benjamin Hirsch, and an English-born mother, Rosa Hirsch Benjamin, whose family were Dutch Jews. Sally Hirsch was born in Russia, also to a Jewish family. Judd Hirsch has a brother named Roland.

He grew up in both Brooklyn and the Bronx (in the Bronx) in 1952. He earned a degree in physics from City College of New York.

After graduating from college, Hirsch served in the United States Army Reserve in 1958 at Fort Leonard Wood for six months as a surveyor. Next Hirsch worked as an engineer for Westinghouse before he found work in the theater. He studied acting at HB Studio in New York City. He graduated in 1962 from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City.

Career The Los Angeles Times noted that Hirsch is "one of the very few actors who slips effortlessly from TV series to Broadway to feature films and back again, racking up awards and favorable reviews wherever he performs."

In 2023, at the age of 87, Hirsch became the second-oldest acting nominee for an Academy Award after being nominated for his role in Steven Spielberg's film The Fabelmans (2022). He also broke the record for the longest gap between Oscar nominations. Hirsch gained stardom for his lead role of Alex Rieger in the popular sitcom Taxi, which ran from 1978 to 1983. For his performance in the series, Hirsch won the Emmy Award for Lead Actor In a Comedy Series in 1981 and 1983. In 1999, he reprised his role from Taxi for a brief moment in Man on the Moon, the biopic of his co-star from Taxi, Andy Kaufman (portrayed by Jim Carrey).

After Taxi, Hirsch played the title character on the modestly successful sitcom Dear John and in 1989 won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series in a Comedy or Musical for this role. He later teamed up with Bob Newhart in the short-lived comedy George and Leo.

Hirsch co-starred on the CBS Television drama Numb3rs (2005–2010) as Alan Eppes, father of FBI agent Don Eppes (Rob Morrow) and Professor Charlie Eppes (David Krumholtz).

Hirsch has guest-starred on episodes of Warehouse 13, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, God Friended Me, and The Whole Truth (he reunited with Numb3rs co-star Rob Morrow), among others and lent his voice to the animated programs Tom Goes to the Mayor and American Dad! Hirsch has also appeared several times on the television show Maron as comedian Marc Maron's father; he has had a recurring role on The Goldbergs, playing the father of Jeff Garlin's character. In 2016, Hirsch appeared on the CBS comedy series The Big Bang Theory portraying Alfred Hofstadter, the father of Johnny Galecki's character, Leonard.

In 2025, he appeared alongside Linda Lavin in Mid-Century Modern, her final onscreen role before her death.

His most recent performance was in April 2026 when, at age 91, he appeared on the 2-part season 2 finale of the FOX medical drama Doc entitled "Stuck/Happy Birthday." Hirsch played "Herman Zweig, a Holocaust survivor with an infectious zest for life and comes to Westside on the day of his 90th birthday for routine treatment… but when tragedy strikes and the hospital suddenly goes on lockdown, his optimism will be put to the test."

Theatre Hirsch won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play for his work in Conversations with My Father, a Herb Gardner play. Other noteworthy stage performances include The Hot l Baltimore, Talley's Folly, and his starring role in I'm Not Rappaport, for which Hirsch also won a Tony Award in 1986. Hirsch married Bonni Sue Chalkin, a fashion designer, in a Jewish ceremony on December 24, 1992. They subsequently divorced in 2005. From this second marriage, Hirsch has a daughter, Montana, and a son, London. Hirsch is currently married to his third wife, actress, Kathryn Danielle Hirsch.

Filmography +Film American hostage The Best You Can Warren Rand

+Television 2023 ExtrapolationsDavid Goldblatt Episode: "2047: The Fifth Question" 2026 DocHerman Zweig Season 2, episodes: "Stuck", "Happy Birthday" Year Title Role Notes 1963 Barefoot in the Park Telephone Man 1972–1973 The Hot l Baltimore Bill Lewis Obie Award for Best Performance 1976 Knock Knock Multiple roles Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play 1977–1978 Chapter Two George Schneider Nominated—Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play 1980 Talley's Folly Matt Friedman Nominated—Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play Nominated—Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play 1985–1988 I'm Not Rappaport Nat Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play 1992–1993 Conversations with My Father Eddie Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play 1996 A Thousand Clowns Murray Burns 1998–1999 Art Marc 2002 I'm Not Rappaport Nat 2004 Sixteen Wounded Hans

Accolades Year Award Category Nominated work Results Ref. 1980 Academy Awards Best Supporting Actor Ordinary People 2022 The Fabelmans 2022 AARP Movies for Grownups Awards Best Supporting Actor 2011 Beverly Hills Film Festival Best Actor Polish Bar 2022 Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Supporting Actor The Fabelmans 2022 Denver Film Critics Society Awards Best Supporting Actor 1976 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Knock Knock 1978 Outstanding Actor in a Play Chapter Two 1980 Talley's Folly 2022 Georgia Film Critics Association Awards Best Supporting Actor The Fabelmans 1978 Golden Globe Awards Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy Taxi 1979 1980 Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Ordinary People 1981 Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy Taxi 1982 1988 Dear John 1989 2014 Indie Series Awards Best Supporting Actor (Drama) Small Miracles 2022 North Texas Film Critics Association Awards Best Supporting Actor The Fabelmans 1979 Obie Awards Best Performance Talley's Folly 2022 Palm Springs International Film Festival Vanguard Award The Fabelmans 1978 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series Rhoda 1979 Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Taxi 1980 1981 1982 1983 2001 Actor Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture A Beautiful Mind 2022 The Fabelmans 2022 St. Louis Film Critics Association Awards Best Supporting Actor 2022 Sunset Film Circle Awards Scene Stealer 1980 Tony Awards Best Leading Actor in a Play Talley's Folly 1986 I'm Not Rappaport 1992 Conversations with My Father