# Herb Edelman
**Herb Edelman** (Herbert Edelman; November 5, 1933 – July 21, 1996) was an American character actor of stage, film and television, best known as Stanley Zbornak, Dorothy's ex-husband, on the sitcom *The Golden Girls* (1985–92).[1](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/herbert-edelman-88168) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/herbert_edelman)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born / died | November 5, 1933, Brooklyn, New York; July 21, 1996, Los Angeles (Woodland Hills), of emphysema, at age 62[1](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/herbert-edelman-88168) • [3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-07-24-mn-27428-story.html) |
| Signature roles | The Telephone Man in *Barefoot in the Park* on Broadway (1963–67) and on film (1967); one of the poker buddies in *The Odd Couple* (1968)[1](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/herbert-edelman-88168) • [3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-07-24-mn-27428-story.html) |
| TV breakthrough | Bert Gramus, co-lead with Bob Denver in the CBS sitcom *The Good Guys* (1968–70)[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-07-24-mn-27428-story.html) |
| Recurring TV roles | Richard Clarendon on *St. Elsewhere* (1982–88); Harry Nussbaum on *9 to 5* (1982–83)[4](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-herb-edelman-1331086.html) |
| Emmy nominations | Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series for *The Golden Girls*, 1987 and 1988[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/herb-edelman/bio/3030401112/) |
| Stage loves | Broadway original casts of *Barefoot in the Park*, *Luv*, *Bajour*, and *Chapter Two*[1](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/herbert-edelman-88168) |
| Physical type | Standing 6'5" and prematurely bald, he was cast as a character player, very rarely as a lead[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/herbert_edelman) |
## Early life and discovery
Edelman was born in Brooklyn and studied veterinary medicine at Cornell University for a year before dropping out.[6](https://biographs.org/herb-edelman) He then served in the [United States Army](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-army) as an announcer for Armed Forces Radio, attended [Brooklyn College](https://www.edgepedia.org/brooklyn-college), and began acting there.[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/herb-edelman/bio/3030401112/) • [6](https://biographs.org/herb-edelman)
The turning point came while he was working as a New York taxi driver. Director [Mike Nichols](https://www.edgepedia.org/mike-nichols), casting the Broadway production of [Neil Simon](https://www.edgepedia.org/neil-simon)'s *Barefoot in the Park*, wanted a real cab driver to play the telephone installer and tapped Edelman for the role.[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-07-24-mn-27428-story.html) The producer Saint Subber recalled: "Mike insisted on getting a real telephone man or a taxicab driver to play the telephone man... But I ended up getting a cab driver—and he is now an actor: Herb Edelman."[7](https://time.com/3597288/some-are-more-yossarian-than-others/)
Edelman kept the cab going for a while even after he became a stage name. As he told the *Los Angeles Times* in 1970: "I went on hacking for a while. I'd put the cab in the garage while I was on stage and pull it out after the play, sometimes picking up people who were in my audience."[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-07-24-mn-27428-story.html)
## Broadway and film
His professional acting debut was as Walt Dreary in a touring company production of the Brecht-Weill musical *The Threepenny Opera* in 1961, before his Broadway debut in the play *Lorenzo* in 1963.[4](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-herb-edelman-1331086.html) • [5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/herb-edelman/bio/3030401112/)
*Barefoot in the Park* ran at the Biltmore Theatre from October 23, 1963 to June 25, 1967, a total of 1,520 performances plus two previews; Edelman was in the original cast as the Telephone Man and understudied the role of Victor Velasco.[1](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/herbert-edelman-88168) He reprised the role, credited as Harry Pepper, in director [Gene Saks](https://www.edgepedia.org/gene-saks)'s 1967 film version starring [Robert Redford](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-redford) and [Jane Fonda](https://www.edgepedia.org/jane-fonda).[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-07-24-mn-27428-story.html) • [4](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-herb-edelman-1331086.html)
His other Broadway credits were substantial: he starred in the original casts of *Luv* (1965–66) as Harry Berlin, the musical *Bajour* (1964–65) as The King of Newark, and Simon's *Chapter Two* (1978–80) as Leo Schneider.[1](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/herbert-edelman-88168)
He also appeared in a run of 1960s and 1970s film comedies and dramas, including *The Odd Couple* (1968) with [Jack Lemmon](https://www.edgepedia.org/jack-lemmon) and [Walter Matthau](https://www.edgepedia.org/walter-matthau), *The War Between Men and Women* (1972) with Jack Lemmon, *The Way We Were* (1973), *The Front Page* (1974), *California Suite* (1978), and [Jerry Lewis](https://www.edgepedia.org/jerry-lewis)'s *Smorgasbord* (retitled *Cracking Up*, 1983), in which he played Lewis's psychiatrist.[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-07-24-mn-27428-story.html) • [4](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-herb-edelman-1331086.html) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/herbert_edelman)
One decision he regretted: he later said he rued turning down Mike Nichols's invitation to work on the 1970 film *Catch-22* in order to make the television series *The Good Guys*.[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-07-24-mn-27428-story.html)
## Television career
Edelman's television career spanned three decades, mostly in supporting and guest parts.[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/herb-edelman/bio/3030401112/) His major early role was as a leading man in the half-hour CBS sitcom *The Good Guys* (1968–70), playing Bert Gramus to [Bob Denver](https://www.edgepedia.org/bob-denver)'s Rufus Butterworth, two childhood friends who owned a diner called Bert's Place.[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-07-24-mn-27428-story.html)
He starred or had recurring parts in *Occasional Wife* (1966–67) as Uncle Harry, *Big John, Little John* (1976) as Big John Martin, *Ladies' Man* (1980–81) as Reggie, *Strike Force* (1981–82) as Deputy Commissioner Herbert Klein, *9 to 5* (1982–83) as Harry Nussbaum, and *St. Elsewhere* (1982–88) as Richard Clarendon.[4](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-herb-edelman-1331086.html)
**Stanley Zbornak.** From 1985 to 1992, Edelman appeared occasionally in *The Golden Girls* as Stanley Zbornak, the ex-husband [Bea Arthur](https://www.edgepedia.org/bea-arthur)'s Dorothy had divorced when he left her for an air hostess after 38 years of marriage; Stanley spent his appearances trying to win her back.[4](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-herb-edelman-1331086.html) The role brought him Emmy nominations in 1987 and 1988 for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series.[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/herb-edelman/bio/3030401112/) He was widely identified with the part: *The Independent* noted that as the divorced husband trying to win back Dorothy, he was "seen in more than 60 countries."[4](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-herb-edelman-1331086.html) He reprised Stan in a 1993 episode of the sequel series *The Golden Palace*, "One Angry Stan."[8](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/58959/herb-edelman)
His final television appearance was a guest role in *Burke's Law* (1995).[4](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-herb-edelman-1331086.html)
## Personal views and traits
Edelman was a committed stage actor and a critic of television. In a 1993 interview with the *Ventura County Star*, he called TV "a false idol" and said that "we are wasting our talents" by watching hours of it.[9](https://www.metv.com/stories/the-golden-girls-herb-edelman-tv-is-a-false-idol) He also disparaged violent entertainment, saying he had never worked with [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://www.edgepedia.org/arnold-schwarzenegger) and adding: "it's just that I abhor violence. As a society we find it delicious."[9](https://www.metv.com/stories/the-golden-girls-herb-edelman-tv-is-a-false-idol)
Away from acting, he painted and sculpted and was fluent in Japanese, French, Spanish, Italian, Yiddish, Hebrew, German, and Russian.[4](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-herb-edelman-1331086.html) • [5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/herb-edelman/bio/3030401112/)
## Marriage and family
Edelman married the actress [Louise Sorel](https://www.edgepedia.org/louise-sorel) in 1964; they divorced in 1970. He then married Marilyn Cosgrove in 1971; that marriage ended in divorce in 1984.[1](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/herbert-edelman-88168) His longtime companion was the actress [Christina Pickles](https://www.edgepedia.org/christina-pickles).[10](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1996/07/24/Services-set-for-actor-Herb-Edelman/2314838180800/) He had two daughters, Briana and Jacy.[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-07-24-mn-27428-story.html)
## Death
Edelman died on July 21, 1996 of emphysema at the Motion Picture and Television Fund Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, at age 62.[3](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-07-24-mn-27428-story.html) • [10](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1996/07/24/Services-set-for-actor-Herb-Edelman/2314838180800/) Memorial services were held at the Beverly Hills Playhouse and at Union Temple in Brooklyn, and his family asked that memorial contributions go to the American Lung Association's Emphysema Foundation.[10](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1996/07/24/Services-set-for-actor-Herb-Edelman/2314838180800/)
## References
1. [Herbert Edelman – Broadway Cast & Staff, IBDB](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/herbert-edelman-88168)
2. [Herbert Edelman, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/herbert_edelman)
3. [Herbert Edelman; TV Character Actor, Los Angeles Times (July 24, 1996)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-07-24-mn-27428-story.html)
4. [Obituary: Herb Edelman, The Independent (July 29, 1996)](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-herb-edelman-1331086.html)
5. [Herb Edelman Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/herb-edelman/bio/3030401112/)
6. [Herb Edelman biography, Biographs.org](https://biographs.org/herb-edelman)
7. [Some are More Yossarian than Others, TIME (1970)](https://time.com/3597288/some-are-more-yossarian-than-others/)
8. [Herb Edelman, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/58959/herb-edelman)
9. [The Golden Girls' Herb Edelman: TV is ''a false idol'', MeTV](https://www.metv.com/stories/the-golden-girls-herb-edelman-tv-is-a-false-idol)
10. [Services set for actor Herb Edelman, UPI (July 24, 1996)](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1996/07/24/Services-set-for-actor-Herb-Edelman/2314838180800/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1940s to 1960s › Surnames D to E*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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