The "Law & Order" franchise has seen several performers return to play different characters. One of the more well-known performers in this category is Ned Eisenberg, who died of cancer in 2022. Eisenberg was a familiar face to viewers of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," having played three characters over the years.
His first appearance was in "Payback," the pilot episode of the series. In this episode, Eisenberg plays Jerry Kleinert, a defense attorney who crosses paths with Detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) in court. Stabler is the one responsible for arresting Kleinert's client, a flasher, and Kleinert asks Stabler why he joined the sex crimes unit. Stabler uses his answer to goad Kleinert's client into flashing the courtroom.
Eisenberg returned in Season 2 for "Closure: Part 2." This episode is a continuation from the first season's tenth episode, with Harper Anderson (Tracy Pollan), Kenneth Cleary (Neil Maffin), and Meredith Cleary (Evy O'Rourke) reprising their roles. Eisenberg plays defense attorney Klein Rothberg, who defends Kenneth Cleary in a rape trial. When Meredith Cleary infringes on spousal privilege while on the stand, Rothberg manages to get a mistrial declared as a result.
Eisenberg returned in the third season as a new defense attorney named Roger Kressler, and this character became a key recurring figure in "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." Kressler is an expensive attorney who crosses paths with the SVU team on numerous occasions. His last appearance came in the Season 20 episode "Dear Ben," where he appears as the attorney for Edgar Noone (Jude Ciccolella), who is accused of being a serial rapist.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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