Steven Hill

Steven Hill
Hill as Dan Briggs on Mission: Impossible
Born	Solomon Krakovsky (1922-02-24)February 24, 1922 Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Died	August 23, 2016(2016-08-23) (aged 94) Monsey, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1946–67, 1977–2000
Spouse(s)	Selma Stern (m. 1951–64) Rachel (m. 1967–2016)
Children	9
Awards	Sylvania Award

Steven Hill (born Solomon Krakovsky; 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 (1990–2000), 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 (1966–67).

Hill was born Solomon Krakovsky or Solomon Berg in Seattle, Washington, to Russian Jewish immigrants. Hill served four years in the United States Naval Reserve. In the 1950s, Hill moved 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."