Editing Jack Klugman (section)

== Legacy ==

Jack Klugman's later career included continued stage work, the Tony Award for "I'm Not Rappaport" (1986), and television appearances that kept him working until health problems intervened. His throat cancer and the voice changes it caused required adaptation that his professionalism made possible. His death on December 24, 2012, prompted tributes that emphasized both his craft and his character. Klugman's Philadelphia origins, his South Philadelphia childhood, and his blue-collar authenticity represented what the city's immigrant communities contributed to American entertainment, his career demonstrating that genuine trumped polished when audiences chose their favorites.<ref name="strait"/>