Person biography:
Judd Hirsch was born in 1935 in The Bronx, New York City, to electrician Joseph Sidney Hirsch and his wife Sally Kitzis. His paternal grandfather was German-Jewish, while his wife Rosa was born to a Dutch-Jewish family in England. Hirsch's maternal ancestors were Russian-Jews. He spent his early years moving between the Bronx and Brooklyn. He received his secondary education at the DeWitt Clinton High School, an all-boys school located in The Bronx. He graduated in 1952, at the age of 17. He received his tertiary education at the City College of New York, a public college located in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. He graduated with a degree in physics.
Following his college graduation, Hirsch served his term in the United States Army. Returning to civilian life, he was hired as an engineer by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation. He eventually decided to switch to an acting career. He studied acting at the HB Studio, located in Greenwich Village.
Hirsch started his acting career with theatrical roles. In the 1970s, he frequently appeared in television films. He also had guest star roles in television series, such as Medical Story, Visions, and Rhoda. He achieved stardom with the leading role of Alex Reiger in the hit sitcom Taxi (1978-1983).
