Who Played Edna Hodge On Law & Order?
With more than two decades worth of procedural drama already under its belt, "Law & Order" has, understandably, seen its share of cast shakeups. While that's been particularly true of its primary cast, the show has become famous for fronting a parade of special guest stars. And over the years, the series has seen heavy hitters like Sarah Paulson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Idris Elba, Claire Danes, Sebastian Stan, and more grace its production (per Entertainment Weekly).
Such A-listers naturally get the lion's share of coverage regarding notable Dick Wolf's "Law & Order" guest spots. But there's been an equally impressive cavalcade of guest players who never quite reached that level of fame. And one such actor stole every scene she was in during a Season 4 episode titled "Golden Years." Said episode's cold open found an aging eccentric named Edna Hodge checking in on her elderly neighbor, only to find the woman deceased and her apartment ransacked. The plot thickens when the woman's granddaughter is charged with neglect in her death.
Things only get more complicated from there, as they often do on "Law & Order," with Edna eventually taking the stand herself in another memorable scene. And for some viewers, the actor who played Edna indeed looked more than a little familiar. Here's who played Edna Hodge on "Law & Order."
Jan Miner had a squeaky clean career
Jan Miner portrayed that memorable "Law & Order" character. While that name may not jump out at you, it's likely because her screen career was just a tiny part of her professional life. Miner cut her teeth as an actor during the '40s and '50s heyday of radio, helping originate the role of Della Street on the radio drama "Perry Mason" (per Groovy History). She later made a name for herself on the stage, appearing in several productions on and off Broadway throughout her career (via Playbill).
Miner also began working in television when the format took shape, earning her first small screen credit in 1949. By the '60s, she'd become a regular presence on television, earning spots on the likes of "Naked City," "Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers," "One Day at a Time," and "Cagney & Lacey." The actor's extensive screen credits are just as impressive, with Miner sharing scenes with icons like Burt Lancaster ("The Swimmers"), Dustin Hoffman ("Lenny"), and Cher ("Mermaids").
Impressive as those credits are, Miner was perhaps best known for playing Madge the Manicurist in a long-running ad campaign for Palmolive dish soap. That campaign began in 1966 and remained incredibly popular until it ended in the early '90s. Over that span, Miner made countless appearances as Madge and even had her catchphrase, "You're soaking in it." And as far as small screen legacies go, Madge is one any actor could be proud of.