Nathan Halpern

Nathan Halpern, a life-long resident of New York City, died Sunday, September 15, 2019 at New York University Medical Center. He was 89 years old.

Nat was born in Brooklyn on May 11, 1930, the son of Abraham and Rose Halpern and attended public schools in the borough. His first job while a teenager was as a stile boy (operating turnstiles) at Ebbets Field. He was enrolled at Lafayette High School and earned a degree in liberal arts from Long Island University in Brooklyn.

He was drafted and served in the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1953, holding the rank of corporal during the Korean Conflict, seeing combat in a mortar unit while also assigned as a forward observer. Nat was awarded the Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster, spending much of his service time alone in a fox hole on the front lines.

Despite his Bronze Star medal, his modesty and gentle nature precluded his discussing much about war and his Army experience, other than acknowledging the dangers and anxiety inherent with being alone in a combat zone. He often said the best day of his life was New Year’s Day, 1953 when a messenger from headquarters arrived at his position with Corporal Halpern’s orders to go home. He spent his remaining time in the service stationed at Fort Dix and Governor’s Island.

After working briefly at Grey Advertising and in the millinery center, Nat joined the New York City Department of Social Services in Manhattan as a direct-service social worker, a position he held for more than three decades until his retirement in 1992. He was well suited for his profession, because he long before had earned the title of “Mitzvah Man,” doing favors for anyone who needed his help.

Following his retirement from Social Services, Nat embarked on a new career as an extra in movies and television shows, obtaining his Screen Actors Guild card and even earning lines in several productions. He worked in movies directed by Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen and Ron Howard, among others, and with his 6’3” frame and shock of silver hair, he could easily be spotted in many episodes of “Law and Order” and other shows filmed in the metropolitan area..

“Lanky,” as his friends called him because of his height, was a member of the Bensonhurst Fab Five, a quintet of boyhood buddies (along with Howard Berler, Hal Maslin, David Schmeltzer and Bernie Schulman) who have remained a close-knit group for more than three-quarters of a century. But his quick wit, love of telling jokes and stories, and his generosity also fostered dozens of other friendships that have endured for decades, including special relationships with Joe Genser, Erika Pearl, Garry Cohen and Doug Gould.

Nat also possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of history, geography, the entertainment world, politics and more. Ask Nat a question and he immediately could recite names and events related to that subject, always coming up with the correct information. Nobody needed the Internet for answers when Nat was present.

Nat Halpern was pre-deceased by his parents and by a brother, Morton, and is survived by his legions of friends. A funeral service will be held at 11:30 AM on Thursday, September 19, 2019 at Riverside Memorial Chapel, 180 West 76th, Street in Manhattan.