Larry Drake, Emmy winner as Benny of ‘L.A. Law,’ dead at 66

Benny was introduced to the world in 1987, during the 17th episode of “L.A. Law’s” first season. Benny, tricked into robbing a shoe repair store, is hauled into court on criminal charges. The case turned on whether he, more or less, had enough mental acuity to be a criminal.

“Key question: Could Benny form the criminal intent necessary to convict?” Victor Sifuentes, played by Jimmy Smits, wondered. No, a judge ruled — Benny was freed. But the scheming writers of “L.A. Law,” always ready to push boundaries and buttons, were soon dreaming up a way to bring him back.

“One of those lucky occasions when an actor does a wonderful job with a part and something very interesting happens,” Jacob Epstein, one of the writers on the show, said at the time. “We put our heads together and tried to think of a way to see more of him, and [producer] Steve Bochco had the idea of bringing him in as a messenger boy.”

Drake, of course, was thrilled.

“It was just a normal audition for one scene in one episode in the first season, and I didn’t expect it to really go anywhere,” he said. “I think the show’s producers also didn’t quite know what would happen with the character, so it was all left very open. When it became clear to everyone that Benny was becoming this regular character, of course I was delighted. I needed a break from playing villains.”....