AV
Abe Vigoda
Actor
Died January 26, 2016 (94 years)
Tall, dour-faced and slouch-shouldered character actor Abraham Charles Vigoda (February 24, 1921 – January 26, 2016) proved himself in both gritty dramatic roles, and as an actor with wonderful comedic timing.
Vigoda was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Lena (Moses) and Samuel Vigoda, both Russian Jewish immigrants. His father was a tailor on the Lower East Side. He made his first stage appearance at the age of 17 and plodded away in small theater shows for over 20 years. For the majority of film-goers, Vigoda first came to prominence in The Godfather (1972) as the double-crossing Tessio, pleading with Robert Duvall to get him off the hook "for old times' sake." He also appeared in its sequel.
Vigoda had roles in a few nondescript TV films before landing the plum part of Sgt. Phil Fish on the brilliant sitcom Barney Miller (1974). Perhaps his best known role, Sgt. Fish proved popular enough to be spun off to his own (short-lived) series Fish (1977).
With his long face and unusual looks, Vigoda remained in high demand in mafioso-type roles, and for a while in the mid-1980s, he was mistakenly believed to have been dead, leading producers to remark, "I need an Abe Vigoda type actor," not realizing Vigoda was still alive and well. The 1990s and beyond became busy again for him, with appearances in North (1994), The Misery Brothers (1995), A Brooklyn State of Mind (1998), and Crime Spree (2003). He continued acting into his 90s, surprising audiences with his entertaining style.
Abe Vigoda died in his sleep on January 26, 2016 in Woodland Park, New Jersey.
Filmography
| 2013 | High School USA! (TV Series) · as Otto |
| 2007 | The Unknown Trilogy · as Uncle Morty (segment "Frankie the Squirrel") |
| 2006 | Farce of the Penguins · as Penguin from Boca (voice) |
| 2003 | Crime Spree · as Angelo Giancarlo |
| 2000 | Chump Change · as The Frog |
| 2000 | Manhattan, AZ (TV Series) · as Ben |
| 2000 | Deadline (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1999 | Norm (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1998 | Just the Ticket · as Arty |
| 1998 | Witness to the Mob · as Paul Castellano |
| 1998 | A Brooklyn State of Mind · as Uncle Guy |
| 1997 | Viva Variety (TV Series) · as Guest |
| 1997 | Good Burger · as Otis |
| 1996 | Love Is All There Is · as Rudy |
| 1996 | Underworld · as Will Cassady |
| 1996 | Promised Land (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1995 | The Misery Brothers · as Don Frito Layleone |
| 1995 | Home of Angels · as Unknown |
| 1995 | Jury Duty · as Judge Powell |
| 1994 | North · as Alaskan Grandpa |
| 1994 | Weird Science (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1994 | Touched by an Angel (TV Series) · as Receptionist Angel |
| 1993 | Fist of Honor · as Victor Malucci |
| 1993 | Me and the Kid · as Pawn Broker |
| 1993 | Batman: Mask of the Phantasm · as Salvatore Valestra (voice) |
| 1993 | Diagnosis Murder (TV Series) · as Alfredo Bartolo / Al Bartell / Mr. Johnson |
| 1993 | Sugar Hill · as Gus Molino |
| 1992 | The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980 · as Sal Tessio |
| 1992 | Mad About You (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1992 | Lucky Luke (1992) (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1990 | Joe Versus the Volcano · as Chief of the Waponis |
| 1990 | Keaton's Cop · as Louis Keaton |
| 1990 | Law & Order (TV Series) · as Detective Landis |
| 1990 | The Adventures of the Black Stallion (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1990 | Wings (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1989 | Prancer · as Orel Benton |
| 1989 | Look Who's Talking · as Grandpa |
| 1988 | The Adventures of Superboy (1988) (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1988 | Monsters (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1987 | Plain Clothes · as Mr. Wiseman |
| 1986 | Vasectomy: A Delicate Matter · as Abe |
| 1985 | The Stuff · as Stuff Commercial Spokesman |
| 1985 | MacGyver (TV Series) · as Bill Cody |
| 1984 | Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (TV Series) · as Arthur |
| 1984 | Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) · as George |
| 1984 | Santa Barbara (TV Series) · as Lyle DeFranco |
| 1984 | Cannonball Run II · as Caesar |
| 1983 | Tales from the Darkside (TV Series) · as Jake Corelli |
| 1979 | The Littlest Hobo (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1978 | The Cheap Detective · as Sergeant Rizzuto |
| 1978 | Vega$ (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1977 | Eight is Enough (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1977 | The Godfather Saga (TV Series) · as Salvatore "Sal" Tessio (uncredited) |
| 1977 | Fantasy Island (TV Series) · as Joe Lange |
| 1977 | The Love Boat (TV Series) · as Charlie Fletcher |
| 1977 | |
| 1977 | Fish (TV Series) · as Phil Fish |
| 1976 | The Bionic Woman (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1975 | Barney Miller (TV Series) · as Philip Fish |
| 1974 | The Godfather Part II · as Salvatore 'Sal' Tessio |
| 1974 | Newman's Law · as John Dellanzia |
| 1974 | The Rockford Files (TV Series) · as Phil 'The Dancer' Gabriel |
| 1974 | Tattletales (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1973 | The Don Is Dead · as Don Talusso |
| 1973 | The Devil's Daughter · as Alikhine |
| 1973 | Kojak (TV Series) · as Kilty |
| 1972 | The Godfather · as Salvatore 'Sal' Tessio |
| 1972 | The Rookies (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1971 | Cannon (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1969 | Love, American Style (TV Series) · as Mr. Burdick (segment "Love and the Unwedding") |
| 1968 | Hawaii Five-O (TV Series) · as Abe Kemper |
| 1967 | Mannix (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1966 | Dark Shadows (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1965 | Three Rooms in Manhattan · as Waiter (uncredited) |
| 1956 | As The World Turns (TV Series) · as Joe Kravitz (1985) |
| 1949 | Suspense (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1948 | Studio One (TV Series) · as Old Train Passenger |