AV
Abe Vigoda
Actor
Born February 24, 1921Died 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.
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.
Known For
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) |
| 2004 | The 2nd Annual TV Land Awards · as Mr. Big ("sex And The City" Skit) |
| 2003 | Crime Spree · as Angelo Giancarlo |
| 2000 | Deadline (TV Series) · as Joseph Spiaggio |
| 2000 | Manhattan, AZ (TV Series) · as Ben |
| 2000 | Chump Change · as The Frog |
| 1999 | The Norm Show (TV Series) · as Sal |
| 1999 | Family Guy (TV Series) · as Abe Vigoda (voice) |
| 1998 | Witness to the Mob · as Paul Castellano |
| 1998 | Just the Ticket · as Arty |
| 1998 | A Brooklyn State of Mind · as Uncle Guy |
| 1997 | Good Burger · as Otis |
| 1997 | Viva Variety (TV Series) · as Guest |
| 1997 | Farticus · as Zeus |
| 1996 | Promised Land (TV Series) |
| 1996 | Underworld · as Will Cassady |
| 1996 | Love Is All There Is · as Rudy |
| 1995 | |
| 1995 | Jury Duty · as Judge Powell |
| 1995 | The Misery Brothers · as Don Frito Layleone |
| 1994 | Touched by an Angel (TV Series) · as Receptionist Angel |
| 1994 | North · as Alaskan Grandpa |
| 1994 | Weird Science (TV Series) |
| 1993 | Sugar Hill · as Gus Molino |
| 1993 | Batman: Mask of the Phantasm · as Salvatore Valestra (voice) |
| 1993 | Diagnosis Murder (TV Series) · as Alfredo Bartolo / Al Bartell / Mr. Johnson |
| 1993 | Me and the Kid · as Pawn Broker |
| 1993 | Fist of Honor · as Victor Malucci |
| 1992 | The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980 · as Tessio |
| 1992 | Mad About You (TV Series) · as Kalman Wertzel |
| 1992 | Lucky Luke (1992) (TV Series) · as Judge Rinehart |
| 1990 | The Godfather Family: A Look Inside · as Tessio |
| 1990 | The Adventures of the Black Stallion (TV Series) |
| 1990 | Law & Order (TV Series) · as Detective Landis |
| 1990 | Wings (TV Series) · as Harry |
| 1990 | Joe Versus the Volcano · as Chief Of The Waponis |
| 1990 | Keaton's Cop · as Louis Keaton |
| 1989 | Prancer · as Orel Benton |
| 1989 | Look Who's Talking · as Grandpa |
| 1989 | B.L. Stryker (TV Series) · as Clayton Baskin |
| 1988 | Monsters (TV Series) |
| 1988 | The Adventures of Superboy (1988) (TV Series) |
| 1988 | Plain Clothes · as Mr. Wiseman |
| 1986 | Vasectomy: A Delicate Matter · as Abe |
| 1985 | MacGyver (TV Series) · as Bill Cody |
| 1985 | |
| 1984 | Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) · as George |
| 1984 | Santa Barbara (TV Series) · as Lyle Defranco |
| 1984 | Cannonball Run II · as Caesar |
| 1984 | Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (TV Series) · as Arthur |
| 1983 | Tales from the Darkside (TV Series) · as Jake Corelli |
| 1981 | The Big Stuffed Dog · as Carnival Pitchman |
| 1981 | Harper Valley P.T.A. (TV Series) |
| 1980 | |
| 1979 | The Littlest Hobo (TV Series) |
| 1979 | Death Car on the Freeway · as Mr. Frisch |
| 1979 | Supertrain (TV Series) |
| 1978 | How to Pick Up Girls! · as Nathan Perlmutter |
| 1978 | B.J. and the Bear (TV Series) |
| 1978 | The Cheap Detective · as Sergeant Rizzuto |
| 1978 | Vega$ (TV Series) |
| 1977 | The Godfather: A Novel for Television (TV Series) · as Salvatore "sal" Tessio (uncredited) |
| 1977 | The Love Boat (TV Series) · as Charlie Fletcher |
| 1977 | |
| 1977 | Eight is Enough (TV Series) |
| 1977 | Fish (TV Series) · as Phil Fish |
| 1977 | Fantasy Island (TV Series) · as Joe Lange |
| 1976 | Having Babies · as Al Schneider |
| 1976 | The Bionic Woman (TV Series) |
| 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 Story of Pretty Boy Floyd · as Dominic Morrell |
| 1974 | The Rockford Files (TV Series) · as Al Dancer |
| 1974 | Tattletales (TV Series) |
| 1973 | The Don Is Dead · as Don Talusso |
| 1973 | Kojak (TV Series) · as Kilty |
| 1973 | Toma (TV Series) |
| 1973 | The Devil's Daughter · as Alikhine |
| 1972 | The Sandy Duncan Show (TV Series) |
| 1972 | The Godfather · as Sal Tessio |
| 1972 | The Rookies (TV Series) |
| 1971 | Cannon (TV Series) |
| 1969 | Love, American Style (TV Series) · as Mr. Burdick (uncredited) |
| 1968 | Hawaii Five-O (TV Series) · as Abe Kemper |
| 1967 | Mannix (TV Series) · as Anton Valine |
| 1966 | Dark Shadows (TV Series) |
| 1965 | Three Rooms in Manhattan · as Waiter (uncredited) |
| 1956 | As The World Turns (TV Series) · as Joe Kravitz (1985) |
| 1950 | Four Star Revue (TV Series) · as Cab Driver |
| 1949 | Suspense (TV Series) |
| 1948 | Studio One (TV Series) · as Old Train Passenger |