Abe Vigoda
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.
Known For
Credits
- 2013 · Cutaways as
- 2008 · The Unknown Trilogy as Uncle Morty (segment "Frankie the Squirrel")
- 2006 · Farce of the Penguins as Penguin from Boca (voice)
- 2003 · Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 10th Anniversary Special as Self
- 2003 · Crime Spree as Angelo Giancarlo
- 2003 · TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV as
- 2000 · Tea Cakes or Cannoli as
- 2000 · Deadline as Joseph Spiaggio
- 2000 · Chump Change as The Frog
- 1999 · The Norm Show as
- 1999 · Family Guy 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 · Farticus as Zeus
- 1996 · A Christmas Journey Home as Grandpa
- 1996 · Promised Land as
- 1996 · Underworld as Will Cassady
- 1996 · Love Is All There Is as Rudy
- 1995 · Jury Duty as Judge Powell
- 1995 · The Misery Brothers as Don Frito Layleone
- 1994 · Touched by an Angel as Receptionist Angel
- 1994 · North as Alaskan Grandpa
- 1994 · Weird Science as
- 1994 · Sugar Hill as Gus Molino
- 1994 · Home of Angels as
- 1993 · Batman: Mask of the Phantasm as Salvatore Valestra (voice)
- 1993 · Diagnosis: Murder as Alfredo Bartolo / Al Bartell / Mr. Johnson
- 1993 · Me and the Kid as Pawn Broker
- 1993 · Fist of Honor as Victor Malucci
- 1992 · Mad About You as Kalman Wertzel
- 1992 · Lucky Luke as Judge Rinehart
- 1992 · The Adventures of the Black Stallion as
- 1990 · Law & Order as Detective Landis
- 1990 · Night of 100 Stars III as Self
- 1990 · Wings 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 as
- 1988 · Monsters as
- 1988 · Superboy as
- 1988 · Plain Clothes as Mr. Wiseman
- 1986 · Vasectomy: A Delicate Matter as Abe
- 1985 · MacGyver as Bill Cody
- 1985 · The Stuff as Stuff Commercial Spokesman
- 1984 · Murder, She Wrote as George
- 1984 · Tales from the Darkside as Jake Corelli
- 1984 · Cannonball Run II as Caesar
- 1981 · The Godfather 1901–1959: The Complete Epic as Salvatore "Sal" Tessio (uncredited)
- 1981 · The Big Stuffed Dog as Carnival Pitchman
- 1981 · Harper Valley as
- 1980 · Gridlock as Herb
- 1979 · The Littlest Hobo as
- 1979 · Death Car on the Freeway as Mr. Frisch
- 1979 · B. J. and the Bear as
- 1979 · Supertrain as
- 1979 · Sweepstakes as
- 1978 · How to Pick Up Girls! as Nathan Perlmutter
- 1978 · Vega$ as
- 1978 · The Comedy Company as Jake
- 1978 · The Cheap Detective as Sergeant Rizzuto
- 1977 · Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television as Salvatore "Sal" Tessio (uncredited)
- 1977 · The Love Boat as Charlie Fletcher
- 1977 · Eight Is Enough as
- 1977 · Fish as Phil Fish
- 1976 · Dean Martin's Red Hot Scandals of 1926 as Self
- 1976 · Having Babies as Al Schneider
- 1976 · The Captain and Tennille as Self
- 1976 · Joys as Self
- 1976 · The Bionic Woman as
- 1975 · Saturday Night Live as Self - Cameo (uncredited)
- 1975 · Barney Miller as Philip Fish
- 1975 · Barney Miller as Det. Phil Fish (uncredited)
- 1975 · Barney Miller as Det. Phil Fish
- 1974 · The Godfather Part II as Salvatore 'Sal' Tessio
- 1974 · Tony Orlando and Dawn as Self
- 1974 · The Rockford Files as Al Dancer
- 1974 · The Rockford Files as Phil 'The Dancer' Gabriel
- 1974 · Newman's Law as John Dellanzia
- 1974 · The Story of Pretty Boy Floyd as Dominic Morrell
- 1974 · Tattletales as
- 1973 · The Don Is Dead as Don Talusso
- 1973 · Kojak as Kilty
- 1973 · Toma as
- 1973 · Toma as Donzer
- 1973 · The Devil's Daughter as Alikhine
- 1972 · The Sandy Duncan Show as
- 1972 · The Rookies as
- 1972 · The Godfather as Sal Tessio
- 1971 · Cannon as
- 1969 · Love, American Style as Mr. Burdick (uncredited)
- 1968 · Hawaii Five-O as Abe Kemper
- 1967 · Mannix as Anton Valine
- 1966 · Dark Shadows as
- 1965 · Three Rooms in Manhattan as Waiter (uncredited)
- 1950 · The Bob Hope Show as Self
- 1949 · Suspense as
- 1948 · Studio One as Old Train Passenger