Vic Tayback
Known for: Acting
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Victor Tayback (January 6, 1930 – May 25, 1990) was an American actor. He is best known for his role as diner owner Mel Sharples in the comedy-drama film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) and the television sitcom Alice (1976–1985), for which he won two consecutive Golden Globes. Early life Tayback was born on January 6, 1930 in Brooklyn, New York, to Syrian Catholic immigrant parents Helen (née Hanood; Arabic: هيلين هنود تايباك) and Najeeb James Tayback (Arabic: نجيب جيمس طيبك) . Both of his parents had emigrated to the United States from Aleppo. He moved with his family to Burbank, California during his teenage years and attended Burbank High School, from which he graduated in 1948. He also attended Glendale Community College and the Frederick A. Speare School of Radio and TV Broadcasting. Career Tayback served in the United States Navy before beginning his acting career at the age of 25. A lifetime member of the Actors Studio, he was a familiar face on television in the 1960s and 1970s, appearing on numerous series, including The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Star Trek, Bonanza, Here Come the Brides, That Girl, Gunsmoke, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Partridge Family, All in the Family, Fantasy Island, Columbo, Bewitched and The Love Boat. He also appeared in many films such as Bullitt (1968), Papillon (1973), The Gambler (1974), The Cheap Detective (1978), and All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989), as well as more than 25 stage productions, including Twelve Angry Men, The Diary of Anne Frank, Death of a Salesman, and Brighton Beach Memoirs. He was the co-founder of the theatre troupe Company of Angels. He also appeared in television commercials, notably in 1968 with Richard Dreyfuss for the AMC Javelin. Tayback's most famous role was as diner owner Mel Sharples in both the film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) and the television series Alice (1976–1985). He was the only actor in the original film to reprise his role for the rest of the series. For the role, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 1978 and won two consecutive Golden Globe Awards in 1980 and 1981. In 1971, he made a guest appearance as Dirks in season 16, episode 19 of the long-running CBS Western series Gunsmoke. Personal life Tayback was married to Sheila Maureen Barnard (1932–2001) from March 16, 1963, until his death on May 25, 1990. They had one son. Death Tayback died of a heart attack at age 60 on May 25, 1990. Tayback was pronounced dead at 1:56 a.m. at Glendale Adventist Medical Center, where he was taken after his wife called paramedics. She said he had climbed out of bed, taken a few steps and collapsed. Tayback was a lifelong smoker and had a history of heart problems. He underwent a triple bypass in 1983. He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills). CLR
Filmography
Series
Columbo
Sam Franklin
1971
Series
Star Trek
Jojo Krako
1966
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
1961
Series
The Love Boat
Harry Stewart
1977
Series
The Love Boat
Harry Beluski
1977
Series
Murder, She Wrote
Sal Domino
1984
Series
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
1970
Series
MacGyver
George Henderson
1985
Series
Ironside
1967
Series
Bewitched
Mayor's Chauffeur
1964
Series
Hawaii Five-O
Parmel
1968
Series
Hawaii Five-O
Martin Lynch
1968
Series
Mission: Impossible
Egan's Goon
1966
Series
Mission: Impossible
Sgt. Gorte
1966
Series
Alice
Mel Sharples
1976
Series
Mannix
1967
Series
Emergency!
Driver
1972
Series
Get Smart
Jamal
1965
Series
Get Smart
Popov
1965
Series
T. J. Hooker
Pete Benedict
1982
Series
I Dream of Jeannie
Turhan
1965
Series
Barney Miller
Mr. Stavochek
1975
Series
Hotel
Wallace Egan
1982
Series
Rawhide
Monte
1959
Series
Cannon
1971
Series
Daniel Boone
American Soldier
1964
Series
Daniel Boone
Hongas Hongas - Huron Indian Chief
1964
Series
All in the Family
Joe Tucker
1971
Series
Gunsmoke
Gaines
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Rawlins
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Dirks
1955
Series
Gunsmoke
Bill Hankins
1955
Series
The F.B.I.
Ed Larch
1965
Series
The F.B.I.
Neil Parks
1965
Series
Tales from the Darkside
Tippy Ryan
1984
Series
Tales from the Darkside
Alan Coombs
1984
Series
Medical Center
1969
Series
The Partridge Family
Ingram
1970
Series
The Partridge Family
Rocco
1970
Series
The Partridge Family
Harlan Laws
1970
Series
The Rookies
1972
Series
The Monkees
George
1966
Series
The Monkees
Rocco
1966
Series
The Monkees
Chuche
1966
Series
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Man Talking to Cab Driver
1955
Series
Family Affair
1966
Series
McCloud
1970
Series
That Girl
1966
Series
Vega$
1978
Series
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
Bernie
1969
Series
Matt Houston
1982
Series
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Sergeant
1964
Series
Land of the Giants
Hood
1968
Series
The Streets of San Francisco
1972
Series
Switch
Ralph Kabelka
1975
Series
Police Story
1973
Series
Felony Squad
1966
Series
Crazy like a Fox
Mo Scmidt
1984
Series
F Troop
1965
Series
The Mod Squad
1968
Series
Lancer
1968
Series
Lancer
Durham
1968
Series
Finder of Lost Loves
Thomas Velasco
1984
Series
Supertrain
Frank Tuttle
1979
Series
CHiPs
1977
Series
CHiPs
Vic Tayback (uncredited)
1977
Series
Cimarron Strip
1967
Film
All Dogs Go to Heaven
Carface (voice)
1989
Series
The Bill Cosby Show
Calvin
1969
Series
The Lieutenant
Cpl. Peter Garth
1963
Film
Papillon
Sergeant
1973
Film
Bullitt
Pete Ross
1968
Series
Bronk
1975
Series
The Outsider
1968
Film
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot
Mario Pinski
1974
Series
Captain Nice
1967
Film
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Mel
1974
$weepstake$
Sir Yarbrough
1979
Series
Love on a Rooftop
1966
Series
The Eddie Capra Mysteries
1978
Series
My World and Welcome to It
1969
Film
Loverboy
Harry Bruckner
1989
Series
Occasional Wife
1966
Film
The Big Bus
Goldie
1976
Series
The Practice
1976
Series
The Silent Force
Capt. Al Grant
1970
On the Rocks
1975
Film
The Gambler
One
1974
Film
Gambit
Plainclothes Officer at TWA Counter (uncredited)
1966
Series
The Blue Knight
Neil Grogan
1973
Film
The Cheap Detective
Lieutenant DiMaggio
1978
Film
The Shaggy D.A.
Eddie Roschak
1976
Film
Horseplayer
George Samsa
1990
Griff
1973
Film
Emperor of the North
Yardman
1973
Film
Criminal Act
The Exterminator (Greengrass)
1989
Film
Love with the Proper Stranger
Cye (uncredited)
1963
Series
Khan!
Lt. Gubbins
1975
Film
Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round
Detective Merchant (uncredited)
1966
Film
Five Weeks in a Balloon
European Agent (uncredited)
1962
Series
Time Express
1979
Film
The Choirboys
Zoony
1977
Film
The Don Is Dead
Ralph Negri
1973
Film
Mansion of the Doomed
Detective Simon
1976
Film
No Deposit, No Return
Big Joe Adamo
1976
Film
Report to the Commissioner
Lt. Seidensticker
1975
Film
Lepke
Charles 'Lucky' Luciano
1975
Film
This Year's Blonde
Harry Cohn
1980
Film
The Jesse Owens Story
Abe Saperstein
1984
Film
The Power of the Resurrection
Simon the Canaanite
1958
Film
Maxie
Smedke
1973
Film
Special Delivery
Wyatt
1976
Film
The Blue Knight
Neil Grogan
1973
Film
Dark Victory
Archie
1976
Through the Magic Pyramid
Horembeb
1981
Film
Weekend Warriors
Sgt. Burdge
1986
Film
The Underachievers
Coach
1988
Film
Gridlock
Floyd 'Snake' Kraslowski
1980
Film
Rage!
Tommy
1980
Film
The Alpha Caper
Policeman
1973
Film
The Three Kings
Harold
1987
Film
The Night the City Screamed
Morris Brustein
1980
Film
Reel Horror
Smedke (archive footage)
1985
Film
Little Ladies of the Night
Finch
1977
Film
T-Bird Gang
Policeman
1959
Film
The Black Bird
Warren Finley, Police Lieutenant
1975
Film
Getting Married
Burt Carboni
1978
Film
George Carlin: Playin' with Your Head
The Bad Guys
1986
Film
Portrait of a Stripper
Harry Parkins
1979
Film
The Case of the Baltimore Girls
Capt. Barney Marcus
1978
Film
Partners in Crime
1973
Film
Beverly Hills Bodysnatchers
Lou
1989
Film
Treasure Island
Silver
1986
Film
Honor Thy Father
Don A. Tirello
1973
Film
Death Follows a Psycho
1972
Film
Blood and Lace
Calvin Carruthers
1971
Film
Gangster Story
Norm (uncredited)
1959
Film
They Call It Murder
Jeff Poland
1971
Film
Five Minutes to Live
Fred Dorella
1961
Film
Mysterious Two
Ted Randall
1982
Film
Surftide 77
Arms Cooper
1962