Abe Vigoda
Known for: Acting
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
Series
Law & Order
Detective Landis
1990
Series
Family Guy
Abe Vigoda (voice)
1999
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962
Series
Saturday Night Live
Self (uncredited)
1975
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
1961
Film
The Godfather
Sal Tessio
1972
Series
Murder, She Wrote
George
1984
Series
The Love Boat
Charlie Fletcher
1977
Series
Dark Shadows
1966
Series
Diagnosis: Murder
Alfredo Bartolo / Al Bartell / Mr. Johnson
1993
Series
Hawaii Five-O
Abe Kemper
1968
Film
The Godfather Part II
Salvatore 'Sal' Tessio
1974
Series
MacGyver
Bill Cody
1985
Series
Mad About You
Kalman Wertzel
1992
Series
Love, American Style
Mr. Burdick (uncredited)
1969
Series
The Rockford Files
Al Dancer
1974
Series
The Rockford Files
Phil 'The Dancer' Gabriel
1974
Series
Wings
Harry
1990
Series
Mannix
Anton Valine
1967
Series
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self (uncredited)
1993
Series
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1993
Series
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest
1993
Series
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self
1993
Series
Touched by an Angel
Receptionist Angel
1994
Series
Barney Miller
Philip Fish
1975
Series
Barney Miller
Det. Phil Fish (uncredited)
1975
Series
Barney Miller
Det. Phil Fish
1975
Series
Cannon
Mr. Couzellous
1971
Series
Studio One
Old Train Passenger
1948
Series
Tales from the Darkside
Jake Corelli
1984
Series
The Bionic Woman
1976
Series
Dinah!
Self
1974
Series
The Bob Hope Show
Self
1950
Series
Kojak
Kilty
1973
Series
Vega$
1978
Series
Suspense
1949
Series
Weird Science
1994
Series
The Rookies
1972
Series
Monsters
Dolan
1988
Series
Eight Is Enough
1977
Series
Supertrain
Ray Yellburton
1979
Series
Toma
1973
Film
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
Salvatore Valestra (voice)
1993
Series
The Norm Show
1999
Series
Promised Land
1996
Series
The Littlest Hobo
1979
Series
Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television
Salvatore "Sal" Tessio (uncredited)
1977
Series
B. J. and the Bear
1979
Film
Good Burger
Otis
1997
Series
Superboy
1988
Series
Tony Orlando and Dawn
Self
1974
$weepstake$
Anthony
1979
Series
Deadline
Joseph Spiaggio
2000
Film
Look Who's Talking
Grandpa
1989
Series
B.L. Stryker
Clayton Baskin
1989
Film
North
Alaskan Grandpa
1994
Series
Lucky Luke
Judge Rinehart
1992
Series
The Adventures of the Black Stallion
1992
Film
The Stuff
Stuff Commercial Spokesman
1985
Series
Harper Valley
1981
Series
Fish
Phil Fish
1977
Film
Cannonball Run II
Caesar
1984
Series
The Captain and Tennille
Self - Guest
1976
Film
Joe Versus the Volcano
Chief of the Waponis
1990
Series
Tattletales
1974
Film
Sugar Hill
Gus Molino
1994
The Sandy Duncan Show
1972
Film
Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 10th Anniversary Special
Self
2003
Film
Crime Spree
Angelo Giancarlo
2003
Film
The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980
Salvatore 'Sal' Tessio
1992
Film
The Cheap Detective
Sergeant Rizzuto
1978
Film
Prancer
Orel Benton
1989
Film
Jury Duty
Judge Powell
1995
Film
The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959
Salvatore "Sal" Tessio (uncredited)
2016
Film
Three Rooms in Manhattan
Waiter (uncredited)
1965
Film
Plain Clothes
Mr. Wiseman
1988
TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV
2003
Film
Joys
Self
1976
Film
Night of 100 Stars III
Self
1990
Film
Underworld
Will Cassady
1996
Film
Home of Angels
1994
Film
Farce of the Penguins
Penguin from Boca (voice)
2006
Film
Farticus
Zeus
1997
Film
Just the Ticket
Arty
1998
Film
The Don Is Dead
Don Talusso
1973
Film
The Misery Brothers
Don Frito Layleone
1995
Film
Love Is All There Is
Rudy
1996
Film
Witness to the Mob
Paul Castellano
1998
Film
The Devil's Daughter
Alikhine
1973
Film
How to Pick Up Girls!
Nathan Perlmutter
1978
Film
Newman's Law
John Dellanzia
1974
Film
A Brooklyn State of Mind
Uncle Guy
1998
Film
Death Car on the Freeway
Mr. Frisch
1979
Film
Gridlock
Herb
1980
Film
The Story of Pretty Boy Floyd
Dominic Morrell
1974
Film
Me and the Kid
Pawn Broker
1993
Film
The Big Stuffed Dog
Carnival Pitchman
1981
Film
Chump Change
The Frog
2000
Film
Toma
Donzer
1973
Dean Martin's Red Hot Scandals of 1926
Self
1976
Film
Fist of Honor
Victor Malucci
1993
Buck Rogers
1950
Film
The Unknown Trilogy
Uncle Morty (segment "Frankie the Squirrel")
2008
Film
Vasectomy: A Delicate Matter
Abe
1986
A Christmas Journey Home
Grandpa
1996
Film
Having Babies
Al Schneider
1976
Film
The Comedy Company
Jake
1978
Cutaways
2013
Film
Keaton's Cop
Louis Keaton
1990
Film
Tea Cakes or Cannoli
2000