Abe Vigoda
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.
TV Shows(52)
TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV
2003
Deadline
Joseph Spiaggio
2000
The Norm Show
1999
Family Guy
Abe Vigoda (voice)
1999
Promised Land
1996
Touched by an Angel
Receptionist Angel
1994
Weird Science
1994
Diagnosis: Murder
Alfredo Bartolo / Al Bartell / Mr. Johnson
1993
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self (uncredited)
1993
Mad About You
Kalman Wertzel
1992
Lucky Luke
Judge Rinehart
1992
The Adventures of the Black Stallion
1992
Law & Order
Detective Landis
1990
Wings
Harry
1990
B.L. Stryker
Clayton Baskin
1989
Monsters
Dolan
1988
Superboy
1988
MacGyver
Bill Cody
1985
Murder, She Wrote
George
1984
Tales from the Darkside
Jake Corelli
1984
Harper Valley
1981
The Littlest Hobo
1979
B. J. and the Bear
1979
Supertrain
Ray Yellburton
1979
$weepstake$
Anthony
1979
Vega$
1978
Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television
Salvatore "Sal" Tessio (uncredited)
1977
The Love Boat
Charlie Fletcher
1977
Eight Is Enough
1977
Fish
Phil Fish
1977
The Captain and Tennille
Self - Guest
1976
The Bionic Woman
1976
Saturday Night Live
Self (uncredited)
1975
Barney Miller
Philip Fish
1975
Tony Orlando and Dawn
Self
1974
Dinah!
Self
1974
The Rockford Files
Al Dancer
1974
Tattletales
1974
Kojak
Kilty
1973
Toma
1973
The Sandy Duncan Show
1972
The Rookies
1972
Cannon
Mr. Couzellous
1971
Love, American Style
Mr. Burdick (uncredited)
1969
Hawaii Five-O
Abe Kemper
1968
Mannix
Anton Valine
1967
Dark Shadows
1966
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
1961
The Bob Hope Show
Self
1950
Suspense
1949
Studio One
Old Train Passenger
1948
Movies(50)
The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959
Salvatore "Sal" Tessio (uncredited)
2016
Cutaways
2013
The Unknown Trilogy
Uncle Morty (segment "Frankie the Squirrel")
2008
Farce of the Penguins
Penguin from Boca (voz)
2006
Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 10th Anniversary Special
Self
2003
Crime Spree
Angelo Giancarlo
2003
Tea Cakes or Cannoli
2000
Chump Change
The Frog
2000
Witness to the Mob
Paul Castellano
1998
Just the Ticket
Arty
1998
A Brooklyn State of Mind
Uncle Guy
1998
Good Burger
Otis
1997
Farticus
Zeus
1997
A Christmas Journey Home
Grandpa
1996
Underworld
Will Cassady
1996
Love Is All There Is
Rudy
1996
Jury Duty
Judge Powell
1995
The Misery Brothers
Don Frito Layleone
1995
North
Alaskan Grandpa
1994
Sugar Hill
Gus Molino
1994
Home of Angels
1994
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
Salvatore Valestra (voice)
1993
Me and the Kid
Pawn Broker
1993
Fist of Honor
Victor Malucci
1993
Night of 100 Stars III
Self
1990
Keaton's Cop
Louis Keaton
1990
Joe Versus the Volcano
Chief of the Waponis
1990
Prancer
Orel Benton
1989
Look Who's Talking
Grandpa
1989
Plain Clothes
Mr. Wiseman
1988
Vasectomy: A Delicate Matter
Abe
1986
The Stuff
Stuff Commercial Spokesman
1985
Cannonball Run II
Caesar
1984
The Big Stuffed Dog
Carnival Pitchman
1981
Gridlock
Herb
1980
Death Car on the Freeway
Mr. Frisch
1979
How to Pick Up Girls!
Nathan Perlmutter
1978
The Comedy Company
Jake
1978
The Cheap Detective
Sergeant Rizzuto
1978
Dean Martin's Red Hot Scandals of 1926
Self
1976
Having Babies
Al Schneider
1976
Joys
Self
1976
The Godfather Part II
Salvatore 'Sal' Tessio
1974
Newman's Law
John Dellanzia
1974
The Story of Pretty Boy Floyd
Dominic Morrell
1974
The Don Is Dead
Don Talusso
1973
Toma
Donzer
1973
The Devil's Daughter
Alikhine
1973
The Godfather
Sal Tessio
1972
Three Rooms in Manhattan
Waiter (uncredited)
1965