
Abe Vigoda
Biography
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.
Acting (46 movies)

Tea Cakes or Cannoli
2000

North
1994

Cannonball Run II
1984

Prancer
1989

Look Who's Talking
1989

Just the Ticket
1998

The Cheap Detective
1978

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
1993

Witness to the Mob
1998

Sugar Hill
1994

A Brooklyn State of Mind
1998

Jury Duty
1995

Me and the Kid
1993

Fist of Honor
1993

Love Is All There Is
1996

Underworld
1996

The Don Is Dead
1973

The Godfather
1972

The Devil's Daughter
1973

Keaton's Cop
1990

Death Car on the Freeway
1979

Good Burger
1997

The Comedy Company
1978

Newman's Law
1974

Night of 100 Stars III
1990

Crime Spree
2003

Plain Clothes
1988

Gridlock
1980

The Godfather Part II
1974

Joe Versus the Volcano
1990

Vasectomy: A Delicate Matter
1986

The Misery Brothers
1995

The Stuff
1985

Three Rooms in Manhattan
1965

Joys
1976

Farce of the Penguins
2006

The Big Stuffed Dog
1981

The Unknown Trilogy
2008

The Story of Pretty Boy Floyd
1974

Chump Change
2000

Home of Angels
1994

Having Babies
1976

How to Pick Up Girls!
1978

Farticus
1997

Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 10th Anniversary Special
2003

Toma
1973
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