Site Revisions Underway Some Features May Not Work
Photo of Abe Vigoda

Abe Vigoda

Acting 94 (deceased) years old New York City, New York, USA ★ 1.7
Born: February 24, 1921
Died: January 26, 2016

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.

External Links

🎬 IMDb

Known For

Family Guy
Family Guy Abe Vigoda (voice) 1999
The Godfather
The Godfather Sal Tessio 1972
Dark Shadows
Dark Shadows 1966
The Love Boat
The Love Boat Charlie Fletcher 1977
Mad About You
Mad About You Kalman Wertzel 1992

Filmography

Acting Credits (107)

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

Powered by

TMDB
× Person photo
❮ Back to Person Search