Abe Vigoda

Abe Vigoda

Acting
Born 1921-02-24 - Died 2016-01-26New York City, New York, USA

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.

Movies (51)

The Godfather
8.7

The Godfather

1972Movie8.7
The Godfather Part II
8.6

The Godfather Part II

1974Movie8.6
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
7.5

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

1993Movie7.5
Look Who's Talking
6.3

Look Who's Talking

1989Movie6.3
Good Burger
6.2

Good Burger

1997Movie6.2
The Cheap Detective
6.3

The Cheap Detective

1978Movie6.3
Cannonball Run II
5.4

Cannonball Run II

1984Movie5.4
Jury Duty
4.4

Jury Duty

1995Movie4.4
The Stuff
6.0

The Stuff

1985Movie6.0
Sugar Hill
5.6

Sugar Hill

1994Movie5.6
North
5.0

North

1994Movie5.0
Joe Versus the Volcano
5.8

Joe Versus the Volcano

1990Movie5.8
Underworld
5.3

Underworld

1996Movie5.3
Witness to the Mob
7.1

Witness to the Mob

1998Movie7.1
Having Babies
8.0

Having Babies

1976Movie8.0
Crime Spree
5.6

Crime Spree

2003Movie5.6
The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980
8.9

The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980

1992Movie8.9
The Devil's Daughter
6.6

The Devil's Daughter

1973Movie6.6
Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 10th Anniversary Special
7.0

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

2003Movie7.0
The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959
9.0

The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959

2016Movie9.0
Just the Ticket
5.5

Just the Ticket

1998Movie5.5
Plain Clothes
5.8

Plain Clothes

1988Movie5.8
Prancer
6.1

Prancer

1989Movie6.1
The Don Is Dead
5.9

The Don Is Dead

1973Movie5.9
Farce of the Penguins
4.2

Farce of the Penguins

2006Movie4.2
Home of Angels

Home of Angels

1994Movie
Joys
6.0

Joys

1976Movie6.0
Night of 100 Stars III
4.3

Night of 100 Stars III

1990Movie4.3
Farticus
10.0

Farticus

1997Movie10.0
Three Rooms in Manhattan
6.1

Three Rooms in Manhattan

1965Movie6.1
Death Car on the Freeway
5.2

Death Car on the Freeway

1979Movie5.2
Love Is All There Is
5.2

Love Is All There Is

1996Movie5.2
The Misery Brothers
5.0

The Misery Brothers

1995Movie5.0
The Story of Pretty Boy Floyd
5.0

The Story of Pretty Boy Floyd

1974Movie5.0
Toma
7.7

Toma

1973Movie7.7
The Big Stuffed Dog
5.5

The Big Stuffed Dog

1981Movie5.5
A Brooklyn State of Mind
5.3

A Brooklyn State of Mind

1998Movie5.3
Chump Change
4.0

Chump Change

2000Movie4.0
Newman's Law
6.6

Newman's Law

1974Movie6.6
How to Pick Up Girls!
4.0

How to Pick Up Girls!

1978Movie4.0
Gridlock
5.7

Gridlock

1980Movie5.7
Fist of Honor
5.1

Fist of Honor

1993Movie5.1
Tea Cakes or Cannoli
7.0

Tea Cakes or Cannoli

2000Movie7.0
The Unknown Trilogy
5.5

The Unknown Trilogy

2008Movie5.5
Me and the Kid
5.8

Me and the Kid

1993Movie5.8
Dean Martin's Red Hot Scandals of 1926

Dean Martin's Red Hot Scandals of 1926

1976Movie
Keaton's Cop
4.4

Keaton's Cop

1990Movie4.4
The Comedy Company
4.3

The Comedy Company

1978Movie4.3
Cutaways

Cutaways

2013Movie
A Christmas Journey Home

A Christmas Journey Home

1996Movie
Vasectomy: A Delicate Matter
5.0

Vasectomy: A Delicate Matter

1986Movie5.0

TV Shows (53)

Family Guy
7.4

Family Guy

1999Series7.4
Law & Order
7.3

Law & Order

1990Series7.3
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
7.5

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962Series7.5
Saturday Night Live
6.9

Saturday Night Live

1975Series6.9
The Love Boat
6.3

The Love Boat

1977Series6.3
The Mike Douglas Show
5.8

The Mike Douglas Show

1961Series5.8
Diagnosis: Murder
7.1

Diagnosis: Murder

1993Series7.1
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
7.3

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

1993Series7.3
Murder, She Wrote
7.5

Murder, She Wrote

1984Series7.5
Wings
6.8

Wings

1990Series6.8
Hawaii Five-O
7.2

Hawaii Five-O

1968Series7.2
Mad About You
6.8

Mad About You

1992Series6.8
The Rockford Files
7.6

The Rockford Files

1974Series7.6
MacGyver
7.7

MacGyver

1985Series7.7
Dark Shadows
7.3

Dark Shadows

1966Series7.3
Love, American Style
6.2

Love, American Style

1969Series6.2
Tales from the Darkside
7.2

Tales from the Darkside

1984Series7.2
Mannix
6.8

Mannix

1967Series6.8
Touched by an Angel
7.2

Touched by an Angel

1994Series7.2
Barney Miller
7.3

Barney Miller

1975Series7.3
Cannon
6.7

Cannon

1971Series6.7
Studio One
5.4

Studio One

1948Series5.4
The Bionic Woman
7.0

The Bionic Woman

1976Series7.0
Dinah!
7.0

Dinah!

1974Series7.0
Suspense
5.1

Suspense

1949Series5.1
Monsters
7.0

Monsters

1988Series7.0
Eight Is Enough
6.1

Eight Is Enough

1977Series6.1
The Rookies
6.9

The Rookies

1972Series6.9
The Bob Hope Show
7.0

The Bob Hope Show

1950Series7.0
Kojak
7.2

Kojak

1973Series7.2
Vega$
6.9

Vega$

1978Series6.9
The Littlest Hobo
7.5

The Littlest Hobo

1979Series7.5
Weird Science
6.7

Weird Science

1994Series6.7
The Adventures of the Black Stallion
6.6

The Adventures of the Black Stallion

1992Series6.6
B. J. and the Bear
5.6

B. J. and the Bear

1979Series5.6
Promised Land
6.5

Promised Land

1996Series6.5
The Norm Show
7.2

The Norm Show

1999Series7.2
Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television
8.6

Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television

1977Series8.6
Supertrain
5.6

Supertrain

1979Series5.6
Superboy
6.4

Superboy

1988Series6.4
$weepstake$

$weepstake$

1979Series
B.L. Stryker
6.1

B.L. Stryker

1989Series6.1
Tony Orlando and Dawn
3.5

Tony Orlando and Dawn

1974Series3.5
Toma
6.8

Toma

1973Series6.8
Harper Valley
6.8

Harper Valley

1981Series6.8
Deadline
10.0

Deadline

2000Series10.0
Lucky Luke
5.9

Lucky Luke

1992Series5.9
The Captain and Tennille
7.0

The Captain and Tennille

1976Series7.0
Fish
6.6

Fish

1977Series6.6
Tattletales
7.3

Tattletales

1974Series7.3
The Sandy Duncan Show
10.0

The Sandy Duncan Show

1972Series10.0
Buck Rogers
8.0

Buck Rogers

1950Series8.0
TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV

TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV

2003Series