Abe Vigoda
Age: N/A | From: New York City, New York, USA
Person Details
Birthday:
Aliases: Abraham Charles Vigodah
Gender: Male
Place of birth: New York City, New York, USA
Homepage:
Movie Involvements: 19
TV Involvements: 13
Most Famous Work
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.
Most Famous Work
Law & Order
(1990) Detective Landis
Tales from the Darkside
(1984) Jake Corelli
Murder, She Wrote
(1984) George
The Rockford Files
(1974) Al Dancer
Diagnosis: Murder
(1993) Alfredo Bartolo / Al Bartell / Mr. Johnson
The Bob Hope Show
(1950) Self
Touched by an Angel
(1994) Receptionist Angel
Studio One
(1948) Old Train PassengerActing
| Year | Character | Movie/Tv |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | N/A | |
| 2008 | Uncle Morty (segment "Frankie the Squirrel") | |
| 2007 | Penguin from Boca (voice) | |
| 2003 | Angelo Giancarlo | |
| N/A | ||
| 2000 | N/A | |
| N/A | ||
| The Frog | ||
| 1999 | N/A | |
| Arty | ||
| Abe Vigoda (voice) | ||
| 1998 | Paul Castellano | |
| Uncle Guy | ||
| 1997 | Otis | |
| Zeus | ||
| 1996 | Grandpa | |
| N/A | ||
| Will Cassady | ||
| Rudy | ||
| 1995 | Judge Powell | |
| Don Frito Layleone | ||
| 1994 | Receptionist Angel | |
| Alaskan Grandpa | ||
| N/A | ||
| Gus Molino | ||
| N/A | ||
| 1993 | Salvatore Valestra (voice) | |
| Alfredo Bartolo / Al Bartell / Mr. Johnson | ||
| Pawn Broker | ||
| Victor Malucci | ||
| 1992 | N/A | |
| N/A | ||
| N/A | ||
| 1990 | Detective Landis | |
| Self | ||
| N/A | ||
| Louis Keaton | ||
| Chief of the Waponis | ||
| 1989 | Orel Benton | |
| Grandpa | ||
| N/A | ||
| 1988 | N/A | |
| N/A | ||
| Mr. Wiseman | ||
| 1986 | Abe | |
| 1985 | Stuff Commercial Spokesman | |
| 1984 | George | |
| Jake Corelli | ||
| Caesar | ||
| 1981 | Salvatore "Sal" Tessio (uncredited) | |
| Carnival Pitchman | ||
| N/A | ||
| 1980 | Herb | |
| 1979 | N/A | |
| Mr. Frisch | ||
| N/A | ||
| N/A | ||
| N/A | ||
| 1978 | Nathan Perlmutter | |
| N/A | ||
| Jake | ||
| Sergeant Rizzuto | ||
| 1977 | Salvatore "Sal" Tessio (uncredited) | |
| Charlie Fletcher | ||
| N/A | ||
| Phil Fish | ||
| 1976 | Self | |
| Al Schneider | ||
| Self | ||
| Self | ||
| N/A | ||
| 1975 | Philip Fish | |
| Det. Phil Fish (uncredited) | ||
| Det. Phil Fish | ||
| 1974 | Salvatore 'Sal' Tessio | |
| Self | ||
| Phil 'The Dancer' Gabriel | ||
| Al Dancer | ||
| John Dellanzia | ||
| Dominic Morrell | ||
| N/A | ||
| 1973 | Don Talusso | |
| Kilty | ||
| N/A | ||
| Alikhine | ||
| 1972 | N/A | |
| N/A | ||
| Sal Tessio | ||
| 1971 | N/A | |
| 1968 | Abe Kemper | |
| 1967 | N/A | |
| 1966 | N/A | |
| 1965 | Waiter (uncredited) | |
| 1950 | Self | |
| 1949 | N/A | |
| 1948 | Old Train Passenger | |
| Year | Character | Movie/Tv |
