Acting · New York City, New York, USA · Born February 24, 1921
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.
MovieThe Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959
2016
as Salvatore "Sal" Tessio (uncredited)
Cutaways
2013
MovieThe Unknown Trilogy
2008
as Uncle Morty (segment "Frankie the Squirrel")
MovieFarce of the Penguins
2006
as Penguin from Boca (voice)
MovieLate Night with Conan O'Brien: 10th Anniversary Special
2003
as Self
MovieCrime Spree
2003
as Angelo Giancarlo
TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV
2003
MovieTea Cakes or Cannoli
2000
TVDeadline
2000
as Joseph Spiaggio
MovieChump Change
2000
as The Frog
TVThe Norm Show
1999
TVFamily Guy
1999
as Abe Vigoda (voice)
MovieWitness to the Mob
1998
as Paul Castellano
MovieJust the Ticket
1998
as Arty
MovieA Brooklyn State of Mind
1998
as Uncle Guy
MovieGood Burger
1997
as Otis
MovieFarticus
1997
as Zeus
A Christmas Journey Home
1996
as Grandpa
TVPromised Land
1996
MovieUnderworld
1996
as Will Cassady
MovieLove Is All There Is
1996
as Rudy
MovieJury Duty
1995
as Judge Powell
MovieThe Misery Brothers
1995
as Don Frito Layleone
TVTouched by an Angel
1994
as Receptionist Angel
MovieNorth
1994
as Alaskan Grandpa
TVWeird Science
1994
MovieSugar Hill
1994
as Gus Molino
MovieHome of Angels
1994
MovieBatman: Mask of the Phantasm
1993
as Salvatore Valestra (voice)
TVDiagnosis: Murder
1993
as Alfredo Bartolo / Al Bartell / Mr. Johnson
MovieMe and the Kid
1993
as Pawn Broker
TVLate Night with Conan O'Brien
1993
as Self (uncredited)
MovieFist of Honor
1993
as Victor Malucci
MovieThe Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980
1992
as Salvatore 'Sal' Tessio
TVMad About You
1992
as Kalman Wertzel
TVLucky Luke
1992
as Judge Rinehart
TVThe Adventures of the Black Stallion
1992
TVLaw & Order
1990
as Detective Landis
MovieNight of 100 Stars III
1990
as Self
TVWings
1990
as Harry
MovieKeaton's Cop
1990
as Louis Keaton
MovieJoe Versus the Volcano
1990
as Chief of the Waponis
MoviePrancer
1989
as Orel Benton
MovieLook Who's Talking
1989
as Grandpa
TVB.L. Stryker
1989
as Clayton Baskin
TVMonsters
1988
as Dolan
TVSuperboy
1988
MoviePlain Clothes
1988
as Mr. Wiseman
MovieVasectomy: A Delicate Matter
1986
as Abe
TVMacGyver
1985
as Bill Cody
MovieThe Stuff
1985
as Stuff Commercial Spokesman
TVMurder, She Wrote
1984
as George
TVTales from the Darkside
1984
as Jake Corelli
MovieCannonball Run II
1984
as Caesar
MovieThe Big Stuffed Dog
1981
as Carnival Pitchman
TVHarper Valley
1981
MovieGridlock
1980
as Herb
TVThe Littlest Hobo
1979
MovieDeath Car on the Freeway
1979
as Mr. Frisch
TVB. J. and the Bear
1979
TVSupertrain
1979
as Ray Yellburton
$weepstake$
1979
as Anthony
MovieHow to Pick Up Girls!
1978
as Nathan Perlmutter
TVVega$
1978
MovieThe Comedy Company
1978
as Jake
MovieThe Cheap Detective
1978
as Sergeant Rizzuto
TVMario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television
1977
as Salvatore "Sal" Tessio (uncredited)
TVThe Love Boat
1977
as Charlie Fletcher
TVEight Is Enough
1977
TVFish
1977
as Phil Fish
Dean Martin's Red Hot Scandals of 1926
1976
as Self
MovieHaving Babies
1976
as Al Schneider
TVThe Captain and Tennille
1976
as Self - Guest
MovieJoys
1976
as Self
TVThe Bionic Woman
1976
TVSaturday Night Live
1975
as Self (uncredited)
TVBarney Miller
1975
as Philip Fish
MovieThe Godfather Part II
1974
as Salvatore 'Sal' Tessio
TVTony Orlando and Dawn
1974
as Self
TVDinah!
1974
as Self
TVThe Rockford Files
1974
as Al Dancer
MovieNewman's Law
1974
as John Dellanzia
MovieThe Story of Pretty Boy Floyd
1974
as Dominic Morrell
TVTattletales
1974
MovieThe Don Is Dead
1973
as Don Talusso
TVKojak
1973
as Kilty
TVToma
1973
MovieToma
1973
as Donzer
MovieThe Devil's Daughter
1973
as Alikhine
The Sandy Duncan Show
1972
TVThe Rookies
1972
MovieThe Godfather
1972
as Sal Tessio
TVCannon
1971
as Mr. Couzellous
TVLove, American Style
1969
as Mr. Burdick (uncredited)
TVHawaii Five-O
1968
as Abe Kemper
TVMannix
1967
as Anton Valine
TVDark Shadows
1966
MovieThree Rooms in Manhattan
1965
as Waiter (uncredited)
TVThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self
TVThe Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self
Buck Rogers
1950
TVThe Bob Hope Show
1950
as Self
TVSuspense
1949
TVStudio One
1948
as Old Train Passenger
