Cast
Abe Vigoda
Acting
Cast
Abe Vigoda
Known for
Acting
Born
1921-02-24
From
New York City, New York, USA
Died
2016-01-26
Also known as Abraham Charles Vigodah, Ψ§ΫΨ¨ ΩΫΪ―ΩΨ―Ψ§
Biography
Tall, dour-faced and slouch-shouldered character actor Abraham Charles Vigoda (February 24, 1921 β 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.
β
8.7
MOVIE1972
The Godfather
as Sal Tessio
β
8.6
MOVIE1974
The Godfather Part II
as Salvatore 'Sal' Tessio
β
7.5
MOVIE1993
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
as Salvatore Valestra (voice)
β
5.4
MOVIE1984
Cannonball Run II
as Caesar
β
6.3
MOVIE1989
Look Who's Talking
as Grandpa
β
5.8
MOVIE1990
Joe Versus the Volcano
as Chief of the Waponis
β
6.2
MOVIE1997
Good Burger
as Otis
β
5.1
MOVIE1994
North
as Alaskan Grandpa
β
6.0
MOVIE1985
The Stuff
as Stuff Commercial Spokesman
β
6.4
MOVIE1978
The Cheap Detective
as Sergeant Rizzuto
MOVIE1994
Home of Angels
β
5.3
MOVIE1996
Underworld
as Will Cassady
β
4.2
MOVIE2006
Farce of the Penguins
as Penguin from Boca (voice)
β
9.0
MOVIE2016
The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901β1959
as Salvatore "Sal" Tessio (uncredited)
β
5.9
MOVIE1973
The Don Is Dead
as Don Talusso
β
7.1
MOVIE1998
Witness to the Mob
as Paul Castellano
β
5.6
MOVIE1994
Sugar Hill
as Gus Molino
β
4.0
MOVIE1990
Night of 100 Stars III
as Self
β
5.5
MOVIE1998
Just the Ticket
as Arty
β
6.6
MOVIE1973
The Devil's Daughter
as Alikhine
β
6.0
MOVIE1989
Prancer
as Orel Benton
β
5.2
MOVIE1996
Love Is All There Is
as Rudy
β
7.0
MOVIE2003
Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 10th Anniversary Special
as Self
β
5.9
MOVIE1988
Plain Clothes
as Mr. Wiseman
β
5.6
MOVIE2003
Crime Spree
as Angelo Giancarlo
β
6.6
MOVIE1974
Newman's Law
as John Dellanzia
β
8.9
MOVIE1992
The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980
as Salvatore 'Sal' Tessio
β
4.4
MOVIE1995
Jury Duty
as Judge Powell
β
6.0
MOVIE1976
Joys
as Self
β
5.2
MOVIE1979
Death Car on the Freeway
as Mr. Frisch
β
5.3
MOVIE1998
A Brooklyn State of Mind
as Uncle Guy
β
10.0
MOVIE1997
Farticus
as Zeus
β
6.1
MOVIE1965
Three Rooms in Manhattan
as Waiter (uncredited)
β
4.0
MOVIE1978
How to Pick Up Girls!
as Nathan Perlmutter
β
5.1
MOVIE1993
Fist of Honor
as Victor Malucci
β
5.5
MOVIE2008
The Unknown Trilogy
as Uncle Morty (segment "Frankie the Squirrel")
β
4.4
MOVIE1990
Keaton's Cop
as Louis Keaton
β
5.0
MOVIE1974
The Story of Pretty Boy Floyd
as Dominic Morrell
β
4.0
MOVIE2000
Chump Change
as The Frog
β
5.0
MOVIE1995
The Misery Brothers
as Don Frito Layleone
β
5.8
MOVIE1993
Me and the Kid
as Pawn Broker
β
5.0
MOVIE1986
Vasectomy: A Delicate Matter
as Abe
β
5.5
MOVIE1981
The Big Stuffed Dog
as Carnival Pitchman
β
7.7
MOVIE1973
Toma
as Donzer
β
4.3
MOVIE1978
The Comedy Company
as Jake
β
7.0
MOVIE2000
Tea Cakes or Cannoli
β
7.5
MOVIE1980
Gridlock
as Herb
MOVIE1996
A Christmas Journey Home
as Grandpa
β
8.0
MOVIE1976
Having Babies
as Al Schneider
MOVIE1976
Dean Martin's Red Hot Scandals of 1926
as Self
MOVIE2013