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Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Abe Vigoda, Known for ‘Godfather’ Movies and ‘Barney Miller,’ Dies at 94

NEW YORK (AP) — Character Abe Vigoda, whose leathery, sunken-eyed face made him ideal for playing the over-the-hill detective Phil Fish in the 1970s TV series “Barney Miller” and the doomed Mafia soldier in “The Godfather,” died Tuesday at age 94.

Vigoda’s daughter, Carol Vigoda Fuchs, told The Associated Press that Vigoda died Tuesday morning in his sleep at Fuchs’ home in Woodland Park, New Jersey. The cause of death was old age. “This man was never sick,” Fuchs said.

Vigoda worked in relative obscurity as a supporting actor in the New York theater and in television until Francis Ford Coppola cast him in the 1972 Oscar-winning “The Godfather.” Vigoda played Sal Tessio, an old friend of Vito Corleone’s (Marlon Brando) who hopes to take over the family after Vito’s death by killing his son Michael Corleone (Al Pacino). But Michael anticipates that Sal’s suggestion for a “peace summit” among crime families is a setup and the escorts Sal thought were taking him to the meeting turn out to be his executioners.

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8 comments:

Rebel Without a Clue said...

RIP Fish!

Anonymous said...

Fish was one of my all time favorite comedy show characters and Vigoda played him to perfection.

Anonymous said...

Rumors of his death had circulated for twenty years. RIP.

Anonymous said...

Wow I just asked Sunday if Abe Vigoda was still alive and I read this. I have a history of this kinda stuff happening! Rip Abe.

Anonymous said...

RIP Abe, you will be missed.

Anonymous said...

4:25pm Don't ask about anyone else. You might kill them.

Anonymous said...

Yeah its kinda of a curse!

Anonymous said...

Vigoda was an icon. Glad he made it to such a ripe old age. Condolences to his family, but also, what a life to celebrate.