
Abe Vigoda
Highest Rated: 98% The Godfather (1972)
Lowest Rated: 0% Jury Duty (1995)
Birthday: Feb 24, 1921
Birthplace: New York, New York, USA
Image was everything in Hollywood, and Abe Vigoda's unusual look became his ticket to fame and fortune. The dour-faced character actor was best known for playing gritty Mafioso types, most notably as the scheming Tessio in "The Godfather" (1972) and "The Godfather: Part II" (1974). But he was more than just a tough guy; he was also a gifted comedic actor. Audiences remembered him as the aging, cynical Detective Sgt. Phil Fish on the hit sitcom "Barney Miller" (ABC, 1975-1982) - a role that earned Vigoda Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for three years in a row, between 1976 and 1978. It wasn't until 1982, however, when the actor really made headlines after a People magazine article mistakenly reported he was dead. Vigoda had a good laugh over it and always appeared to be in on the joke. The question "Is Abe Vigoda still alive?" lasted for several years, resurfacing in skits for David Letterman and Conan O'Brien's late night shows, ironically giving the actor a new life as a beloved TV icon to generations of viewers not even born when he was stealing scenes on "Barney Miller." Abe Vigoda died at his home in Woodland Park, NJ, on January 26, 2016. He was 94.
Photos
Highest Rated Movies
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | 42% | The Unknown Trilogy | Uncle Morty (Character) | - | 2008 |
33% | 56% | Wanted | Angelo Giancarlo (Character) | - | 2003 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Tea Cakes or Cannoli | Unknown (Character) | - | 2001 |
23% | 39% | Just the Ticket | Arty (Character) | $427.9K | 1999 |
60% | 85% | Witness to the Mob | Unknown (Character) | - | 1998 |
No Score Yet | 28% | A Brooklyn State of Mind | Uncle Guy (Character) | - | 1997 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Misery Brothers | Don Frito Layleone (Character) | - | 1997 |
32% | 63% | Good Burger | Otis (Character) | $23.7M | 1997 |
No Score Yet | 43% | Underworld | Will Cassady (Character) | $12.6K | 1996 |
No Score Yet | 47% | Love Is All There Is | Rudy (Character) | $61.3K | 1996 |
0% | 26% | Jury Duty | Judge Powell (Character) | $14.8M | 1995 |
14% | 27% | North | Alaskan Grandpa (Character) | $6.6M | 1994 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Home of Angels | Grandpa (Character) | - | 1993 |
No Score Yet | 12% | Me and the Kid | Pawn Broker (Character) | $45.7K | 1993 |
No Score Yet | 90% | Batman: Mask of the Phantasm | Salvatore 'Sal the Wheezer' Valestra (Voice) | $5M | 1993 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fist of Honor | Victor Malucci (Character) | - | 1993 |
20% | 69% | Sugar Hill | Gus Molino (Character) | $18.3M | 1993 |
61% | 54% | Joe Versus the Volcano | Chief of the Waponis (Character) | $39.1M | 1990 |
No Score Yet | 20% | Keaton's Cop | Louis Keaton (Character) | - | 1990 |
56% | 47% | Look Who's Talking | Grandpa (Character) | $137M | 1989 |
67% | 58% | Prancer | Orel Benton (Character) | $18.1M | 1989 |
No Score Yet | 61% | Plain Clothes | Mr. Wiseman (Character) | $222.7K | 1988 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Vasectomy: A Delicate Matter | Detective Abe Fossi (Character) | - | 1986 |
No Score Yet | 29% | Death Car on the Freeway | Mr. Frisch (Character) | - | 1979 |
47% | 58% | The Cheap Detective | Sergeant Rizzuto (Character) | - | 1978 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Having Babies | Al Schneider (Character) | - | 1976 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Story of Pretty Boy Floyd | Dominic Morrell (Character) | - | 1974 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Best of All the Safecrackers | Donzer (Character) | - | 1974 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Newman's Law | John Dellanzia (Character) | - | 1974 |
98% | 97% | The Godfather, Part II | Sal Tessio (Character) | - | 1974 |
No Score Yet | 31% | The Devil's Daughter | Alikhine (Character) | - | 1973 |
No Score Yet | 21% | The Don Is Dead | Don Talusso (Character) | - | 1973 |
98% | 98% | The Godfather | Sal Tessio (Character) | $134.8M | 1972 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | 62% | Family Guy | Himself (Guest Voice) | 2001 |
67% | No Score Yet | Norm | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Mad About You | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Promised Land | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Wings | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1996 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Weird Science | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1996 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Law & Order | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1996 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Diagnosis Murder | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1994 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Murder, She Wrote | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1991 |
No Score Yet | 81% | MacGyver | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1990 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Monsters | Unknown (Character) | 1990 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1984 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Barney Miller |
Det. Phil Fish (Character), Unknown (Guest Star) |
1981-1982 1975-1978 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | B.J. and the Bear | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1979 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fantasy Island | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1979 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Eight Is Enough | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1979 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Rockford Files | Phil 'The Dancer' Gabriel (Guest Star) | 1978 1974 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fish | Det. Phil Fish (Character) | 1977-1978 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Bionic Woman | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1976 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Tattletales | Guest | 1976 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Cannon | Mr. Couzellous (Guest Star) | 1975 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Kojak | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1974 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Rookies | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1974 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Mannix | Anton Valine (Guest Star) | 1973 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Studio One | Unknown (Character) | 1949 |
QUOTES FROM Abe Vigoda CHARACTERS
Ed says: This is Otis, the fry cook!
Otis says: I should have died years ago.
Otis says: You think you can get me to a hospital I think I broke my ass?
Otis says: Makes me glad I'm not dead!
Tessio says: [signaling dead fish] That's a Sicilian message. It means Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes.