The actor’s daughter, Carol Vigoda Fuchs, confirmed his death to the Associated Press, and said her father died in his sleep at her home in New Jersey.
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Vigoda’s acting career spanned over 60 years. In 1972, Francis Ford Coppola cast him in the Oscar-winning gangster saga The Godfather, where he played the well-connected gangster Sal Tessio, gunning for power and Michael Corleone.
In addition to his role as Sgt. Philip K. Fish on “Barney Miller”, Vigoda is best known for playing mobster Salvatore Tessio in “The Godfather”. The cause of death was old age.
News of character actor Abe Vigoda’s death was a hot topic of conversation around the Courier water cooler Tuesday. Sadly, the site has been updated with a “Yes” in regards to his passing. Showrunner Danny Arnold said Vigoda was demanding a salary hike that was far more than what the company could afford.
He was only in his early 50s when The Godfather brought him to the public’s attention, but character actor Abe Vigoda always seemed impossibly old, thanks to his sad eyes, slouchy posture, sighing delivery, and general air of world-weary defeat. Mr. Vigoda continued making occasional guest appearances on “Barney Miller”, quitting over billing and salary differences.
Vigoda, who through handball and jogging was actually in terrific physical condition well into his senior years, said he identified with Fish because of his own struggle as an actor.
“Arnold remarked that Vigoda looked exhausted, and the actor explained about his jog”.
Vigoda may be gone, but his legacy will endure with dozens of films and TV appearances to be discovered and re-discovered for decades to come. The show sometimes crystallized as a two-character piece starring Vigoda and the droll Japanese-American actor Jack Soo, as Detective Nick Yemana. His other work included the films Good Burger, Joe Versus the Volcano, Look Who’s Talking and Cannonball Run.
Abe Vigoda was born February 24, 1921 in New York City, to Lena (Moses) and Samuel Vigoda, both Russian Jewish immigrants. “I couldn’t believe how many times Abe would come on the show and do hilarious things for us”, O’Brien said. “Abe was responsible for as much of the success of “Barney Miller” as I was – easily”.
By September of 1975, the pilot for spinoff “Fish and Bernice” was seen as the hottest property on ABC’s development slate.
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Vigoda was married twice in his life, though his most recent wife, Beatrice Schy passed away in 1992.
