19 Facts About Abe Vigoda

Abraham Vigoda was an American actor known for his portrayals of Salvatore Tessio in The Godfather and Phil Fish in both Barney Miller and Fish.

Abe Vigoda was born in Brooklyn, New York, on February 24,1921, the son of Samuel Abe Vigoda and Lena Moses, Jewish immigrants from Russia.

Abe Vigoda's father was a tailor who had two other sons: Hy and Bill.

Abe Vigoda began acting while in his 20s, working with the American Theatre Wing.

Abe Vigoda's best known film role is that of Salvatore Tessio in The Godfather.

Abe Vigoda appeared briefly in The Godfather Part II, in a flashback sequence at the end of the film.

Abe Vigoda gained further fame as Phil Fish on Barney Miller, a character known for his world-weary demeanor and persistent hemorrhoids.

Abe Vigoda landed the role after an unusual audition, in which he unwittingly displayed that he was a perfect fit for the role:.

Abe Vigoda took the mistake with good humor, posing for a photograph published in Variety, in which he is sitting up in a coffin, holding the erroneous issue of People.

Abe Vigoda realized and corrected her mistake the next day.

Abe Vigoda had been the subject of many running gags pertaining to the mistaken reports of his death.

In 1997, Abe Vigoda appeared in Good Burger as the character Otis, the titular restaurant's french fry man.

In May 2001, a website was created with only one purpose: to report whether Abe Vigoda was alive or dead.

On October 31,2013, at age 92, Abe Vigoda again defied rumors of his demise by appearing on stage with the American rock band Phish in Atlantic City, New Jersey, during a performance of the band's song "Wombat", from their 2014 album Fuego, which mentions Abe Vigoda by name.

Abe Vigoda enjoyed playing handball, and stated in an interview that he was "almost" a champion at the game in his youth.

On January 26,2016, one month before his 95th birthday, Abe Vigoda died in his sleep at his daughter Carol Fuchs's home in Woodland Park, New Jersey, of natural causes.

Abe Vigoda had gone there "to escape the hazards of a blizzard".

Abe Vigoda was buried in the Beth David Cemetery in Elmont, Nassau County, New York.

At the 2016 Academy Awards show, Abe Vigoda was not included in the show's memorial reel, surprising many and prompting a small backlash.