Vigoda, Abe 1921–

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Vigoda, Abe 1921–

PERSONAL

Born February 24, 1921, in New York, NY; son of Samuel (a tailor) and Lena (maiden name, Moses) Vigoda; married Beatrice Schy, February 25, 1968 (died 1992); children: Carol. Education: Studied acting at Theatre School of Dramatic Arts and American Theatre Wing.

Addresses: Agent—Fifi Oscard, Fifi Oscard Agency, 110 West 40th St., Suite 1601, New York, NY 10018; (voice) Cunningham/Escott/Slevin & Doherty Talent Agency, 10635 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 140, Los Angeles, CA 90025.

Career: Actor. Appeared in commercials.

Member: American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Screen Actors Guild, Actors' Equity Association, Friars Club.

Awards, Honors: Emmy Award nominations, outstanding continuing performance by a supporting actor in a comedy series, 1976 and 1977, both for Barney Miller; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding single performance by a supporting actor in a comedy or drama series, 1978, for "Goodbye, Mr. Fish: Part 2," an episode of Barney Miller; Israel Culture Award, 1979.

CREDITS

Film Appearances:

Waiter, Trois chambres a Manhattan (also known as Three Rooms in Manhattan), 1965.

Salvatore "Sal"/"Sally" Tessio, The Godfather (also known as Mario Puzo's "The Godfather"), Paramount, 1972.

Don Tolusso, The Don Is Dead (also known as Beautiful but Deadly and The Deadly Kiss), Universal, 1973.

John Dellanzia, Newman's Law, Universal, 1974.

Salvatore "Sal"/"Sally" Tessio, The Godfather, Part II (also known as Mario Puzo's "The Godfather, Part II"), Paramount, 1974.

Sergeant Rizzuto, The Cheap Detective (also known as Neil Simon's "The Cheap Detective"), Columbia, 1978.

Caesar, Cannonball Run II, Warner Bros., 1984.

Commercial spokesperson, The Stuff, New World, 1985.

Detective Edwards, Vasectomy, a Delicate Matter (also known as Vasectomy), Seymour Borde/Vandom International Pictures, 1986.

Mr. Wiseman, Plain Clothes (also known as Glory Days), Paramount, 1988.

Grandpa, Look Who's Talking (also known as Daddy's Home), TriStar, 1989.

Orel Benton, Prancer, Orion, 1989.

Louie Keaton, Keaton's Cop, Cannon Releasing, 1990.

Waponi chief, Joe versus the Volcano (also known as Joe against the Volcano), Warner Bros., 1990.

Grandpa Henry Bruggers, Home of Angels, Cloverlay Productions, 1993.

Pawnbroker, Me and the Kid (also known as Taking Gary Feldman), Orion, 1993.

Victor Malucci, Fist of Honor, PM Home Entertainment, 1993.

Voice of Salvatore "Sal the Wheezer" Valestra, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (animated; also known as Batman: The Animated Movie, Batman: The Animated Movie—Mask of the Phantasm, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm: The Animated Movie, and Mask of the Phantasm: Batman the Animated Movie), Warner Bros., 1993.

Alaskan grandpa, North, Columbia, 1994.

Gus Molino, Sugar Hill (also known as Harlem), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1994.

Don Frito Layleone, The Misery Brothers, 1995.

Judge Powell, Jury Duty, Triumph Releasing, 1995.

Rudy, Love Is All There Is, Samuel Goldwyn, 1996.

Will Cassady, Underworld, Trimark Pictures, 1996.

Otis, Good Burger, Paramount, 1997.

Uncle Guy, A Brooklyn State of Mind, Miramax, 1997.

Zeus, Me and the Gods (also known as Farticus), Cinequanon Pictures, 1997.

Arty, Just the Ticket (also known as Gary & Linda), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1999.

The frog, Chump Change, Miramax, 2000.

Tea Cakes or Cannoli, Pellegrino Productions, 2000.

Angelo Giancarlo, Crime Spree, DEJ Productions/Viacom, 2003.

Some sources cite appearances in Soho They Call It, Mill at Bovina, c. 1998; and in The End of the Bar (also known as Hung and My Angel Is a Centerfold), Carbonated Films/Sub Q Films, 2002.

Television Appearances; Series:

Four Star Revue, NBC, c. 1950–51.

All-Star Revue, NBC, c. 1951–53.

Ezra Braithwaite/Otis Greene, Dark Shadows, ABC, 1969.

Detective Phil Fish, Barney Miller (also known as The Life and Times of Captain Barney Miller), ABC, 1975–77.

Phil Fish, Fish, ABC, 1977–78.

Joe Kravitz, As the World Turns, CBS, 1985.

Lyle DeFranco, Santa Barbara, NBC, 1989.

Judge Rinehart, Lucky Luke, [Italy], beginning c. 1993.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Paul Castellano, Witness to the Mob (also known as Der Pate von Manhattan), NBC, 1998.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Alikhine, The Devil's Daughter, ABC, 1973.

Dominic Morrell, The Story of Pretty Boy Floyd (also known as Pretty Boy Floyd), ABC, 1974.

Al Schneider, Having Babies (also known as Giving Birth), ABC, 1976.

Jake, The Comedy Company, CBS, 1978.

Nathan Perlmutter, How to Pick Up Girls!, ABC, 1978.

Mr. Frisch, Death Car on the Freeway (also known as Wheels of Death), CBS, 1979.

Herb, Gridlock (also known as The Great American Traffic Jam), NBC, 1980.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Detective Phil Fish, Joys (also known as Bob Hope Special: Bob Hope in "Joys"), NBC, 1976.

Dean Martin's Red Hot Scandals of 1928, NBC, 1976.

Guest, Alan King's Final Warning, ABC, 1977.

Circus of the Stars, CBS, 1977.

Circus of the Stars #2, CBS, 1977.

Dean Martin's Red Hot Scandals Part 2, NBC, 1977.

Carnival pitch man, The Big Stuffed Dog, NBC, 1980.

The Greatest Practical Jokes of All Time, NBC, 1990.

Night of 100 Stars III (also known as Night of One Hundred Stars), NBC, 1990.

Comedy Central Presents: The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Rob Reiner, Comedy Central, 2000.

Comedy Central Presents the New York Friars Club Roast of Hugh M. Hefner, Comedy Central, 2001.

Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 10th Anniversary Special, NBC, 2003.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

Mr. Big, The Second Annual TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV (also known as The Second Annual TV Land Awards), TV Land and Nickelodeon, 2004.

Mike Delfino, The Third Annual TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV (also known as The Third Annual TV Land Awards), TV Land, 2005.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

"Lunch Box," Suspense, CBS, 1949.

Mr. Samuelson, "Play It Again Samuelson," The Sandy Duncan Show, CBS, 1972.

Anton Valine, "A Matter of Principle," Mannix, CBS, 1973.

Abe Kemper, "The Two-Faced Corpse," Hawaii Five-0 (also known as McGarrett), CBS, 1974.

Al Dancer, "The Kirkoff Case," The Rockford Files (also known as Jim Rockford, Private Investigator), NBC, 1974.

Michael Lance, "Something Less Than a Man," The Rookies, ABC, 1974.

Norman Kilty, "The Best Judge Money Can Buy," Kojak, CBS, 1974.

"The Street," Toma, ABC, 1974.

Mr. Couzellous, "Search and Destroy," Cannon, CBS, 1975.

Barlow, "Black Magic," The Bionic Woman, ABC, 1976.

Himself, Break the Bank, ABC, 1976.

Himself, Dinah! (also known as Dinah! & Friends), syndicated, 1976.

Himself, Tattletales, CBS, 1976.

Max, "Centerfold," Vega$, ABC, 1978.

Phil "the Dancer" Gabriel, "Rosendahl and Gilda Stern Are Dead," The Rockford Files (also known as Jim Rockford, Private Investigator), NBC, 1978.

Ben Ryan, "The Final Days," Eight Is Enough, ABC, 1979.

Charlie Fletcher, "The Gopher's Opportunity/Home Sweet Home/Switch," The Love Boat, ABC, 1979.

Grandpa Ben Rule, Mary Ellen, B. J. and the Bear, NBC, 1979.

Joe Lange, "Goose for the Gander," Fantasy Island, ABC, 1979.

Phil Fish, "Burial," Barney Miller (also known as The Life and Times of Captain Barney Miller), ABC, 1979.

Ray Yellburton, "A Very Formal Heist," Supertrain, NBC, 1979.

Sid Gordon, "Pentagram/The Casting Director," Fantasy Island, ABC, 1979.

Howard Mattson, "The Million Dollar Fur Heist," The Littlest Hobo, syndicated, 1980.

Phil Fish, "Lady and the Bomb," Barney Miller (also known as The Life and Times of Captain Barney Miller), ABC, 1981.

Slick, "Stellascam," Harper Valley P.T.A. (also known as Harper Valley), NBC, 1981.

Mr. Corelli, "A Choice of Dreams," Tales from the Darkside, syndicated, 1986.

Mr. Wagner, "Back to Oblivion," Superboy (also known as The Adventures of Superboy), syndicated, 1988.

"The Dancer's Touch," B. L. Stryker, ABC, 1989.

Bill Cody, "Harry's Will," MacGyver, ABC, 1990.

George, "The Prodigal Father," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1990.

"The Gift," Monsters, syndicated, 1990.

"Last Race," The Black Stallion (also known as The Adventures of the Black Stallion, The New Adventures of the Black Stallion, and L'etalon noir), YTV (Canada) and The Family Channel, 1990.

Guest, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, NBC, multiple appearances beginning c. 1993.

Alfred Bartell, "You Can Call Me Johnson," Diagnosis Murder, CBS, 1994.

Detective Landis, "Remand," Law & Order (also known as Law & Order Prime), NBC, 1996.

Harry, "All about Christmas Eve," Wings, NBC, 1996.

Old man Lisa, "Grumpy Old Genie," Weird Science, USA Network, 1996.

(Uncredited) Himself, Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's "Saturday Night," Saturday Night, Saturday Night Live '80, SNL, and SNL 25), NBC, 1996.

Charlie the Hat, "Long Live the King," It's Good to Be King, 1997.

Receptionist, "Clipped Wings," Touched by and Angel, CBS, 1997.

Albert Spokaine, "Jury Duty," Promised Land (also known as Home of the Brave), CBS, 1998.

Kalman Wertzel, "Farmer Buchman," Mad about You (also known as Loved by You), NBC, 1998.

The Reel to Reel Picture Show, PAX TV, 1998.

Viva Variety, Comedy Central, 1998.

Sal, "Norm, Crusading Social Worker," The Norm Show (also known as Norm), ABC, 1999.

Voice of himself, "The Kiss Seen around the World," Family Guy (animated; also known as Padre de familia and Padre del familia), Fox, 2001.

Guest, Howard Stern (also known as The Howard Stern Radio Show), E! Entertainment Television, 2005.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Donzer, Toma, ABC, 1973.

Detective Phil Fish, The Life and Times of Captain Barney Miller (pilot for the series Barney Miller), broadcast on Just for Laughs, ABC, 1974.

Blind Uncle Morty, Frankie the Squirrel (short), c. 2005.

Stage Appearances:

Title role, Richard III, Public Theatre, Delacorte Theatre, New York City, c. 1960.

John of Gaunt, Richard II, Public Theatre, New York City, 1961.

Vagrant, The Cherry Orchard, Theatre Four, New York City, 1962–63.

Abbe Bossard and Francois, A Darker Flower, Pocket Theatre, New York City, 1963.

Hendricks, The Cat and the Canary, Stage 73, New York City, 1965.

Man animal, The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charentin under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade (also known as Marat-Sade), Majestic Theatre, New York City, 1967.

Landau, The Man in the Glass Booth, Royale Theatre, New York City, 1968–69.

Inquest, Music Box Theatre, New York City, 1970.

Abraham Lincoln, Tough to Get Help, Royale Theatre, 1972.

Jonathan Brewster, Arsenic and Old Lace, Forty-Sixth Street Theatre, New York City, 1986–87.

Night of 100 Stars III (also known as Night of One Hundred Stars), Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1990.

Poker player, The Odd Couple (benefit performance), National Actors Theatre, Belasco Theatre, New York City, 1991.

Radio Appearances; Episodic:

Guest, Howard Stern (also known as The Howard Stern Radio Show), 2005.

RECORDINGS

Videos:

Salvatore "Sal"/"Sally" Tessio, The Godfather Trilogy: 1901–1980 (also known as The Godfather Saga and The Godfather Trilogy; consists of The Godfather, The Godfather, Part II, and The Godfather: Part III), 1992.