Abe Vigoda, a Jewish actor best known for playing a cranky police detective in the 1970s sitcom “Barney Miller,” has died.
Vigoda died Jan. 26 at his daughter’s home in Woodland Park, New Jersey, the Associated Press reported. He was 94. The cause of death was old age, according to his daughter, Carol Vigoda Fuchs.
“This man was never sick,” Fuchs told AP.
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.” Although Jewish, he was often mistaken for being Italian.
Vigoda also starred in “Fish,” a short-lived spinoff to “Barney Miller.”
Born in Brooklyn, Vigoda was the son of Russian Jewish immigrants. He started acting as a teenager, attending the Theater School of Dramatic Arts at Carnegie Hall. Vigoda worked steadily in theater and television for decades before gaining prominence with his roles in “The Godfather” and “Barney Miller.”
According to AP, Vigoda once said: “When I was a young man, I was told success had to come in my youth. I found this to be a myth.
“My experiences have taught me that if you deeply believe in what you are doing, success can come at any age.” — jta