Abe Vigoda

Personal Info

Birthday

February 24, 1921

Day of Death

2016-01-26

(94 years old)

Place of Birth

New York City, New York, USA

Also Known As

Abraham Charles Vigodah

ایب ویگودا

Abe Vigoda

Biography

Tall, dour-faced and slouch-shouldered character actor Abraham Charles Vigoda (February 24, 1921 – January 26, 2016) proved himself in both gritty dramatic roles, and as an actor with wonderful comedic timing. Vigoda was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Lena (Moses) and Samuel Vigoda, both Russian Jewish immigrants.

His father was a tailor on the Lower East Side. He made his first stage appearance at the age of 17 and plodded away in small theater shows for over 20 years. For the majority of film-goers, Vigoda first came to prominence in The Godfather (1972) as the double-crossing Tessio, pleading with Robert Duvall to get him off the hook "for old times' sake.

Known For

Family Guy

Law & Order

Murder, She Wrote

The Love Boat

Mad About You

MacGyver

The Godfather

Diagnosis: Murder

Filmography

2008
The Unknown Trilogy
as Uncle Morty (segment "Frankie the Squirrel")
2006
Farce of the Penguins
as Penguin from Boca (voice)
2003
Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 10th Anniversary Special
as Self
Crime Spree
as Angelo Giancarlo
2000
Chump Change
as The Frog
1998
Witness to the Mob
as Paul Castellano
Just the Ticket
as Arty
A Brooklyn State of Mind
as Uncle Guy
1997
Good Burger
as Otis
Farticus
as Zeus
1996
A Christmas Journey Home
as Grandpa
Underworld
as Will Cassady
Love Is All There Is
as Rudy
1995
Jury Duty
as Judge Powell
The Misery Brothers
as Don Frito Layleone
1994
North
as Alaskan Grandpa
Sugar Hill
as Gus Molino
1993
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
as Salvatore Valestra (voice)
Me and the Kid
as Pawn Broker
Fist of Honor
as Victor Malucci
1990
Night of 100 Stars III
as Self
Joe Versus the Volcano
as Chief of the Waponis
Keaton's Cop
as Louis Keaton
1989
Prancer
as Orel Benton
Look Who's Talking
as Grandpa
1988
Plain Clothes
as Mr. Wiseman
1986
Vasectomy: A Delicate Matter
as Abe
1985
The Stuff
as Stuff Commercial Spokesman
1984
Cannonball Run II
as Caesar
1981
The Godfather 1901–1959: The Complete Epic
as Salvatore "Sal" Tessio (uncredited)
The Big Stuffed Dog
as Carnival Pitchman
1980
Gridlock
as Herb
1979
Death Car on the Freeway
as Mr. Frisch
1978
How to Pick Up Girls!
as Nathan Perlmutter
The Comedy Company
as Jake
The Cheap Detective
as Sergeant Rizzuto
1976
Dean Martin's Red Hot Scandals of 1926
as Self
Having Babies
as Al Schneider
Joys
as Self
1974
The Godfather Part II
as Salvatore 'Sal' Tessio
Newman's Law
as John Dellanzia
The Story of Pretty Boy Floyd
as Dominic Morrell
1973
The Don Is Dead
as Don Talusso
Toma
as Donzer
The Devil's Daughter
as Alikhine
1972
The Godfather
as Sal Tessio
1965
Three Rooms in Manhattan
as Waiter (uncredited)