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Abe Vigoda Dead: ‘Godfather,’ ‘Barney Miller’ Actor Dies at 94

Abe Vigoda attends the 55th Annual New York Emmy Awards gala at the Marriott Marquis Times Square on April 1, 2012.
Abe Vigoda attends the 55th Annual New York Emmy Awards gala at the Marriott Marquis Times Square on April 1, 2012.

Abe Vigoda, beloved Godfather actor and Barney Miller star, died on Tuesday, January 26. He was 94.

Vigoda’s daughter, Carol Vigoda Fuchs, confirmed the news to the Associated Press, saying her father died from old age. “This man was never sick,” she told the AP. Fuchs revealed that the actor died in his sleep in her home in Woodland Park, New Jersey.

Vigoda’s features — including his sunken eyes and long face — made him a highly solicited actor for mafia roles. The star was best known for his portrayal of Salvatore “Sal” Tessio (a double-crossing caporegime for the Corleone family) in the 1972 classic The Godfather.  

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Abe Vigoda as Sal Tessio in 'The Godfather,' directed by Francis Ford Coppola, 1972.
Abe Vigoda as Sal Tessio in ‘The Godfather,’ directed by Francis Ford Coppola, 1972.

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Along with The Godfather, Vigoda was well-known for his role as detective Phil Fish on the ’70s sitcom Barney Miller. The three-time Emmy nominee proved to be so popular that he eventually got his own spinoff series in 1977 called Fish.

Vigoda has more than 90 acting credits to his name, including North, Home of Angels, Jury Duty, Look Who’s Talking, The Misery Brothers, A Brooklyn State of Mind, Crime Spree and the ’90s cult classic Good Burger. His final appearance in a movie was in 2014 in a small film called Sweet Destiny.

Vigoda is survived by his daughter, Carol.

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