Actor Abe Vigoda was elected to The Lambs as a Lifetime Theatrical Member in 2002.
He was known for a number of roles, especially his portrayals of Salvatore Tessio in the Francis Ford Coppola film The Godfather and Detective Sgt. Phil Fish on the ABC sitcom Barney Miller from 1975 to 1977 and its spinoff show Fish in 1978.
Vigoda was born February 24, 1921, in Brooklyn, the son of Lena (née Moses) and Samuel Vigoda, Jewish immigrants from Russia.
Vigoda began acting while in his teens, working with the American Theatre Wing. His career as a professional actor began in 1947.
Vigoda gained acting notability in the 1960s with his work in Broadway productions, including Marat/Sade (1967) playing “Mad Animal”, The Man in the Glass Booth (1968) playing “Landau”, Inquest (1970), and Tough to Get Help (1972).
His best-known film role is that of elder mobster Salvatore Tessio in The Godfather (1972). He also appeared briefly in The Godfather Part II in a flashback sequence at the end of the film. He gained further fame playing Detective Sgt. Phil Fish on Barney Miller on television.
Vigoda died January 26, 2016, at his daughter’s home in Woodland Park, New Jersey.