Abe Vigoda, ‘Barney Miller’ and ‘Godfather’ actor, dies at 94

Actor Abe Vigoda, best known for his roles as mobster Tessio in "The Godfather" and as Detective Sgt. Fish in TV's "Barney Miller" and a spinoff series in which he starred, has died. He was 94 and died in New Jersey of natural causes, his daughter Carol Vigoda Fuchs, told the Associated Press.

The tall character actor with the characteristically slouched shoulders and hangdog face became something of a pop culture figure due to repeated false reports of his demise, which became the subject of jokes. Reflecting his somewhat odd celebrity was the existence of a punk rock band named Abe Vigoda; his recurring appearances in the late 2000s on "Late Night With Conan O'Brien"; and the existence of a website named Isabevigodadead.com, which for years consisted simply of a blank page with the word No.

Vigoda made his feature debut in a bit part in Marcel Carne's 1965 effort "Three Rooms in Manhattan," but the stage actor was essentially unknown when he was cast in "The Godfather" as the ultimately disloyal Tessio in 1972, having landed the part in an open call. In the wake of "The Godfather," in which Vigoda managed to make an impression despite the amount of high-powered acting talent in the film, the middle-aged actor became in demand. On the bigscreen, he appeared in the 1973 mob drama "The Don Is Dead" and 1974 crime drama "Newman's Law," and he reprised his role as Tessio in a flashback in "The Godfather: Part II."

The actor also enjoyed steady film work, including in "Joe Versus the Volcano." He played the judge in the Pauly Shore comedy "Jury Duty" and appeared in small roles as grandpas and gangsters in a stream of low-profile pics during the 1990s and 2000s.

In 1986-87 he starred on Broadway in a revival of "Arsenic and Old Lace."

During the 2010 Super Bowl, Vigoda appeared with Betty White in a commercial for Snickers candy bars.

Vigoda's wife Beatrice died in 1992. He is survived by a daughter.