OT: Abe Vigoda RIP(seriously)
http://www.abevigoda.com/
Character actor Abe Vigoda, whose leathery, sad-eyed face made him ideal for playing the over-the-hill detective Phil Fish in the 1970s TV series "Barney Miller" and the doomed Mafia soldier in "The Godfather," died Tuesday at age 94.http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/abe-vigoda-sunken-eyed-ch…
January 26th, 2016 at 5:04 PM ^
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January 26th, 2016 at 5:07 PM ^
January 26th, 2016 at 5:24 PM ^
I know Vigoda had been the victim of a death hoax a couple times, most notably right after "Barney Miller" ceased production when he was away doing theater in Canada (I think it was Canada). I can't remember which magazine, but a very unfortunate recombination of words in an article talked about the "late Abe Vigoda" and it was picked up by various media. He turned up, of course, and took it in stride, even showing up on a People cover inside a coffin.
He did quite a bit of theater in his life and had a long list of character roles in film, but like others, the first things that come to mind are his role in "The Godfather" and Detective Fish on "Barney Miller". He was a versatile actor indeed.
RIP, Abe Vigoda.
January 26th, 2016 at 5:30 PM ^
Truthfully, Abe Vigoda and all the other Godfather actors got lucky including Marlon Brando who actually had to screen test for his part.
Brando came up with two signature aspects of his role as Vito Coreleone. One, the cat in the initial scene, is simply a cat who showed up on set and he took and used for the first scene. And secondly he came up with a mouthpiece to help him emphasize his character.
I love Brando. He is perhaps the greatest actor of all time. And his performance in the Godfather is magnificent. But he was under pressure for that part. And if you watch him in the scenes with Luca Brazi, an actor who is just as incapable as his character in the scenes he plays with Brando, you get why Brando is briliiant.
The interesting thing is, that Richard Castellano who plays Clemenza, held out for more money as that character in the sequel, which the studio wouldn't pay, and they wrote him out of the scrpt even though he was a huge figure and big fan favorite in the Godfather. So, even though Godfather ii revovles around his character, Francis Ford Coppola worked around him.
January 26th, 2016 at 5:40 PM ^
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January 26th, 2016 at 7:34 PM ^
January 26th, 2016 at 5:52 PM ^
Seems like he's been that old for forty years.
R.I.P. Fish.
January 26th, 2016 at 6:00 PM ^
So the only thing I know Abe Vigoda from is the random appearances he would make on Late Night With Conan O'Brien as, more or less, a prop for some of Conan's skits. 94 years. Must've been a heck of a life.
January 26th, 2016 at 6:18 PM ^
January 26th, 2016 at 6:47 PM ^
If you are truly a first timer, then see the original movies GF I and GF II. One of the few times in cinematic history that a sequel exceeded the original, and the original was awesome. Afterward it is kinda cool to view the epic.
January 26th, 2016 at 7:48 PM ^
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January 26th, 2016 at 6:12 PM ^
I grew up in TC where they used to have a summer stock theater series called the Cherry County Playhouse. They'd do Broadway/Neil Simon stuff from the 50s and 60s, originally under a tent and later in the round in the dome at the Park Place, bringing in non-A-list celebs to play the leads. Vivian Vance was always there, MGoGirlfriend (Iater MGoWife) and I saw Marsha Wallace ("The Bob Newhart Show") in "Same Time, Next Year", Dick Van Dyke would be there, Dick Van Patten (coincidence?), folks like that.
One day, I was downtown for some illegitimate reason, and a car pulled into a parking spot on Front Street next to where I was walking. A gaunt gent got out whom I recognized and I was my usual poised self -- I stopped and stared at the guy, mouth open probably.
The guys looks at me and says, "Say, aren't you.....?".
I recovered enough to say, "No, Mr. Vigoda, I'm not. I hope you're enjoying our town.".
He grinned and told me he'd like to stay all summer, but be gone before we iced over.
He was playing on "Barney Miller" on TV at the time, I think, and was starring in whatever show they were doing for those two weeks at the Cherry County Playhouse.
Nice guy.
January 26th, 2016 at 7:07 PM ^
January 26th, 2016 at 7:18 PM ^
January 26th, 2016 at 10:46 PM ^
Sure I remember Milliken's. As a little guy, I suffered through many long hours there with my brothers while my mom shopped. Best part, though, was stopping at the Potter's Bakery counter to get some doughnut holes to shut us up and validate the parking if Mom didn't buy anything. Nice family, the Millikens. Went to elementary, junior and senior high with one of the Milliken girls and my dad was on the medical staff at Munson with John M. I liked bugging out of Milliken's and going two doors down to Bilmar's Sports -- bought my first Wilson A2000 there, along with my K2s for racing in the winter. Unbelievable place to grow up.
January 26th, 2016 at 6:16 PM ^
January 26th, 2016 at 6:34 PM ^
January 26th, 2016 at 6:58 PM ^
January 26th, 2016 at 7:18 PM ^
January 26th, 2016 at 10:34 PM ^
January 26th, 2016 at 9:38 PM ^
January 26th, 2016 at 9:45 PM ^
RIP Tessio....loved your work man!
January 27th, 2016 at 12:27 AM ^
RIP Abe
January 27th, 2016 at 4:33 AM ^
RIP Abe. Hell, hadn't heard from you in so long, thought you might have already been saving a place on the 7:20 to Yuma; Last time you answered one of my calls was like 2007. Yes, I should have stopped in, but I know you won't hold it against me. Hoping to check in on you in about 20- 25 if lucky. Keep the deck fresh and the bourbon ready. In peace my bother, in peace.