Abe Vigoda – the iconic actor best known for his roles in the Godfather films and the popular ’70s sitcom Barney Miller – has passed away at the age of 94.
Vigoda reportedly died in a hospice facility, surrounded by his friends and family.
Though his career peaked in the ’70s and ’80s, Vigoda continued working until last year, racking up nearly 100 film and television credits.
Throughout his life, Vigoda remained a beloved figure amongst members of The Godfather‘s cultishly devoted fanbase, even reprising his role as Sel Tessio to lend his voice to the video game series based on the films in 2006 and 2007.
After his death was falsely reported in 1982 and 1987, the question of whether Vigoda was alive or dead became something a running joke.
Always game to poke fun at himself, Vigoda played along, often appearing as himself on sketches for Conan O’Brien’s various late night shows.
A tireless performer who worked in just about every genre over the course of his nearly six decades in show business, Vigoda is currently being remembered on social media for roles as diverse as the grandfather in Look Who’s Talking and the Chief of the Waponis in Joe Versus the Volcano.
Vigoda survived by his daughter, Carol Vigoda. His wife, Beatrice Schy, passed away in 1992.
