Abe Vigoda, ‘Godfather’ and ‘Barney Miller’ Star, Dies at 94

Veteran actor was nominated for 3 Emmy Awards during his career

Abe Vigoda

Abe Vigoda has died at the age of 94, according to his daughter.

Vigoda’s daughter, Carol Vigoda Fuchs, told the Associated Press that the veteran actor died Tuesday morning in his sleep at her home in New Jersey. The cause of death was old age, with Fuchs saying, “This man was never sick.”

Vigoda was born in 1921 in New York City. He scored some early roles in the late 1940s with a few television appearances, but his big break did not come until 1972 when he landed the role of Tessio in “The Godfather.” Vigoda would reprise that role several times, including a brief cameo in the 1974 sequel.

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