Abe "Fish" Vigoda, 1921-2016, R.I.P.

[The Bread Guy]

Yes, he is dead -- from the New York Times:

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.

Vigoda's daughter, Carol Vigoda Fuchs, told The Associated Press that Vigoda died Tuesday morning in his sleep at Fuchs' home in Woodland Park, New Jersey. The cause of death was old age. "This man was never sick," Fuchs said.

His death brought to an end years of questions on whether he was still alive — sparked by a false report of his death more than three decades ago. Though Vigoda took it in stride, the question of whether he was dead or alive became something of a running joke: There was even a website devoted to answering the much-Googled question, "Is Abe Vigoda dead?" (On Tuesday, it had been updated with "Yes," with the date of his death.) ...

 

[mariomike]

Sad watching him take his last ride in Godfather.

RIP Abe.

 

[dapaterson]

There internet has been monitoring Abe Vigoda for years.  After one too many death hoaxes, someone set up http://www.abevigoda.com to provide a constant way to monitor his status.  (Apparently, Abe thought it was a hoot).

 

[jollyjacktar]

My favorite Fish moment in Barney Miller was the hash brownies episode where the perp was relating after arrest how fast and furious Fish was in pursuit.