For anybody like me who heard Johnny mention Abe Vigoda in the Moviefone Unscripted clip, and had no idea who he was, is, was. :lol:

I looked him up, and apparently he was a bit actor, but the relevant bit for us is that he played a recurring part in Dark Shadow. Interesting!! :rolleyes:

Was Johnny hinting at a future project, or was this just another old time actor that he and Tim were discussing? Maybe I should have put this in Time wil Tell. :D

Anyway, I read about him here.

http://www.nndb.com/people/225/000022159/

Anne x

Abe Vigoda has also been the subject of false death rumors, a macabre joke that would appeal to Tim and Johnny. Mr. Vigoda is still alive and living on NYC's Upper East Side.

Thanks Leener, I had never heard of him.

Why would somebody do that? :blink:

Anne x

I loved his character in "Barney Miller"
Joanie

Abe Vigoda.
He's been old forever, it seems. :lol: But not dead.

And he has a funny-sounding name.

It's probably all of the above, the fascination and in-joke status that Tim and Johnny are sharing.

I did too. I loved Fish and always smile when I think of Mr. Vigoda, a great character actor with the most expressive hang-dog face. I got a kick out of Johnny and Tim mentioning him.

I'm just glad I'm not the only one here who remembers Barney Miller! :lol: Yes, Abe V. had that deadpan delivery which made his lines even more funny in that show..........Glad he's still alive.........

-Donna

I loved Abe on "Barney Miller." He was my favorite character. That would be great to see those two together.

Nicci :angel

I'm another Mr. V. afficiando from "Barney Miller" and the spin-off "Fish". Also, don't forget him from the Godfather trilogy - Sal Tessio.

In the same interview, they mention a few players from the Harlem Globetrotters including "Goose" (Wikipedia article excerpt below):


"The Globetrotters gradually worked comic routines into their act until they became known more for entertainment than sports. The Globetrotters' acts often feature incredible coordination and skillful handling of one or more basketballs, such as passing or juggling balls between players, balancing or spinning balls on their fingertips, and making unusual, difficult shots.

Among the players who have been Globetrotters are NBA greats Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain, Connie "The Hawk" Hawkins and Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton, as well as Marques Haynes, George "Meadowlark" Lemon, Jerome James, former Temple coach John Chaney, and Reece "Goose" Tatum. Another popular team member in the 1970s and 1980s was Fred "Curly" Neal who was the best dribbler of that era of the team's history and was immediately recognizable due to his shaven head. Baseball Hall of Famers Bob Gibson, Ferguson Jenkins and Lou Brock also played for the team at one time or another. In 1985, the Globetrotters signed their first female player, Olympic gold medalist Lynette Woodard, and their second, Joyce Walker, just three weeks later.

Because virtually all of its players have been African American, and because of the buffoonery involved in many of the Globetrotters' skits, they drew some criticism in the Civil Rights era. The players were derisively accused of "Tomming for Abe", a reference to Uncle Tom and white owner Abe Saperstein. However, prominent civil rights activist Jesse Jackson came to their defense by stating, "I think they've been a positive influence... They did not show blacks as stupid. On the contrary, they were shown as superior.""

I don't think the rumor was malicious, just bad reporting. Vigoda got a kick out of the rumors and would joke about them, like turning up on the Letterman show saying, I'm not dead yet!

Ahhhh, thanks for that Leener. I had assumed it was malicious.

Seems you all know Abe then, just this Brit who hadn't got a clue. :lol:

Thanks for the info on the Harlem Globetrotters Carpediem. Now those I do know. I saw them in London when I was about 9 or 10, but the only names I remember are Meadowlark Lemon and Curly. They were amazing. woohoo

Anne x

Understandable. :) Abe is in my favorite Christmas movie, btw: Prancer.

That was Abe Vigoada? I love that movie---didn't he play the crotchety but kindhearted vet? I'll have to drag that movie out again!

-Donna