Was Abe Vigoda Pushed Out of 'Barney Miller?' - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 10-03-2010, 02:54 AM

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...e+vigoda&hl=en

If so, who is to blame? It was announced in Sept. 1978, that negotiations to bring Fish back to the precinct fell apart. Did Danny Arnold who was considered a tyrant behind the scenes to blame? Was Vigoda to blame? Do you think the show hurt after his ultimate departure?

catlover79 · 10-03-2010, 04:31 PM

It's a tough call. Danny Arnold was definitely known as being a perfectionist and very difficult to work with - but Abe Vigoda also asked for too much money and wanted the show to be retitled "Fish & Barney", which obviously was never going to happen. Again...who knows?

SueWalsh · 10-12-2010, 04:48 AM

I don't know about any of that. I do know that they had Abe doing Fish and Barney Miller at the same time and it had him at the point of absolute exhaustion. He finally couldn't do it anymore and said it was one series or the other. They decided to capitalize on Fish's popularity and went with Fish, which probably wasn't the best decision.

dlemond · 10-12-2010, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

It's a tough call. Danny Arnold was definitely known as being a perfectionist and very difficult to work with - but Abe Vigoda also asked for too much money and wanted the show to be retitled "Fish & Barney", which obviously was never going to happen. Again...who knows?

Wow. That is crazy. Vigoda even wanted Fish to have top billing?

Bet he never thought the show would thrive the way it did after he left.

catlover79 · 10-12-2010, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlemond

Wow. That is crazy. Vigoda even wanted Fish to have top billing?

Bet he never thought the show would thrive the way it did after he left.

Yeah, I read that in some TV book years ago. He probably didn't think the show would last without Fish, either. But then again, Abe is still acting and keeping busy at age 88 - most recently in that classic Super Bowl ad with Betty White. "That hurt!"

energy · 11-22-2010, 12:22 PM

The link is not working for me. Is there anyway to correct it, or is there any other way I can access the article about Abe Vigota?

WDUNBill · 11-24-2010, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...e+vigoda&hl=en

If so, who is to blame? It was announced in Sept. 1978, that negotiations to bring Fish back to the precinct fell apart. Did Danny Arnold who was considered a tyrant behind the scenes to blame? Was Vigoda to blame? Do you think the show hurt after his ultimate departure?

From everything I've heard and read, it was Abe that insisted that he be spun-off, rather than remain on "Miller." Arnold fought it, the writers fought it, but they didn't want to work with an unhappy performer, so "Fish" was wrought upon the world. I pretty much blame Abe on this one, and "Barney" certainly didn't suffer much from his departure. I do wonder, though, how much better those later seasons would have been to have had those great stories AND Fish to grouse to Bernice. Sigh.

catlover79 · 11-28-2010, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

Yeah, I read that in some TV book years ago. He probably didn't think the show would last without Fish, either. But then again, Abe is still acting and keeping busy at age 88 - most recently in that classic Super Bowl ad with Betty White. "That hurt!"

I stand corrected - age 89!!! God willing, he will hang in there for the big 9-0 coming up on February 24th!!!

10-03-2010, 02:54 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Was Abe Vigoda Pushed Out of 'Barney Miller?' http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...e+vigoda&hl=en If so, who is to blame? It was announced in Sept. 1978, that negotiations to bring Fish back to the precinct fell apart. Did Danny Arnold who was considered a tyrant behind the scenes to blame? Was Vigoda to blame? Do you think the show hurt after his ultimate departure?
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10-03-2010, 04:31 PM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	It's a tough call. Danny Arnold was definitely known as being a perfectionist and very difficult to work with - but Abe Vigoda also asked for too much money and wanted the show to be retitled "Fish & Barney", which obviously was never going to happen. Again...who knows?
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

10-12-2010, 04:48 AM	#3
SueWalsh Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 05, 2007 Location: NYC Posts: 214	I don't know about any of that. I do know that they had Abe doing Fish and Barney Miller at the same time and it had him at the point of absolute exhaustion. He finally couldn't do it anymore and said it was one series or the other. They decided to capitalize on Fish's popularity and went with Fish, which probably wasn't the best decision.

11-22-2010, 12:22 PM	#6
energy Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 07, 2006 Location: florida Posts: 101	The link is not working for me. Is there anyway to correct it, or is there any other way I can access the article about Abe Vigota?