Abe Vigoda, Godfather turncoat and TV detective, dies at 94

Actor Abe Vigoda smiles as he attends the Friars Club Roast of Betty White in New York in this file photo from May 16, 2012. PHOTO: REUTERS

NEW YORK: Abe Vigoda, an American actor best known for roles in "The Godfather" and the 1970s sitcom "Barney Miller," died on Tuesday at the age of 94, after spending three decades jokingly refuting rumors of his demise.