Veteran Actor Gregory Sierra, Best Known For Roles In Barney Miller As Well As Sanford & Son, Passes Away At 83! RIP.
Fox reports.
Gregory Sierra, ‘Barney Miller’ and ‘Sanford and Son’ actor, dead at 83
The star died of cancer earlier this month
Actor Gregory Sierra has died at age 83.
The star, known for roles on hit 1970s sitcoms “Barney Miller” and “Sanford and Son,” died of cancer on Jan. 4 in Laguna Woods, Calif., a family spokesperson said, according to Deadline.
The native of Spanish Harlem in New York City worked at the National Shakespeare Company and in the New York Shakespeare Festival, and had parts in off-Broadway productions early in his career, according to the report.
Additionally, he was a standby for the 1967 Broadway production of “The Ninety Day Mistress.”
The actor then set his sights on Hollywood and made his first credited appearance on a 1969 episode of “It Takes a Thief,” followed by a spot on “Medical Center.”
He’d also appear on high-profile shows like, “The Flying Nun,” “The Bill Cosby Show,” “All in the Family” and more.
His notable film credits include, “The Towering Inferno,” “Beneath the Planet of the Apes” and 1998’s “Vampires.”
In 1972, he came on board “Sanford and Son” to play Julio Fuentes, a sidekick to Redd Foxx’s titular character, according to Deadline. He is credited with appearing in 12 episodes, according to IMDb.
He’d eventually play NYPD detective Sgt. Miguel “Chano” Amanguale on “Barney Miller” — with a cast that included Hal Linden, Abe Vigoda, James Gregory, Max Gail and Steve Landesberg — before embarking on a career full of guest spots on iconic shows like “Magnum, P.I.,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “The X-Files,” “Ellen” and more.
Sierra’s final on-screen appearance came in the 2018 flick “The Other Side of the Wind.”
The outlet reports that he is survived by his wife Helene.
On behalf of the IP team, I offer our condolences to the family, friends and fans of Gregory Sierra.
