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Daughter Of Famed Character Actor Abe Vigoda Furious Over Oscar 'In Memoriam' Snub

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — Famously long rumored to be dead, beloved character actor Abe Vigoda died for real in January at age 94. But the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences didn't seem to notice.

In any case, it omitted Vigoda from the "In Memoriam" package during Sunday night's Oscarcast, and his daughter Carol Vigoda Fuchs is incensed.

Vigoda played Salvatore "Sal" Tessio, the doomed Mafia soldier in "The Godfather."

Fuchs wonders why the Academy forgot him, even as it paid tribute to Alex Rocco, seen in the same 1972 film as Las Vegas casino owner Moe Green. Rocco, who died last July at age 79, was among the four dozen industry figures honored in the segment.

"Abe's family feels disappointed and cheated by the Academy," said Carol Vigoda Fuchs on Monday. "Abe gave his life and heart to acting, and a simple tribute in recognition of his devotion was overlooked."

Some fans took to social media to express their own outrage.

Vigoda passed away in January in his sleep at Fuchs' home in Woodland Park, New Jersey.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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