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NEW YORK (AP) – Gregory Sierra, who had memorable roles on 1970s sitcoms “Barney Miller” and “Sanford and Son”, has died of cancer. He was 83 years old.
Sierra’s widow Helene said in a phone interview with The Associated Press on Saturday that the actor died Jan. 4 in Laguna Woods, Calif.
Sierra’s breakthrough came in 1972 when he played the role of Fred G. Sanford’s neighbor, Julio Fuentes, in “Sanford and Son”. He also drew special attention to play Sgt. Miguel “Chano” Amanguale on “Barney Miller”, released in 1975.
“He was an incredible human being, unlike any other person, man or woman, that I have ever known,” Hélène told the AP. “He was just extremely intelligent and a brilliant actor. He had a heart (of gold). Whenever someone needed anything he was there for them and stood up for the underdog at all times. And he was a very charming man. He really was a man and women fell in love with him all the time.
Sierra, who is of Puerto Rican descent, was born on January 25, 1937 in New York City. Her TV credits include “All in the Family”, “Soap”, “Miami Vice”, “Zorro and Son”, “Hawaii Five-O”, “Hill Street Blues” and more. He also appeared in films such as “Beneath the Planet of the Apes”, “Papillon”, “The Towering Inferno”, “Honey I Blew Up the Kid” and “The Other Side of the Wind”, released in 2018 after over 40 years of development.
Besides Hélène, Sierra is survived by her daughters, Kelly and Jill, and her granddaughter, Emma.
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