Gregory Sierra, ‘Sanford and Son’ and ‘Barney Miller’ actor, dies at 83

Last updated Jan 27, 2021

“He was quite wonderful, and my heart is broken into 400 million pieces,” Tabor stated. The cancer continued “for quite a while and he was doing the best he could and just couldn’t do it anymore,” she stated.

Initially from New York City, Sierra moved to California, pursuing a movie and phase profession that eventually covered 5 years. His most popular functions remained in comedies from the 1970s.

In NBC’s “Sanford and Son,” he was a series routine as the Sanfords’ next-door neighbor Julio Fuentes. Later on, he depicted Miguel “Chano” Amanguale, an investigator on ABC’s “Barney Miller.”

Gregory Sierra (left) as neighbor Julio Fuentes in an episode from "Sanford and Son"

Sierra likewise had supporting or visitor functions in “All in the Family,” “Hill Street Blues,” “Miami Vice,” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.”

Movie credits consisted of “Beneath the Planet of the Apes,” “Papillon,” and “The Towering Inferno.”

Tabor called Sierra “a brilliant actor” and stated he was still getting fan mail in the days given that his death. His last credited acting function remained in 2018. Tabor stated he chose to retire because, while he still enjoyed acting, he had trouble remembering his lines.

Tabor stated he was “the first person to help anybody that needed help and he cared about people very much.”

Sierra is likewise made it through by 2 stepdaughters and a step-granddaughter, all of whom, Tabor stated, “loved him and called him ‘Dad.'”

CNN’s Travis Caldwell added to this report.

Jobber Wiki author Frank Long contributed to this report.