NEW YORK (AP) – Gregory Sierra, who had memorable roles in the 1970s sitcoms “Barney Miller” and “Sanford and Son,” has died after battling cancer. He was 83 years old.
Sierra’s widow, Helene, said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Saturday that the actor died on January 4 in Laguna Woods, California.
Sierra’s discovery came in 1972 when he played Fred G. Sanford’s neighbor, Julio Fuentes, in “Sanford and Son.” He also gained major attention for his role as Sgt. Miguel “Chano” Amanguale to “Barney Miller”, released in 1975.
“He was an amazing human being, unlike any other person, man or woman, I’ve ever met,” Helene told AP. “He was simply extremely intelligent and a brilliant actor. He had a heart (of gold). Whenever someone needed something, he would be there for them and always defended the careless person. And he was a very charming man. He was really a man by 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. His TV credits include “All in the Family”, “Soap”, “Miami Vice”, “Zorro and Son”, “Hawaii Five-O”, “Hill Street Blues” and many more. He has also appeared in films such as “Under the Planet of the Apes”, “Papillon”, “The Towering Inferno”, “Honey I Blew Up the Kid” and “The Other Side of the Wind”, which was released in 2018 after over 40 years in development.
In addition to Helene, Sierra is survived by her daughters, Kelly and Jill, and her niece, Emma.