Phil Fish
Encyclopedia
Detective Phil Fish was a fictional police officer in the TV series Barney Miller
. He was played by Abe Vigoda
.
Fish was an odd character for a television detective
: aged, grumpy, and suffering from a variety of maladies for which he constantly needed medication. The most recurring malady was inflamed hemorrhoids where he would bring a donut cushion
to his desk chair. The detectives' bathroom was as important to him as his desk.
Fish's wife was Bernice, played by Florence Stanley
, who made occasional visits to the squad room and whose name the aging Fish once forgot during breakfast.
After retiring from the 12th precinct, the character of Fish became the center of his own series, Fish
, in which he and his wife served as foster parents for a number of troubled children, referred to euphemistically as PINS, or persons in need of supervision.
His successor at the precinct was Det. Arthur P. Dietrich
. Fish visited the 12th precinct once more after his retirement from the force and the end of the series Fish (in the episode "Lady and the Bomb"), but it proved to be a bit of a let-down for him.
Barney Miller
Barney Miller is a situation comedy television series set in a New York City police station in Greenwich Village. The series originally was broadcast from January 23, 1975 to May 20, 1982 on ABC. It was created by Danny Arnold and Theodore J. Flicker...
. He was played by Abe Vigoda
Abe Vigoda
Abe Vigoda is an American movie and television actor. Vigoda is well known for his portrayal of Sal Tessio in The Godfather, and for his portrayal of Detective Sgt. Phil Fish on the sitcom television series Barney Miller from 1975–1977 and on its spinoff show Fish that aired from February 1977 to...
.
Fish was an odd character for a television detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
: aged, grumpy, and suffering from a variety of maladies for which he constantly needed medication. The most recurring malady was inflamed hemorrhoids where he would bring a donut cushion
Doughnut (disambiguation)
A doughnut or donut is a deep-fried piece of dough or batter, usually with a toroidal shape.Doughnut or donut may also refer to:*Doughnut , a driving maneuver*Donuts , a 2006 album by J Dilla*Donut A doughnut or donut is a deep-fried piece of dough or batter, usually with a toroidal shape.Doughnut...
to his desk chair. The detectives' bathroom was as important to him as his desk.
Fish's wife was Bernice, played by Florence Stanley
Florence Stanley
Florence Stanley was an American actress of stage, film, and television.-Early life and career:Florence Stanley was born as Florence Schwartz in Chicago, the daughter of Hanna and Jack Schwartz. She began a long career on stage, film and TV starting in the 1940s...
, who made occasional visits to the squad room and whose name the aging Fish once forgot during breakfast.
After retiring from the 12th precinct, the character of Fish became the center of his own series, Fish
Fish (TV series)
Fish was a spin-off television series of the sitcom Barney Miller. It starred Abe Vigoda as New York Police Department Detective Phil Fish and Florence Stanley as his wife Bernice.- Overview :...
, in which he and his wife served as foster parents for a number of troubled children, referred to euphemistically as PINS, or persons in need of supervision.
His successor at the precinct was Det. Arthur P. Dietrich
Arthur Dietrich
Detective Arthur P. Dietrich is a fictional character on the TV series Barney Miller. He is a police officer assigned to the New York City Police Department's 12th Detective Squad, and was played by Steve Landesberg...
. Fish visited the 12th precinct once more after his retirement from the force and the end of the series Fish (in the episode "Lady and the Bomb"), but it proved to be a bit of a let-down for him.