Gregory Sierra, who had memorable roles in the 1970s sitcoms “Barney Miller” and “Sanford and Son”, died after battling cancer
NEW YORK – Gregory Sierra, who had memorable roles in the 1970s sitcoms “Barney Miller” and “Sanford and Son”, died after battling cancer. He was 83 years old.
Sierra’s widow, Helene, said on Saturday in a telephone interview with the Associated Press that the actor died on January 4 in Laguna Woods, California.
Sierra’s discovery came in 1972 when he played the role of Fred G. Sanford’s neighbor, Julio Fuentes, in “Sanford and Son”. He also gained great attention for playing Sgt. Miguel “Chano” Amanguale in “Barney Miller”, released in 1975.
“He was an incredible human being, unlike any other person, male or female, that I have ever met,” Helene told the AP. “He was extremely intelligent and a brilliant actor. He had a (golden) heart. Whenever someone needed something, he would be there for them and defend the oppressed at any time. And he was a very charming man. He was really a masculine man and women fell in love with him all the time. “
Sierra, a descendant of Puerto Ricans, 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 more. He has 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”, which was released in 2018 after more 40 years in development.
In addition to Helene, Sierra left her daughters, Kelly and Jill, and her granddaughter, Emma.