Vic Tayback

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia Victor Tayback January 6 1930 May 25 1990 was an American actor He is best known for his role as diner owner Mel Sharples in the comedydrama film Alice Doesnt Live Here Anymore 1974 and the television sitcom Alice 19761985 for which he won two consecutive Golden Globes Early life Tayback was born on January 6 1930 in Brooklyn New York to Syrian Catholic immigrant parents Helen née Hanood Arabic هيلين هنود تايباك and Najeeb James Tayback Arabic نجيب جيمس طيبك Both of his parents had emigrated to the United States from Aleppo He moved with his family to Burbank California during his teenage years and attended Burbank High School from which he graduated in 1948 He also attended Glendale Community College and the Frederick A Speare School of Radio and TV Broadcasting Career Tayback served in the United States Navy before beginning his acting career at the age of 25 A lifetime member of the Actors Studio he was a familiar face on television in the 1960s and 1970s appearing on numerous series including The Man from UNCLE Star Trek Bonanza Here Come the Brides That Girl Gunsmoke The Mary Tyler Moore Show The Partridge Family All in the Family Fantasy Island Columbo Bewitched and The Love Boat He also appeared in many films such as Bullitt 1968 Papillon 1973 The Gambler 1974 The Cheap Detective 1978 and All Dogs Go to Heaven 1989 as well as more than 25 stage productions including Twelve Angry Men The Diary of Anne Frank Death of a Salesman and Brighton Beach Memoirs He was the cofounder of the theatre troupe Company of Angels He also appeared in television commercials notably in 1968 with Richard Dreyfuss for the AMC Javelin Taybacks most famous role was as diner owner Mel Sharples in both the film Alice Doesnt Live Here Anymore 1974 and the television series Alice 19761985 He was the only actor in the original film to reprise his role for the rest of the series For the role he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 1978 and won two consecutive Golden Globe Awards in 1980 and 1981 In 1971 he made a guest appearance as Dirks in season 16 episode 19 of the longrunning CBS Western series Gunsmoke Personal life Tayback was married to Sheila Maureen Barnard 19322001 from March 16 1963 until his death on May 25 1990 They had one son Death Tayback died of a heart attack at age 60 on May 25 1990 Tayback was pronounced dead at 156 am at Glendale Adventist Medical Center where he was taken after his wife called paramedics She said he had climbed out of bed taken a few steps and collapsed Tayback was a lifelong smoker and had a history of heart problems He underwent a triple bypass in 1983 He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Hollywood Hills CLR