Vic Tayback


Victor E. "Vic" Tayback was an American actor. He is known for his role as Mel Sharples in the film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore and the television series Alice. The latter earned him two consecutive Golden Globe Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.

Life and career

Tayback was born in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, to Helen and Najeeb James Tayback. His parents were immigrants from Aleppo, Syria. He moved with his family to Burbank, California during his teenage years and attended Burbank High School, from which he graduated in 1949. He also attended Glendale Community College and the Frederick A. Speare School of Radio and TV Broadcasting.
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 U.N.C.L.E., , Bonanza, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, All in the Family, Fantasy Island, and The Love Boat. He also appeared in many films such as Bullitt, Papillon, The Gambler, The Cheap Detective, and All Dogs Go to Heaven, 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 co-founder of the theater troupe Company of Angels.
Tayback's most famous role was diner owner Mel Sharples in both the film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore and the television series Alice. 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.

Filmography

Personal life

Tayback was married to Sheila Maureen Barnard from March 16, 1963 until his death on May 25, 1990. They had a son, Christopher, who is a business trial lawyer and former prosecutor.

Death

Tayback died of a heart attack at the age of 60 in Glendale, California on May 25, 1990. He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.