"I look at him, I see Errol Flynn!" she tells Dorothy.
Sal does show up in flashbacks and dream sequences. He is usually played by Sid Melton. Since Estelle Getty plays her character at Getty's actual age (rather than her character's usual age of 80ish), we get to see the Sophia we viewers know and love (not a stand-in) alongside her stocky, 5'6" husband with his sweet face, cool demeanor, rascally comments, and Brooklyn accent. And big romantic heart!
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| "I'm going to get some air." |
Sal was reportedly not a perfect husband. He gambled at various points in his marriage but after a large loss, never again went too far down that path. Dorothy--who has a tendency to complain anyway--criticizes her father for being absent from her life on occasion. However, she clearly adored him.
Although Sophia dates and even gets married (to a long-time friend; they immediately separate and return to their families but remain married), nobody can replace Sal. A tough broad who has lasted several years on her own, Sophia misses Sal terribly. They make an entirely believable and true-to-life couple.
