Angelo Rossitto
Known For
Acting
Born
1908-02-18 in Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Died
1991-09-21
Biography
Angelo Salvatore Rossitto (February 18, 1908 – September 21, 1991) was an American actor and voice artist. He had dwarfism and was 2'11" (89 cm) tall, and was often billed as Little Angie or Moe. Angelo first appeared in silent films opposite Lon Chaney and John Barrymore. On-screen, he portrayed everything from dwarfs, midgets, gnomes, and pygmies as well as monsters, villains, and aliens, with appearances in more than 70 films. Rossitto was born in Omaha, Nebraska to Salvatore Rossitto and Carmela Caniglia, both born in Carlentini, Province of Siracusa, Sicily, Italy, and had a sister, Josephine Rossitto. He was discovered by John Barrymore and made his screen debut opposite Barrymore in The Beloved Rogue (1927). That same year he appeared in Warner Brother's Old San Francisco. He appeared in the controversial 1932 film Freaks directed by Tod Browning, and another controversial film, 1938's Child Bride. During the 1940s, he appeared in several poverty row movies starring Bela Lugosi. He appeared frequently in television series and mini-series, particularly best known for the police drama Baretta, and his later film roles included appearances in Alex in Wonderland (1970), Brain of Blood (1971), Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1971), Little Cigars (1973), and Fairy Tales (1978). His last major role was as "Master" opposite Mel Gibson in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985). Rossitto appears alongside singer/songwriter Tom Waits and Lee Kolima on the cover art of Waits' 1983 album Swordfishtrombones, which pays homage to his performance in Freaks. He also appears on the cover of Bob Dylan's album The Basement Tapes.
Most Known For
Star Trek: The Next Generation
as Spectator (uncredited)
The Incredible Hulk
as Tom Thumb (uncredited)
The Rockford Files
as Dwarf Patient (uncredited)
Starsky & Hutch
as Big Ben
Amazing Stories
as Vaudevillian
Gunsmoke
as Billy (uncredited)
The Wizard of Oz
as Munchkin Villager (uncredited)
Baretta
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
as Blind Pencil Seller
The Rebel
as Godfrey
The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
as Master
Shirley Temple's Storybook
as Mouse
Shirley Temple's Storybook
as Dwarf
Branded
as Shooting Gallery Man (uncredited)
The Snoop Sisters
as Little Igor
Doctor Dolittle
as Dwarf (uncredited)
Freaks
as Angeleno
T.H.E. Cat
as Circus Dwarf (uncredited)
The Greatest Show on Earth
as Dwarf