Angelo Rossitto
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.
Known For
Credits
- 2018 · The Other Side of the Wind as Angelo
- 1991 · Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook as Luigi / Indigo (archive footage)
- 1987 · Star Trek: The Next Generation as Spectator (uncredited)
- 1987 · From a Whisper to a Scream as Tinker
- 1986 · Horrible Horror as Luigi in 'Spooks Run Wild'
- 1985 · Amazing Stories as Vaudevillian
- 1985 · Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome as Master
- 1985 · The Making of 'Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome' as Self
- 1983 · Something Wicked This Way Comes as Little Person #1
- 1981 · Smokey Bites the Dust as Desk Clerk
- 1980 · Galaxina as Monster from Egg
- 1980 · Galaxina as
- 1979 · The Dark as Angie (uncredited)
- 1978 · Jason of Star Command as Bork
- 1978 · Fairy Tales as Otto
- 1977 · The Incredible Hulk as Tom Thumb (uncredited)
- 1977 · The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries as
- 1977 · Help Woodsy Spread the Word as Woodsy Owl
- 1975 · I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now? as Little Pianist
- 1975 · The Master Gunfighter as Side show midget
- 1975 · Starsky & Hutch as Big Ben
- 1975 · Baretta as
- 1974 · The Rockford Files as Dwarf Patient (uncredited)
- 1973 · The Snoop Sisters as Little Igor
- 1973 · The Stone Killer as Little Man in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
- 1973 · The Clones as Man at Phone Booth
- 1973 · Little Cigars as Angelo
- 1972 · Kung Fu as Angelo (uncredited)
- 1972 · The Other as Sideshow Performer (uncredited)
- 1971 · Mongo's Back in Town as Trembles
- 1971 · Dracula vs. Frankenstein as Grazbo the Evil Dwarf
- 1971 · Lidsville as Mr. Big
- 1971 · Brain of Blood as Dorro
- 1970 · Alex in Wonderland as Fellini #1
- 1970 · Pufnstuf as Seymore Spider / Clang
- 1969 · H.R. Pufnstuf as Seymore Spider
- 1967 · Doctor Dolittle as Dwarf (uncredited)
- 1967 · The Trip as Dwarf in Forest Fantasy (uncredited)
- 1967 · The Perils of Pauline as Pygmy Leader's Assistant
- 1966 · T.H.E. Cat as Circus Dwarf (uncredited)
- 1965 · Branded as Shooting Gallery Man (uncredited)
- 1964 · The Man from U.N.C.L.E. as Blind Pencil Seller
- 1962 · Requiem for a Heavyweight as Midget Wrestler Outside Wrestling Ring (uncredited)
- 1962 · The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm as Dwarf
- 1962 · Confessions of an Opium Eater as Newspaper Boy
- 1962 · The Magic Sword as 2nd Dwarf
- 1961 · Pocketful of Miracles as Angie (uncredited)
- 1959 · The Rebel as Godfrey
- 1959 · The Wild and the Innocent as Midget (uncredited)
- 1958 · The Adventures of Super Pup as
- 1957 · The Story of Mankind as Dwarf in Nero's Court
- 1957 · Invasion of the Saucer-Men as Saucer Man
- 1955 · Dementia as Newsboy (uncredited)
- 1955 · Gunsmoke as Billy (uncredited)
- 1953 · Mesa of Lost Women as Dwarf Lab Assistant
- 1952 · The Greatest Show on Earth as Dwarf
- 1950 · The Bandit Queen as Nino
- 1950 · The Baron of Arizona as Angie -- Gypsy
- 1947 · Scared to Death as Indigo
- 1943 · The Spider Woman as Obongo - Pygmy (uncredited)
- 1942 · Reunion in France as Citizen in Bomb Shelter (uncredited)
- 1942 · The Corpse Vanishes as Toby (as Angelo)
- 1941 · Hellzapoppin' as Dwarf Devil (uncredited)
- 1941 · Spooks Run Wild as Luigi
- 1940 · Doomed to Die as Newsboy #3 in Montage
- 1939 · The Wizard of Oz as Munchkin Villager (uncredited)
- 1939 · Mr. Wong in Chinatown as Mute Dwarf
- 1938 · Child Bride as Angelo
- 1934 · Babes in Toyland as Elmer - Second Little Pig / 1st Sandman in Cave (uncredited)
- 1933 · Carnival Lady as Dwarf
- 1932 · Freaks as Angeleno
- 1930 · The Big House as Inmate (uncredited)
- 1929 · One Stolen Night as The Dwarf
- 1929 · Seven Footprints to Satan as The Dwarf
- 1928 · While the City Sleeps as Member of Skeeter's Gang
- 1927 · Old San Francisco as Chang Loo - the Dwarf
- 1927 · The Beloved Rogue as Beppo - the Dwarf