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