Known For
Acting
Born
Feb 18, 1908
Died
Sep 21, 1991
Place of Birth
Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Credits
82 titles
Angelo Rossitto
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.
Known For
Filmography
The Other Side of the Wind
Angelo
Halloween Monster Bash
Toby (archive footage)
Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook
Luigi / Indigo (archive footage)
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Spectator (uncredited)
From a Whisper to a Scream
Tinker
Amazing Stories
Vaudevillian
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Master
The Making of 'Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome'
Self
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Little Person #1
Smokey Bites the Dust
Desk Clerk
Galaxina
Monster from Egg
The Dark
Angie (uncredited)
Jason of Star Command
Bork
Fairy Tales
Otto
The Incredible Hulk
Tom Thumb (uncredited)
The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
Help Woodsy Spread the Word
Woodsy Owl
I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now?
Little Pianist
The Master Gunfighter
Side show midget
Starsky & Hutch
Big Ben
Baretta
The Rockford Files
Dwarf Patient (uncredited)
The Snoop Sisters
Little Igor
The Stone Killer
Little Man in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
The Clones
Man at Phone Booth
Little Cigars
Angelo
Kung Fu
Angelo (uncredited)
The Other
Sideshow Performer (uncredited)
Mongo's Back in Town
Trembles
Dracula vs. Frankenstein
Grazbo the Evil Dwarf
Lidsville
Mr. Big
Brain of Blood
Dorro
Alex in Wonderland
Fellini #1
Pufnstuf
Seymore Spider / Clang
H.R. Pufnstuf
Seymore Spider
Doctor Dolittle
Dwarf (uncredited)
The Trip
Dwarf in Forest Fantasy (uncredited)
The Perils of Pauline
Pygmy Leader's Assistant
T.H.E. Cat
Circus Dwarf (uncredited)
Branded
Shooting Gallery Man (uncredited)
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Blind Pencil Seller
Requiem for a Heavyweight
Midget Wrestler Outside Wrestling Ring (uncredited)
The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm
Dwarf
Confessions of an Opium Eater
Newspaper Boy
The Magic Sword
2nd Dwarf
Pocketful of Miracles
Angie (uncredited)
The Rebel
Godfrey
The Wild and the Innocent
Midget (uncredited)
Shirley Temple's Storybook
Mouse
The Story of Mankind
Dwarf in Nero's Court