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Angelo Rossitto
Actor

Angelo Rossitto

18 Feb 1908Born
21 Sep 1991Died
83Age at death
81Credits

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.

Read the full biography

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 80 most recent of 81 credits.

  1. 2018The Other Side of the WindFilm: Angelo
  2. 1991Halloween Monster BashFilm: Toby (archive footage)
  3. 1991Dracula: A Cinematic ScrapbookFilm: Luigi / Indigo (archive footage)
  4. 1987Star Trek: The Next GenerationSeries: Spectator (uncredited) (1 episode)
  5. 1987From a Whisper to a ScreamFilm: Tinker
  6. 1985Amazing StoriesSeries: Vaudevillian (1 episode)
  7. 1985Mad Max Beyond ThunderdomeFilm: Master
  8. 1983Something Wicked This Way ComesFilm: Little Person #1
  9. 1981Smokey Bites the DustFilm: Desk Clerk
  10. 1980GalaxinaFilm: Monster from Egg
  11. 1979The DarkFilm: Angie (uncredited)
  12. 1978Jason of Star CommandSeries: Bork (2 episodes)
  13. 1978Fairy TalesFilm: Otto
  14. 1977The Incredible HulkSeries: Tom Thumb (uncredited) (1 episode)
  15. 1977The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew MysteriesSeries (2 episodes)
  16. 1977Help Woodsy Spread the WordFilm: Woodsy Owl
  17. 1975I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now?Film: Little Pianist
  18. 1975The Master GunfighterFilm: Side show midget
  19. 1975Starsky & HutchSeries: Big Ben (1 episode)
  20. 1975BarettaSeries: Little Moe (uncredited) (3 episodes)
  21. 1974The Rockford FilesSeries: Dwarf Patient (uncredited) (1 episode)
  22. 1973The Snoop SistersSeries: Little Igor (1 episode)
  23. 1973The Stone KillerFilm: Little Man in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
  24. 1973The ClonesFilm: Man at Phone Booth
  25. 1973Little CigarsFilm: Angelo
  26. 1972Kung FuSeries: Angelo (uncredited) (1 episode)
  27. 1972The OtherFilm: Sideshow Performer (uncredited)
  28. 1971Mongo's Back in TownFilm: Trembles
  29. 1971Dracula vs. FrankensteinFilm: Grazbo the Evil Dwarf
  30. 1971LidsvilleSeries: Mr. Big (17 episodes)
  31. 1971Brain of BloodFilm: Dorro
  32. 1970Alex in WonderlandFilm: Fellini #1
  33. 1970PufnstufFilm: Seymore Spider / Clang
  34. 1969H.R. PufnstufSeries: Seymore Spider (17 episodes)
  35. 1967Doctor DolittleFilm: Dwarf (uncredited)
  36. 1967The TripFilm: Dwarf in Forest Fantasy (uncredited)
  37. 1967The Perils of PaulineFilm: Pygmy Leader's Assistant
  38. 1966T.H.E. CatSeries: Circus Dwarf (uncredited) (1 episode)
  39. 1965BrandedSeries: Shooting Gallery Man (uncredited) (1 episode)
  40. 1964The Man from U.N.C.L.E.Series: Blind Pencil Seller (1 episode)
  41. 1962Requiem for a HeavyweightFilm: Midget Wrestler Outside Wrestling Ring (uncredited)
  42. 1962The Wonderful World of the Brothers GrimmFilm: Dwarf
  43. 1962Confessions of an Opium EaterFilm: Newspaper Boy
  44. 1962The Magic SwordFilm: 2nd Dwarf
  45. 1961Pocketful of MiraclesFilm: Angie (uncredited)
  46. 1959The RebelSeries: Godfrey (1 episode)
  47. 1959The Wild and the InnocentFilm: Midget (uncredited)
  48. 1958Shirley Temple's StorybookSeries: Mouse, Dwarf (1 episode)
  49. 1957The Story of MankindFilm: Dwarf in Nero's Court
  50. 1957Invasion of the Saucer MenFilm: Saucer Man
  51. 1955DementiaFilm: Newsboy (uncredited)
  52. 1955GunsmokeSeries: Billy (uncredited) (1 episode)
  53. 1955Jungle Moon MenFilm: Smallest Moon-Man
  54. 1953Mesa of Lost WomenFilm: Dwarf Lab Assistant
  55. 1952The Greatest Show on EarthFilm: Dwarf (uncredited)
  56. 1950The Bandit QueenFilm: Nino
  57. 1950Pygmy IslandFilm: Pygmy in Cave
  58. 1950The Baron of ArizonaFilm: Angie -- Gypsy
  59. 1947Scared to DeathFilm: Indigo
  60. 1944Ali Baba and the Forty ThievesFilm: Arab Dwarf (uncredited)
  61. 1943The Spider WomanFilm: Obongo - Pygmy (uncredited)
  62. 1942Reunion in FranceFilm: Citizen in Bomb Shelter (uncredited)
  63. 1942The Corpse VanishesFilm: Toby
  64. 1941Hellzapoppin'Film: Dwarf Devil (uncredited)
  65. 1941Spooks Run WildFilm: Luigi
  66. 1940Doomed to DieFilm: Newsboy #3 in Montage
  67. 1939The Wizard of OzFilm: Munchkin Villager (uncredited)
  68. 1939Mr. Wong in ChinatownFilm: Mute Dwarf
  69. 1938Child BrideFilm: Angelo
  70. 1934Babes in ToylandFilm: Elmer - Second Little Pig / 1st Sandman in Cave (uncredited)
  71. 1934I Believed in YouFilm: Greenwich Village Waiter
  72. 1933Carnival LadyFilm: Dwarf
  73. 1932FreaksFilm: Angeleno
  74. 1930The Big HouseFilm: Inmate (uncredited)
  75. 1929The Mysterious IslandFilm: Underwater Creature
  76. 1929One Stolen NightFilm: The Dwarf
  77. 1929Seven Footprints to SatanFilm: The Dwarf
  78. 1928The VikingFilm: Viking Little Person (uncredited)
  79. 1928While the City SleepsFilm: Member of Skeeter's Gang
  80. 1927Old San FranciscoFilm: Chang Loo - the Dwarf

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.