Angelo Rossitto

Acting

Born Feb 18, 1908

From Omaha, Nebraska, USA

Died Sep 21, 1991

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.

Angelo Rossitto

Known For

The Wizard of Oz

Fairy Tales

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome

Freaks

The Trip

Pocketful of Miracles

Doctor Dolittle

The Greatest Show on Earth

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Galaxina

Filmography — Acting

The Wizard of Oz

Fairy Tales

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome

Freaks

The Trip

Pocketful of Miracles

Doctor Dolittle

The Greatest Show on Earth

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Galaxina

The Other Side of the Wind

The Stone Killer

The Dark

The Other

Pufnstuf

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

Babes in Toyland

The Spider Woman

The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm

The Wild and the Innocent

Brain of Blood

Hellzapoppin'

From a Whisper to a Scream

The Story of Mankind

The Perils of Pauline

The Baron of Arizona

Alex in Wonderland

Requiem for a Heavyweight

Reunion in France

The Big House

The Corpse Vanishes

Invasion of the Saucer-Men

Spooks Run Wild

Doomed to Die

Smokey Bites the Dust

I Believed in You

The Clones

Mongo's Back in Town

The Magic Sword

The Beloved Rogue

Seven Footprints to Satan

The Master Gunfighter

Dementia

Dracula vs. Frankenstein

Jungle Moon Men

Child Bride

Scared to Death

The Mysterious Island

Mesa of Lost Women

Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook

While the City Sleeps

Confessions of an Opium Eater

Little Cigars

Mr. Wong in Chinatown

Pygmy Island

The Making of 'Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome'

I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now?

The Bandit Queen

Old San Francisco

The Viking

Halloween Monster Bash

One Stolen Night

Carnival Lady

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