CINEFILER

Angelo Rossitto

Born
February 18, 1908
Died
September 21, 1991
Wikipedia
Wikipedia
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
The Wizard of Oz
(1939)
Munchkin Villager (uncredited)
Doctor Dolittle
(1967)
Dwarf (uncredited)
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
(1985)
Master
Babes in Toyland
(1934)
Straw-house Pig Elmer
Freaks
(1932)
Angeleno
Pocketful of Miracles
(1961)
Angie (uncredited)
Scared to Death
(1947)
Indigo
The Greatest Show on Earth
(1952)
Dwarf
Something Wicked This Way Comes
(1983)
Little Person #1
Galaxina
(1980)
Monster from Egg
The Other Side of the Wind
(2018)
Angelo
The Trip
(1967)
Dwarf in Forest Fantasy (uncredited)
Pufnstuf
(1970)
Seymore Spider / Clang
The Other
(1972)
Sideshow Performer (uncredited)
The Stone Killer
(1973)
Little Man in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
Hellzapoppin'
(1941)
Dwarf Devil (uncredited)
Full Filmography
Acting
The Beloved Rogue
(1927)
Beppo - the Dwarf
Old San Francisco
(1927)
Chang Loo - the Dwarf
While the City Sleeps
(1928)
Member of Skeeter's Gang
Seven Footprints to Satan
(1929)
The Dwarf
One Stolen Night
(1929)
The Dwarf
The Big House
(1930)
Inmate (uncredited)
Freaks
(1932)
Angeleno
Carnival Lady
(1933)
Dwarf
Babes in Toyland
(1934)
Straw-house Pig Elmer
Child Bride
(1938)
Angelo
Mr. Wong in Chinatown
(1939)
Mute Dwarf
The Wizard of Oz
(1939)
Munchkin Villager (uncredited)
Doomed to Die
(1940)
Newsboy #3 in Montage
Spooks Run Wild
(1941)
Luigi
Hellzapoppin'
(1941)
Dwarf Devil (uncredited)
The Corpse Vanishes
(1942)
Toby (as Angelo)
Reunion in France
(1942)
Citizen in Bomb Shelter (uncredited)
The Spider Woman
(1943)
Obongo - Pygmy (uncredited)
Scared to Death
(1947)
Indigo
The Bandit Queen
(1950)
Nino
The Baron of Arizona
(1950)
Angie -- Gypsy
The Greatest Show on Earth
(1952)
Dwarf
Mesa of Lost Women
(1953)
Dwarf Lab Assistant
Dementia
(1955)
Newsboy (uncredited)
Invasion of the Saucer-Men
(1957)
Saucer Man
The Story of Mankind
(1957)
Dwarf in Nero's Court
The Adventures of Super Pup
(1958)
The Wild and the Innocent
(1959)
Midget (uncredited)
Pocketful of Miracles
(1961)
Angie (uncredited)
The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm
(1962)
Dwarf
The Magic Sword
(1962)
2nd Dwarf
Confessions of an Opium Eater
(1962)
Newspaper Boy
Requiem for a Heavyweight
(1962)
Midget Wrestler Outside Wrestling Ring (uncredited)
Doctor Dolittle
(1967)
Dwarf (uncredited)
The Trip
(1967)
Dwarf in Forest Fantasy (uncredited)
The Perils of Pauline
(1967)
Pygmy Leader's Assistant
Alex in Wonderland
(1970)
Fellini #1
Pufnstuf
(1970)
Seymore Spider / Clang
Brain of Blood
(1971)
Dorro
Mongo's Back in Town
(1971)
Trembles
Dracula vs. Frankenstein
(1971)
Grazbo the Evil Dwarf
The Other
(1972)
Sideshow Performer (uncredited)
Little Cigars
(1973)
Angelo
The Clones
(1973)
Man at Phone Booth
The Stone Killer
(1973)
Little Man in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
The Master Gunfighter
(1975)
Side show midget
I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now?
(1975)
Little Pianist
Help Woodsy Spread the Word
(1977)
Woodsy Owl
Fairy Tales
(1978)
Otto
The Dark
(1979)
Angie (uncredited)
Galaxina
(1980)
Monster from Egg
Smokey Bites the Dust
(1981)
Desk Clerk
Something Wicked This Way Comes
(1983)
Little Person #1
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
(1985)
Master
Horrible Horror
(1986)
Luigi in 'Spooks Run Wild'
From a Whisper to a Scream
(1987)
Tinker
Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook
(1991)
Luigi / Indigo (archive footage)
The Other Side of the Wind
(2018)
Angelo
Data provided by TMDB