Angelo Rossitto

Also Known As: Angelo Salvatore Rossitto, Little Angie, Moe

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.

Department: Acting

Place of Birth: Omaha, Nebraska, USA

Birthday: February 18, 1908

Deathday: September 21, 1991

Adult: No

Gender: Male

Popularity:

1.31%

Known For:

Pufnstuf
The Stone Killer
Mesa of Lost Women
Scared to Death
The Corpse Vanishes
Seven Footprints to Satan
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Fairy Tales
Brain of Blood
Spooks Run Wild
Smokey Bites the Dust
Confessions of an Opium Eater
Child Bride
The Wild and the Innocent
Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook
Mongo's Back in Town
Carnival Lady
The Bandit Queen
The Beloved Rogue
The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm
Old San Francisco
Requiem for a Heavyweight
The Other
While the City Sleeps
Dracula vs. Frankenstein
Invasion of the Saucer-Men
The Big House
The Wizard of Oz
Mr. Wong in Chinatown
I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now?
The Adventures of Super Pup
The Making of 'Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome'
Doomed to Die
Galaxina
Little Cigars
Something Wicked This Way Comes
The Magic Sword
The Clones
One Stolen Night
The Master Gunfighter
From a Whisper to a Scream
Dementia
The Dark
The Spider Woman
The Other Side of the Wind
The Greatest Show on Earth
Hellzapoppin'
Freaks
Doctor Dolittle
Alex in Wonderland
Reunion in France
The Baron of Arizona
The Story of Mankind
Pocketful of Miracles
Help Woodsy Spread the Word
Babes in Toyland
The Trip
The Perils of Pauline
The Mysterious Island