Angelo Rossitto
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Spectator (uncredited)
1987
Series
The Rockford Files
Dwarf Patient (uncredited)
1974
Series
Starsky & Hutch
Big Ben
1975
Series
The Incredible Hulk
Tom Thumb (uncredited)
1977
Film
The Wizard of Oz
Munchkin Villager (uncredited)
1939
Series
Gunsmoke
Billy (uncredited)
1955
Series
Baretta
1975
Series
Baretta
Little Moe (uncredited)
1975
Series
Amazing Stories
Vaudevillian
1985
Series
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Blind Pencil Seller
1964
Series
The Rebel
Godfrey
1959
Series
The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
1977
Series
Shirley Temple's Storybook
Mouse
1958
Series
Shirley Temple's Storybook
Dwarf
1958
Film
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Master
1985
Series
Branded
Shooting Gallery Man (uncredited)
1965
Series
T.H.E. Cat
Circus Dwarf (uncredited)
1966
Film
Freaks
Angeleno
1932
Series
The Snoop Sisters
Little Igor
1973
Film
The Greatest Show on Earth
Dwarf (uncredited)
1952
Film
Doctor Dolittle
Dwarf (uncredited)
1967
Film
Pocketful of Miracles
Angie (uncredited)
1961
Film
Babes in Toyland
Elmer - Second Little Pig / 1st Sandman in Cave (uncredited)
1934
Film
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Little Person #1
1983
Film
The Other
Sideshow Performer (uncredited)
1972
Film
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
Arab Dwarf (uncredited)
1944
Film
Fairy Tales
Otto
1978
Series
Jason of Star Command
Bork
1978
Film
I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now?
Little Pianist
1975
Film
The Other Side of the Wind
Angelo
2018
Series
Lidsville
Mr. Big
1971
Series
H.R. Pufnstuf
Seymore Spider
1969
Film
The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm
Dwarf
1962
Film
The Stone Killer
Little Man in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
1973
Film
The Trip
Dwarf in Forest Fantasy (uncredited)
1967
Film
Hellzapoppin'
Dwarf Devil (uncredited)
1941
Film
Requiem for a Heavyweight
Midget Wrestler Outside Wrestling Ring (uncredited)
1962
Film
Dracula vs. Frankenstein
Grazbo the Evil Dwarf
1971
Film
Galaxina
Monster from Egg
1980
Film
The Wild and the Innocent
Midget (uncredited)
1959
Film
The Dark
Angie (uncredited)
1979
Film
The Story of Mankind
Dwarf in Nero's Court
1957
Film
The Spider Woman
Obongo - Pygmy (uncredited)
1943
Film
Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook
Luigi / Indigo (archive footage)
1991
Film
The Magic Sword
2nd Dwarf
1962
Film
The Baron of Arizona
Angie -- Gypsy
1950
Film
Spooks Run Wild
Luigi
1941
Film
Invasion of the Saucer Men
Saucer Man
1957
Film
From a Whisper to a Scream
Tinker
1987
Film
The Master Gunfighter
Side show midget
1975
Film
Alex in Wonderland
Fellini #1
1970
Film
Dementia
Newsboy (uncredited)
1955
Film
The Perils of Pauline
Pygmy Leader's Assistant
1967
Film
The Clones
Man at Phone Booth
1973
Film
Reunion in France
Citizen in Bomb Shelter (uncredited)
1942
Film
The Corpse Vanishes
Toby
1942
Series
Kung Fu
Angelo (uncredited)
1972
Film
The Beloved Rogue
Beppo - the Dwarf
1927
Film
The Big House
Inmate (uncredited)
1930
Film
Halloween Monster Bash
Toby (archive footage)
1991
Film
Child Bride
Angelo
1938
Film
Smokey Bites the Dust
Desk Clerk
1981
Film
I Believed in You
Greenwich Village Waiter
1934
Film
Pufnstuf
Seymore Spider / Clang
1970
Film
Mongo's Back in Town
Trembles
1971
Film
Confessions of an Opium Eater
Newspaper Boy
1962
Film
Doomed to Die
Newsboy #3 in Montage
1940
Film
The Viking
Viking Little Person (uncredited)
1928
Film
The Mysterious Island
Underwater Creature
1929
Film
Mesa of Lost Women
Dwarf Lab Assistant
1953
Film
Little Cigars
Angelo
1973
Film
Mr. Wong in Chinatown
Mute Dwarf
1939
Film
Seven Footprints to Satan
The Dwarf
1929
Film
Jungle Moon Men
Smallest Moon-Man
1955
Film
Pygmy Island
Pygmy in Cave
1950
Film
The Bandit Queen
Nino
1950
Film
While the City Sleeps
Member of Skeeter's Gang
1928
Film
Brain of Blood
Dorro
1971
Film
Scared to Death
Indigo
1947
Film
One Stolen Night
The Dwarf
1929
Film
Old San Francisco
Chang Loo - the Dwarf
1927
Film
Carnival Lady
Dwarf
1933
Film
The Making of 'Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome'
Self
1985
Help Woodsy Spread the Word
Woodsy Owl
1977