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.
Acted in 81
2010s
- 2018
2000s
- 2009
Producing Schlock: The Career of Al Adamson
Grazbo (archive footage)
1990s
- 1991
Halloween Monster Bash
Toby (archive footage)
Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook
Luigi / Indigo (archive footage)
1980s
- 1987
- 1985
- 1983
- 1981
Smokey Bites the Dust
Desk Clerk
- 1980
Galaxina
Monster from Egg
1970s
- 1979
- 1978
Jason of Star Command
Bork · 2 episodes
Fairy Tales
Otto
- 1977
- 1975
- 1974
- 1973
The Snoop Sisters
Little Igor · 1 episode
The Stone Killer
Little Man in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
Little Cigars
Angelo
- 1972
Kung Fu
Angelo (uncredited) · 1 episode
The Other
Sideshow Performer (uncredited)
- 1971
Mongo's Back in Town
Trembles
Lidsville
Mr. Big · 17 episodes
Brain of Blood
Dorro
- 1970
Alex in Wonderland
Fellini #1
Pufnstuf
Seymore Spider / Clang
1960s
- 1969
H.R. Pufnstuf
Seymore Spider · 17 episodes
- 1967
The Perils of Pauline
Pygmy Leader's Assistant
- 1966
- 1965
- 1964
- 1962
- 1961
1950s
- 1959
The Wild and the Innocent
Midget (uncredited)
- 1958
- 1957
The Story of Mankind
Dwarf in Nero's Court
Invasion of the Saucer Men
Saucer Man
- 1955
Dementia
Newsboy (uncredited)
Jungle Moon Men
Smallest Moon-Man
- 1953
- 1952
- 1950
The Bandit Queen
Nino
Pygmy Island
Pygmy in Cave
1940s
- 1947
- 1944
- 1943
- 1942
Reunion in France
Citizen in Bomb Shelter (uncredited)
- 1941
Hellzapoppin'
Dwarf Devil (uncredited)
- 1940
Doomed to Die
Newsboy #3 in Montage
1930s
- 1939
- 1938
Child Bride
Angelo
- 1934
I Believed in You
Greenwich Village Waiter
- 1933
Carnival Lady
Dwarf
- 1932
- 1930
The Big House
Inmate (uncredited)
1920s
- 1929
The Mysterious Island
Underwater Creature
One Stolen Night
The Dwarf
Seven Footprints to Satan
The Dwarf
- 1928
The Viking
Viking Little Person (uncredited)
While the City Sleeps
Member of Skeeter's Gang
- 1927
Old San Francisco
Chang Loo - the Dwarf
The Beloved Rogue
Beppo - the Dwarf
Appearances1
1980s
- 1985
The Making of 'Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome'
Self