Vito Giusto Scotti (January 26, 1918 â€" June 5, 1996) was an American
character actor who played many roles on Broadway, in films, and later
on television, primarily from the late 1930s to the mid 1990s. He was
known as a man of a thousand faces for his ability to assume so many
divergent roles in more than 200 screen appearances in a career
spanning 50 years and for his resourceful portrayals of various ethnic
types. Born of Italian heritage, he was seen playing everything from a
Mexican bandit, to a Russian doctor, to a Japanese sailor, to an
Indian travel agent.Vito Giusto Scozzari was born in 1918 in San
Francisco, California. His family spent the early 1920s in Naples,
Italy, where Scotti developed his gift for farce, modeled after the
Commedia dell'arte, a symbolic style of Italian theatre.[dubious â€"
discuss]In 1925, after the Scozzari family had returned to the United
States, his mother became a diva in New York City theatre circles.
Scotti worked the night club circuit as a stand-up magician and mime.
He made his debut on Broadway in Pinocchio, where he played a small
role.Scotti entered movies and television by the late 1940s. He made
his film debut, playing an uncredited role as a Mexican youth in
Illegal Entry (1949), with Howard Duff and George Brent.
character actor who played many roles on Broadway, in films, and later
on television, primarily from the late 1930s to the mid 1990s. He was
known as a man of a thousand faces for his ability to assume so many
divergent roles in more than 200 screen appearances in a career
spanning 50 years and for his resourceful portrayals of various ethnic
types. Born of Italian heritage, he was seen playing everything from a
Mexican bandit, to a Russian doctor, to a Japanese sailor, to an
Indian travel agent.Vito Giusto Scozzari was born in 1918 in San
Francisco, California. His family spent the early 1920s in Naples,
Italy, where Scotti developed his gift for farce, modeled after the
Commedia dell'arte, a symbolic style of Italian theatre.[dubious â€"
discuss]In 1925, after the Scozzari family had returned to the United
States, his mother became a diva in New York City theatre circles.
Scotti worked the night club circuit as a stand-up magician and mime.
He made his debut on Broadway in Pinocchio, where he played a small
role.Scotti entered movies and television by the late 1940s. He made
his film debut, playing an uncredited role as a Mexican youth in
Illegal Entry (1949), with Howard Duff and George Brent.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.