17 Facts About Vito Scotti

Vito Giusto Scozzari, known as Vito Scotti, was an American character actor who played both dramatic and comedy roles on Broadway, in films, and later on television, primarily from the late 1930s to the mid-1990s.

Vito Scotti 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.

Vito Scotti was the son of Giusto and Virginia Ambroselli Scozzari.

Vito Scotti worked the night club circuit as a stand-up magician and Mime artist mainly following the Commedia dell'arte style.

Vito Scotti made his debut on Broadway in Pinocchio, where he played a small role.

Vito Scotti made his film debut with a trio of uncredited roles in 1949.

Vito Scotti was cast as French Duclos in the 1959 episode "Deadly Tintype" of the NBC Western series, The Californians.

In 1955, Vito Scotti was reportedly injured while filming with an Elephant named Emma.

In 1963, Vito Scotti was cast as the Italian farmer Vincenzo Peruggia in the episode "The Tenth Mona Lisa" of the CBS anthology series, General Electric True, hosted by Jack Webb.

Vito Scotti played Geppetto in "Geppetto's Workshop" in the 1980s.

Vito Scotti appeared four times on Gilligan's Island in the 1960s: in season one, episode 15 as a Japanese sailor who did not know World War II was over, later in season one, episode 31, as the same sailor in scenes where Ginger, the skipper, and Mister Howell reflect in diaries on their versions of how a rescue transpired in the above-mentioned episode 15, and twice as Dr Boris Balinkoff, a mad scientist, in seasons two and three.

Vito Scotti was cast as a Mexican bandit in two one-hour episodes of Zorro titled "El Bandido" and "Adios El Cuchillo" alongside Gilbert Roland, and an Italian restaurant owner in episode 35 of season one of Bewitched.

Vito Scotti portrayed Colonel Enrico Ferrucci in The Secret War of Harry Frigg and later appeared in the Academy Award-winning comedy Cactus Flower, as Senor Arturo Sanchez, who unsuccessfully tries to seduce Ingrid Bergman's character.

Vito Scotti voiced the Italian Cat in the Walt Disney animated film The Aristocats, and appeared with Lindsay Wagner on her television special, Another Side of Me.

Vito Scotti was interred at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, with his first wife Irene, in the Abbey of the Psalms Mausoleum.

Vito Scotti loved Italian cooking, especially the recipes of his beloved mother and grandmother.

Vito Scotti was a dedicated fundraiser for the "Carmen Fund", set up by the Joaquin Miller High School Parents Guild, to assist the school's special-needs students.