Vito Scotti

Vito Giusto Scozzari (January 26, 1918 – June 5, 1996), also 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. 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. Of Italian heritage, he played everything from a Mexican bandit, to a Russian doctor, to a Japanese sailor, to an Indian travel agent. Early life and career Vito Giusto Scozzari was born 26 Jan 1918 in San Francisco, California. He was the son of Giusto and Virginia Ambroselli Scozzari. His family spent the early 1920s in Naples. The family returned to the United States on 4 July 1924 and lived briefly at 802 South 8th Street in Philadelphia before moving to New York City the following year. In 1925, after the Scozzari family had returned to the United States, his mother became a diva in New York City theater circles and his father an impresario. Scotti worked the night club circuit as a stand-up magician and Mime artist mainly following the Commedia dell'arte style. He made his debut on Broadway in Pinocchio, where he played a small role.