Henry Armetta (born Enrico Armetta; July 4, 1888 – October 21, 1945) was an American character actor who appeared in at least 150 American films, beginning in silent movies. His last film was released posthumously in 1946, the year after his death.
Biography
Armetta was born in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. At the age of 14, he stowed away on a boat to America. The immigration authorities were prepared to send him back, but he found an Italian family to act as his sponsor. He settled in New York City where he delivered groceries, sold sandwiches and pizzas and performed other menial tasks to get by. He eventually ended up working as a pants presser at a well known club where he was befriended by actor/producer Raymond Hitchcock. Hitchcock got him a chorus part in his play A Yankee Consul.
After a friend told him about southern California’s mushrooming film industry, Armetta hitchhiked to Hollywood in 1920 and soon found work in films as a stereotypical Italian, often playing a barber, grocer or restaurant owner. He went on to appear in over 152 films (at least 24 films in 1934 alone), often uncredited. Armetta appeared in several films for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer including Romance (1930) starring Greta Garbo, What! No Beer? (1933) with Buster Keaton and Jimmy Durante, Everybody Sing (1938) featuring Judy Garland, Allan Jones, and Fanny Brice, The Big Store (1941) opposite the Marx Brothers, and a much thinner Armetta was briefly glimpsed in one of his last appearances in the MGM Technicolor musical Anchors Aweigh (1945) with Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. He died the same year of a heart attack in San Diego. He is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.
Selected filmography
The Plunderer (1915) – Pedro
The Marble Heart (1916)
The Eternal Sin (1917) – The Jester
The Jungle Trail (1919) – Grogas
The Face at Your Window (1920) – Danglo
Fantômas (1920, Serial) – The Wop
The Silent Command (1923) – Pedro
The Desert’s Price (1925) – Shepherd
The Missing Link (1927) – Organ Grinder
7th Heaven (1927) – Minor Role (uncredited)
Paid to Love (1927) – Valet (uncredited)
A Girl in Every Port (1928) – Bartender in Panama (uncredited)
Street Angel (1928) – Masetto
Lonesome (1928) – Ferris wheel guy (uncredited)
The Red Dance (1928) – Prisoner (uncredited)
Homesick (1928) – Bicycle Rider
In Old Arizona (1928) – Barber (uncredited)
Lady of the Pavements (1929) – Papa Pierre
Madame X (1929) – Hotel Owner (uncredited)
Half Marriage (1929) – Henry – Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited)
Jazz Heaven (1929) – Tony
Love, Live and Laugh (1929) – Tony
The Trespasser (1929) – Barber (uncredited)
Sunny Side Up (1929) – Italian Husband (uncredited)
The Climax (1930) – Anton Donatelli
The Ship from Shanghai (1930) – Sailor (uncredited)
A Lady to Love (1930) – Angelo
The Girl Said No (1930) – Grove Cafe Waiter (uncredited)
Lovin’ the Ladies (1930) – Signore Sagatelli
Ladies Love Brutes (1930) – Tony, the Waiter (uncredited)
Die Sehnsucht jeder Frau (1930) – Angelo
The Sins of the Children (1930) – Tony the Barber
The Little Accident (1930) – Rudolpho Amendelara
Romance (1930) – Beppo
Sei tu l’amore (1930) – The exporter
La mujer X (1931) – Minor Role (uncredited)
A Tailor Made Man (1931) – Peter, Tailor
Strangers May Kiss (1931) – Waiter
Laughing Sinners (1931) – Tony (uncredited)
Just a Gigolo (1931) – Hotel Manager (uncredited)
Five and Ten (1931) – Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Hush Money (1931) – Bootlegger (uncredited)
New Adventures of Get Rich Quick Wallingford (1931) – Henry – Barber (uncredited)
The Unholy Garden (1931) – Nick the Goose
Forbidden (1932) – Emile (uncredited)
High Pressure (1932) – Italian Investor (uncredited)
The Passionate Plumber (1932) – Bouncer
Arsène Lupin (1932) – Sheriff’s Man
Steady Company (1932) – Tony Capri
Scarface (1932) – Pietro – Barber (uncredited)
Doomed Battalion (1932) – Angelo
Huddle (1932) – Mr. Amatto
Week Ends Only (1932) – Washroom Attendant
Red-Headed Woman (1932) – Waiter Warning Bill of Lipstick (uncredited)
Bachelor’s Affairs (1932) – Tony – Cosmetician (uncredited)
Speak Easily (1932) – Tony
Okay, America! (1932) – Sam
Hat Check Girl (1932) – Water Wagon Driver (uncredited)
Deception (1932) – Nick
Prosperity (1932) – Henry, a Barber
Men of America (1932) – Tony Garboni
Uptown New York (1932) – Nick – Restaurant Proprietor (uncredited)
A Farewell to Arms (1932) – Bonello – Italian Ambulance Driver (uncredited)
Central Park (1932) – Tony, Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited)
They Just Had to Get Married (1932) – Tony
Rasputin and the Empress (1932) – Photographer (uncredited)
What! No Beer? (1933) – Tony
The Cohens and Kellys in Trouble (1933) – Captain Silva
So This Is Africa (1933) – Street Cleaner (uncredited)
Fra Diavolo (1933) – Matteo
Don’t Bet on Love (1933) – Caparillo, Barber (uncredited)
Laughing at Life (1933) – Fruit Vendor
Her First Mate (1933) – Socrates
Too Much Harmony (1933) – Mr. Gallotti
Cross Country Cruise (1934) – The Italian
The Poor Rich (1934) – Tony
The Cat and the Fiddle (1934) – Taxi Driver
Viva Villa! (1934) – Alfredo Mendosa
The Black Cat (1934) – The Sergeant
Half a Sinner (1934) – The Barber
Let’s Talk It Over (1934) – Tony
Kiss and Make-Up (1934) – Banquet Chairman
Romance in the Rain (1934) – Tulio
Hide-Out (1934) – Shuman
Gift of Gab (1934) – Janitor
Embarrassing Moments (1934) – Morganza
One Night of Love (1934) – Cafe Owner (uncredited)
Wake Up and Dream (1934) – Giovanni Cellini
Two Heads on a Pillow (1934) – Enrico Populopulini
The Merry Widow (1934) – Turk (uncredited)
Imitation of Life (1934) – The Painter
Cheating Cheaters (1934) – Prof. Tony Verdi
The Man Who Reclaimed His Head (1934) – Laurent
After Office Hours (1935) – Italian Diner Owner
Night Life of the Gods (1935) – Roigi
I’ve Been Around (1935) – Italian
Straight from the Heart (1935) – Ice Cream Man
Princess O’Hara (1935) – Spidoni
Dinky (1935) – Tony Karamazo – the Junkman
Unknown Woman (1935) – Joe Scalise
Manhattan Moon (1935) – Tony
Three Kids and a Queen (1935) – Tony Orsatti
Magnificent Obsession (1935) – Tony
Let’s Sing Again (1936) – Joe Pasquale
Poor Little Rich Girl (1936) – Tony
The Crime of Dr. Forbes (1936) – Luigi
Two in a Crowd (1936) – Toscani
Magnificent Brute (1936) – Buzell
Top of the Town (1937) – Bacciagalluppi
Make a Wish (1937) – Moreta
Manhattan Merry-Go-Round (1937) – Spadoni
Everybody Sing (1938) – Signor Vittorino
Speed to Burn (1938) – Papa Gambini
Submarine Patrol (1938) – Luigi
Road Demon (1938) – Papa Luigi Gambini
Fisherman’s Wharf (1939) – Beppo
Winner Take All (1939) – Papa Luigi Gambini
The Lady and the Mob (1939) – Zambrogio
I Stole a Million (1939) – Nick
Dust Be My Destiny (1939) – Nick
Rio (1939) – Headwaiter (uncredited)
The Escape (1939) – Guiseppi Peronni
Boss Foreman (1939)
Three Cheers for the Irish (1940) – Tony
The Man Who Talked Too Much (1940) – Tony Spirella
You’re Not So Tough (1940) – Salvatore
We Who Are Young (1940) – Tony
Caught in the Act (1941) – Mike Ripportella
The Big Store (1941) – Guiseppi
Slick Chick (1941)
Stage Door Canteen (1943) – Himself
Good Luck, Mr. Yates (1943) – Mike Zaloris
Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943) – Angelo the Barber (uncredited)
Once Upon a Time (1944) – Barber (uncredited)
Ghost Catchers (1944) – Signatelli (uncredited)
Allergic to Love (1944) – Louie
A Bell for Adano (1945) – Errante – Cart Man
Penthouse Rhythm (1945) – Cafe Owner Joe
Anchors Aweigh (1945) – Hamburger Man
Colonel Effingham’s Raid (1946) – Jimmy Economy (final film role)
External Links
Actor Henry Armetta – Wikipedia
