Vito Scotti Movies
American character actor Vito Scotti may not be the living legend as described by his publicity packet, but he has certainly been one of the most familiar faces to bob up on small and large screens in the last five decades. Scotti's father was a vaudeville impresario, and his mother an opera singer; in fact, he was born while his mother was making a personal appearance in San Francisco. Launching his own career at seven with an Italian-language commedia del arte troupe in New York, Scotti picked up enough improvisational knowhow to develop a nightclub act. When the once-flourishing Italian theatre circuit began to fade after World War II, Scotti began auditioning for every job that came up -- whether he could do the job or not. Without his trademarked mustache, the diminuitive actor looked like a juvenile well into his thirties, and as such was cast in a supporting role as a timorous East Indian on the "Gunga Ram" segment of the '50s TV kiddie series Andy's Gang. Once the producers discovered that Scotti had mastered several foreign dialects, he was allowed to appear as a comic foil to Andy's Gang's resident puppet Froggy the Gremlin. In nighttime television, Scotti played everything from a murderous bank robber (on Steve Canyon) to a misplaced Japanese sub commander (on Gilligan's Island). He was indispensable to TV sitcoms: Scotti starred during the 1954 season of Life with Luigi (replacing J. Carroll Naish), then appeared as gesticulating Latin types in a score of comedy programs, notably The Dick Van Dyke Show (as eccentric Italian housepainter Vito Giotto) and The Flying Nun (as ever-suspicious Puerto Rican police captain Gaspar Fomento). In theatrical films, Scotti's appearances were brief but memorable. he is always greeted with appreciative audience laughter for his tiny bit as a restauranteur in The Godfather (1972); while in How Sweet it Is (1968) he is hilarious as a moonstruck chef, so overcome by the sight of bikini-clad Debbie Reynolds that he begins kissing her navel! Vito Scotti was still essaying dialect parts into the '90s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1966
Versatile dialectitian Vito Scotti, cast as a misplaced WW2 Japanese solider during Season One of Gilligan's Island, makes a return visit to the island, this time in the role of mad scientist Dr. Boris Balinkoff (Vito Scotti). Promising to rescue the Castaways, Balinkoff transports them to his spooky old castle, where his sinister purpose is revealed: He plans to use our seven heroes and heroines for his experiments in personality-switching. Before long, everybody is speaking and acting like everyone else: The Professor (Russell Johnson) sounds like Mary Ann (Dawn Wells), Mary Ann sounds like the Skipper (Alan Hale Jr.), and worst of all, the mind and personality of the voluptuous Ginger (Tina Louise) has been switched with that of Balinkoff's brutish assistant Olaf (Mike Mazurki)! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vito Scotti, Mike Mazurki, (more)
- 1966
Vito Scotti returns as Dr. Boris Balenkoff, who during his last visit to the island conducted a series of diabolical experiments resulting in some severe personality changes amongst the Castaways. This time, the mad doctor has come bearing gifts--namely, a collection of attractive-looking rings. Unfortunately, when the Castaways slip on the rings, they leave themselves vulnerable to Balenkoff's latest mind-controlling experiment...which, if successful, will culminate in the robbing of Fort Knox! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vito Scotti
- 1966
Eddie (Butch Patrick) wishes he had a baby brother, causing Herman (Fred Gwynne) and Grandpa (Al Lewis) each to react in a different fashion. Herman responds by trying to be more of a "pal" to his son--with the expected disastrous results--while Grandpa creates a robot boy named Boris (Rory Stevens). Trouble ensues when Boris turns out to be the "perfect" child, causing Eddie to erupt in a fit of jealous pique. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In this offbeat mixture of espionage and slapstick comedy, Arthur Vincenti (Alejandro Rey) is a scientist working on secret military projects for the United States government. Vincenti is becoming increasingly unstable as he works in solitude in a backwater swamp; his superiors fear that he might be going mad, so they arrange for a respected psychiatrist from New York, Dr. Bartholomew Snow (Rock Hudson), to meet with him on a regular basis. However, in order to keep Vincenti's whereabouts a secret, Snow is blindfolded before he's driven to his meetings with the scientist. When a group of enemy agents kidnaps Vincenti, Snow could be the only one who can help him; however, he can't track down his patient without wearing the blindfold. Prominent in the supporting cast are Claudia Cardinale, Jack Warden, and Guy Stockwell. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rock Hudson, Claudia Cardinale, (more)
- 1966
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In this service comedy set during World War II, Capt. Cash (Dick Shawn) and Lt. Christian (James Coburn) are given orders to invade a small but strategically important village in Sicily. To their surprise, none of the natives offer the slightest resistance to the Americans taking over their town, who present only one stipulation -- the main event on the town's annual social calendar, a football match followed by a wine festival, is scheduled to happen in a few days. If the Americans would be kind enough to let them have their party, they'll hand over the town without a fight. Cash and Christian think that this plan sounds reasonable enough, and a few days later they and their men are drunkenly whooping it up with the townspeople when both German and U.S. surveillance planes spot the festivities. Thinking the wild party looks more like some sort of battle, both the Germans and Americans make plans to send in troops. Screenwriter William Peter Blatty would enjoy greater success a few years down the line with The Exorcist, a novel about a different sort of conflict. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Coburn, Dick Shawn, (more)
- 1965
The castaways discover that Gilligan (Bob Denver) is secretly keeping a diary. This leads to several flashbacks to the day that the island was invaded by a Japanese soldier (Vito Scotti) who didn't know that WW2 was over (as chronicled in the previous episode "So Sorry, My Island Now." In their efforts to get Gilligan to write down the true story of the fateful day, each one of the castaways comes up with his or her version of the events--and in each case, the "truth" is wildly exaggerated. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vito Scotti
- 1965
Hoping to improve business at Mario's Pizza Parlor, Samantha mounts an advertising campaign to publicize the failing establishment. At the same time, Darrin is hired to build up an ad campaign for Mario's main competition, a national pizza chain owned by the powerful Linton Baldwin (Alan Hewitt). It is inevitable that Sam ends up saving both Darrin's job and Mario's restaurant. Mario is played by Vito Scotti. Written by Richard Baer, "Eat at Mario's" originally aired on May 27, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, (more)
Von Ryan's Express is a fast-paced, well-acted World War II drama, featuring a squadron of Allied soldiers trying to escape a prison camp in Italy. While most of the prisoners at the camp are British, a determined, resourceful American Air Force colonel (Frank Sinatra) takes charge and leads the escape, which requires that the prisoners wrest control of a German train and propel it through Italy to Switzerland. The subsequent ride, featuring good special effects and outstanding stunt work, is great fun and very suspenseful. Frank Sinatra makes an effective action hero aided by veteran actor Trevor Howard as a British officer. The CinemaScope photography is outstanding and director Mark Robson directs the exciting action sequences with skill. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frank Sinatra, Trevor Howard, (more)
- 1965
Ham-radio enthusiast Herman (Fred Gwynne) picks up two kids conversing on their walkie-talkies. Misunderstanding the boys' "secret" message, Herman is convinced that he has contacted the planet Mars--and once they catch on, the capricious youngsters decide to have some fun with dumb-dumb Herman. A superb closing gag caps this memorable episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1965
Versatile character actor Vito Scotti guest stars as a Japanese soldier who has been piloting the local waters in his one-man submarine for twenty years, unaware that WW2 is over. Bobbing to the surface, the soldier "captures" the island and takes the castaways prisoner, locking them in a makeshift jail booby-trapped with hand grenades. It is up to Gilligan (Bob Denver) to rescue his companions without getting blown up in the process. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vito Scotti
- 1964
In this comedy, a Yankee musician is working in Paris when he encounters a movie star chasing after her naughty French poodle Monsieur Cognac. The name is most apropos for the little doggy is quite the lush when it comes to booze. This suits the hard-drinking musician just fine and the two go out on a bender. Later the star and her father find the toasted twosome. The star begins falling in love with the musician. Despite her father's objections, the two get married. Unfortunately, Mr. Cognac accompanies them on the honeymoon. He becomes quite jealous of the woman's new husband and ruins their wedding night. Because she refuses to relinquish the dog, their new marriage is nearly destroyed. They separate until the husband manages to bring home Pink Poupee, a charming female poodle. Suddenly Mr. C forgets all about his jealousy. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Curtis, Christine Kaufmann, (more)
- 1964
A huge shipment of rifles are stolen in Texas sometime shortly following the close of the Civil War. It turns out the rifles are going to Apaches who are being recruited by a disgruntled Rebel officer (Edmond O'Brian) who wishes to resurrect the war. Richard Boone and company are sent to reclaim the rifles and apprehend the scheming thieves. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Boone, Stuart Whitman, (more)
- 1964
20th Century-Fox gussied up its 1954 hit Three Coins in the Fountain for the 1960s, and the result was The Pleasure Seekers. Three American girls in search of wealthy husbands head to Madrid. Ann-Margaret is an aspiring performer, Carol Lynley is a secretary, and Pamela Tiffin is an art student. Ann-Margaret ends up with a Spanish doctor (Andre Lawrence), Carol with an American journalist (Gardner McKay), and Pamela with a man of noble birth (Anthony Franciosca). Gene Tierney, once a leading lady at 20th Century-Fox, takes a back seat to the studio's new starlet crop in a glorified "guest star" stint. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ann-Margret, Anthony Franciosa, (more)
- 1964
Upon learning that the Astro-Dynamics Corporation plans to launch an instrument-bearing rocket into space, Martin (Ray Walston) hopes to hitch a ride home to Mars. His next step is to convince Astro-Dynamic's CEO J.M. Buckley (Herbert Rudley) to aim for Mars rather than Venus. Unfortunately, Buckley is a superstitious man, whose final decision hinges upon a lucky rabbit's foot--which at the moment, is nowhere to be found. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
Gregory Peck plays a benevolent God-like figure in a white smock as Captain Josiah Newman, the head of a psych-unit at a Southwestern army base during the waning days of World War II. Newman is a patriarchal protector to his patients, preferring to keep him in his ward, rather than return them to certain death on the battlefield. The matriarchal figure of the ward is Lieutenant Grace Blodgett (Jane Withers), but Newman is more interested in his assistant Lieutenant Francie Corum (Angie Dickinson), with whom he is having an affair. Further help is provided by human nature expert, Corp. Jackson Laibowitz (Tony Curtis), the orderly. And Newman needs all the help he can get. Particularly with three patients: Colonel Bliss (Eddie Albert) is suffering from a guilt complex from all the men he has sent to death; Corporal Tompkins (Bobby Darin, in an Academy Award-nominated performance), although decorated for bravery in combat, calls himself a coward for failing to save his pal from a burning plane; and Captain Winston (Robert Duvall) is guilt-ridden and has lapsed into catatonia because he had hidden for over a year in the basement of a building in Germany. Although Newman wants to cure these men of their psychological problems, he doesn't want to see them returned to the war to be killed. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gregory Peck, Tony Curtis, (more)
- 1963
Thanks to the well-intentioned bumbling of Mrs. Brown (Pamela Britton), the trash collector picks up Martin's spaceship for scrap. This sends Martin (Ray Walton) and Tim (Bill Bixby) on a desperate search for the missing vehicle, which is Martin's only possible means of transportation back to his own planet. With the help of an eyewitness--a dog!--our two heroes trace the ship to an amusement park, where it has been converted into a most exotic carousel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
When Rob (Dick Van Dyke) accidentally marks up the wall with an indelible pen, he and Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) call in an eccentric painter named Vito Giotto (Vito Scotti) to repaint the Petrie living room. Vito immediately ingratiates himself with Rob and Laura by showering them with flowery compliments, and also wins the heart of Ritchie (Larry Mathews) by teaching the boy songs and magic tricks. The painter also happens to be a superb gourmet chef, and regales his hosts with dozens of tasty meals. But at the end of five days, Vito still hasn't painted a stroke -- and it looks as though he never intends to do so! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
Dime with a Halo was designed in part as a showcase for MGM's new child actor Manuel Padilla, who was featured shortly afterward in the studio's The Young and the Brave (63) and as a regular on the Tarzan TV series. Director Boris Sagal transcends the cold-cash motives of Dime by fashioning a touching Mexican-based comedy centering around five street urchins. The oldest (Roger Mobley) leads the kids in stealing a dime from a church collection box; they bet this "windfall" on a horse race, using the winnings to jointly purchase a sweepstakes ticket. All their dreams of sudden luxury are dashed when they find they're too young to cash the ticket when it hits the jackpot. Manuel Padilla manages to steal focus from his formidable kiddie opposition, but Dime with a Halo didn't quite establish Padilla as the Mickey Rooney of the 1960s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbara Luna, Roger Mobley, (more)
- 1962
Released just in time for Easter on April 27, 1962, this Rod Serling-scripted Twilight Zone episode is widely regarded as the series' low point. A ham-handed Christ parable, the story is set in a backward Mexican village, where the arrival of a mysterious stranger named Williams (Geoffrey Horne) brings out the superstitious worst in the local citizenry. Only little Pedro (Edmund Vargas) and the town's doctor (Nico Minardos) refuse to regard Williams as a threat, but they are shouted down by a hostile mob, leading to a painfully obvious climax that wouldn't have gotten past "Creative Writing 101." The sole redeeming virtue of "The Gift" was its classical guitar score by the great Laurindo Almeida. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Geoffrey Horne, Nico Minardos, (more)
- 1962
Lucy (Lucille Ball) and Viv (Vivian Vance) would like to go out on a date with a couple of eligible bachelors, but no one seems to be eligible at the moment. Impressed by the handsomeness of her son Jerry's math teacher Mr. Taylor (William Windom), Lucy's "borrows" the man's drivers license to find out if he's married. The trick now is to return the license without Taylor ever knowing that it was missing--and this requires Lucy to deck herself out in full fencing regalia! Comedian Dick Martin makes his first series appearance as Lucy's next-door neighbor, airline pilot Harry Conners. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dick Martin, William Windom, (more)
- 1962
One of Hollywood's great directors, Vincente Minnelli, turns a jaundiced eye towards the film industry in this drama about the inner workings of the movie business. Jack Andrus (Kirk Douglas) is an actor whose career has gone into a tailspin along with his personal life; after a severe bout with alcoholism, a messy break-up with his wife, a life-threatening auto accident, and a nervous breakdown, Andrus has spent three years in a private mental hospital in Connecticut. Andrus is approached by Maurice Kruger (Edward G. Robinson), a noted filmmaker who worked many times with Andrus in the past, offering him a small role in his next picture, and with the blessings of his doctors, the actor flies to Rome to return to work. However, once he arrives, Andrus finds the project is in chaos -- his role has been recast, Kruger is constantly battling with producer Tucino (Mino Doro), leading man Davie Drew (George Hamilton) is squabbling with both %Kruger and his girlfriend Veronica (Daliah Lavi), and the female lead (Rosanna Schiaffino) can't recite her dialogue in English. With the shooting in shambles, Kruger asks Andrus to take over the dubbing work in hopes of bringing the film in on schedule, and against his better judgement Andrus agrees. As Andrus tries to rise to this new challenge -- made all the more trying by the arrival of his ex-wife Carlotta (Cyd Charisse) -- the production receives its biggest setback when Kruger suffers a heart attack after a bitter argument with his wife (Claire Trevor). Andrus takes over the direction of the picture, and proves a capable hand for the job, bringing in the project on time and on budget. However, Kruger expresses resentment rather than gratitude, claiming that Andrus is trying to put an end to his career. Two Weeks In Another Town was adapted from a novel by Irwin Shaw. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kirk Douglas, Edward G. Robinson, (more)
- 1961
Ben Cartwright's suspicions are aroused when scruffy prospectors Cunningham (Parley Baer) and Furnas (Walter Coy) arrive in town, claiming to have struck a valuable silver lode at Thunderhead Mine. Investigating, Ben discovers that Jim Bronson (Judson Pratt), former owner of the mine, has been murdered. Could the two prospectors be responsible, or is there another sinister figure waiting in the wings? Also in the cast are Ross Elliot as Watkins and the ineluctable Vito Scotti as Leon Flores. Written by Gene L. Coon, "Thunderhead Swindle" made its network debut on April 29, 1961. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
- 1961
Wounded bandit Track (Paul Richards) takes refuge at the home of widow Lee Bolden (Faith Domergue). Another of Lee's house guests, Joe Cartwright, recognizes Trock as a fugitive from justice. At first prepared to reveal Trock's identity, Joe hesitates when he realizes that Lee is falling in love with the injured outlaw. Featured in the cast are Jim Beck as Gavin and Vito Scotti as Pooch. Originally telecast October 15, 1961, "The Lonely House" was written by Frank Chase. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, (more)
- 1961
In this socially conscious drama, based on a true-story, a high school teacher gets in trouble for having his students write compositions describing their feelings about sex. He is suspended; his students unite to defend him. A confrontation with the prudish school board ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Shatner, Lee Kinsolving, (more)
