The Mysterious Mr Mute

This is my first audio post about a silent artist. 

 

Randomly flipping through the TV one day.  The cowboy channel was playing an episode of "Tales of Wells Fargo", a series featuring Dale Robertson, William Demarest, Chubby Johnson 

 

various other denizens of the old west, and in this one, a mime.

 

Kind of an interesting touch for old TV.  There were a lot of ensemble-style TV Westerns in the early 60s, where a dozen or so regulars would have a weekly one-off with some crazy miner or an out-of-control posse, and the demand for oddballs and eccentrics was high.  But I don't think I ever saw a mime before.

 

And this guy was a pretty good mime.  In 1960 Hollywood?  Probably not an American actor.  Who knew from mimes in 1960?  Would Marceau appear on le Western Americain?  It's probably someone I've never seen, in years of watching TV, and growing up recognizing all these guys.  Some theater actor.  Unless it's something crazy like Ken Berry or Tim Conway.  

 

So I stayed for the credits.  And you're not gonna believe it.  It was indeed someone very familiar.  

Here's his act, it's only about a minute, once the cursor calms down.  (If Starz has an issue, I'll reluctantly take it off.  Not a problem.  My intent is to inform, not defraud.  They can tell YouTube and it's gone.  I'm just a little gadfly.)

Classic mime.  He plays to the audience like Harpo Marx and Charlie Chaplin.  

 

 

 

 

 

Can you guess?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's Vito Scotti.  

One of the most That Guy! of all those guys and gals.  About half a dozen appearances a year for 45 years, (241 total per IMDB).  And a formidable scene stealer.  

 

 

It makes sense because Vito was a lifelong adept at the business of The Stage.  But he was definitely not known for any physical comedy more developed than slapstick.  Finding out he could mime, and was very good at it, was a big surprise for this fan.  

 

 

 

Little Richard: Hey Hey Hey Hey

 

 

A shot of audio espresso.  

play

Mario Wienerroither: Speechless Speech / BARACK OBAMA

Definitely re-posting video cutups, now, too.  And still on Sundays.  

 Should get back to doing new audio, sometime...

There I Ruined It: Always Look On the Bright Side of Life

 This video posting stuff's not a bad deal.

 

Negativland: Our Favorite Things

It looks like my audio host has quit working.  I found out last night at midnight, when it wouldn't play the bit I picked out for today.  Sigh.  I dunno.  It really seems like things just glitch a lot more.  I need to look at this whole thing, anyway.  I want to keep doing weekly posts, but the current arrangement is just kind of creaking along.  Nothing new is being worked up.  It's times like this that I'm inspired by those greater than I.

Dan Travanty or Noam Pitlik?

Welcome again to the site that regularly considers Hollywood's enduring mysteries:  

 

Who IS that guy?

Our discussion this week covers a question that's been unresolved for over 60 years: who plays the police detective in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World"?  

 

As Variety magazine might put it, "Classic Comic Cameos Clinch Chaos!"  Over 100 mostly comic actors dropped in to play bit parts, including a good helping of those who toiled in supporting roles in TV and movies at the time (1963).  

 

Artwork by Jack Davis

 

But for all the detail about the cast, one name is missing.  Who is the detective in the hat? 

 

Looking over the cast: there's a Dick Cherney as "Detective".  (And try to search for THIS guy.  You won't be able to get past the know-it-all computer insisting you want to know about "Dick Cheney".  They're actually getting dumber.  There is apparently no way to search the internet for "Dick Cherney", with only the name.  Try it yourself if you think I'm kidding.) 

 

I finally found a picture,  of "Dick Cherney, Mad Mad", from an appearance on "Star Trek":

 

Must have been another detective.  Although this actor has an interesting resume, with appearances on popular TV shows, playing even more obscure background characters.  Apparently in the same "silent bystander" category as Tony Regan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are no other unidentified "detective" actors.  Our man might be listed as a "spectator"- there's a couple dozen of them- but I think it's unlikely.  I'm going to say the actor isn't listed.

 

Let's consider whether it's one of these two men: 

I think I've seen an online post discussing one or the other in this role; can't find it now.  In fact, "Mad Mad Pitlik", "Mad Mad Travanti", even "Mad Mad Travanty" (his stage name in 1963) turn up zero info linking either one to this film.  Perhaps the question's never seriously been asked.  

 

It's made a little easier due to the fact that Noam Pitlik once wore his hat the same way.

 

"The Fortune Cookie"

 

We also have Daniel J. Travanti in a hat- which doesn't add anything.

 

"Lost in Space: Collision of Planets"

 

Hmm...how about the ears?  

 

A                                                B                                        C

Do we have any samples of Travanti's ears from that period?  Well, actually yes, his second professional appearance (according to IMDB) was a "Route 66" episode from 1964:

 

Look at that.  No lobe.  Uh-huh!

Ok, first of all, we have to consider it may be neither of them.  Maybe people will write in like an old Dear Abby column- "That's my Uncle Spif!"  I dunno.

 

But in my opinion, there's enough there to think it's probably Noam Pitlik.  

- earlobes (Travanti hasn't got one).

- their hairlines match...do we have one of Travanti's hairline?  Take off that hat!  (Raise your right hand!...)

I can't believe how much these guys look alike.  This is a toughie.  But we have to go with the ear.  They just don't match.  Pitlik's is closer.  (Yes, I know he has two.)  And he's got a bony forehead.  

The closest we can get is that the detective in Mad Mad World is most likely played by Noam Pitlik, or his twin.  Especially when you consider his career, much more of an Old TV Guy than Mr Travanti (about 3 jobs/year in TV and movies for 37 years, plus directing).  In this film, laboring in the full anonymity that usually falls over the efforts of these hard-working folks, turning up who knows where.

 

Bonobo- Cirrus

Well, no podcast yet.  I tried it and broke my headphones.  The tyranny of circumstance.  I don't know what's going to happen on this site.