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Born January 11 1937 in a small town near Rome
Italy, Felix Anthony Silla (Abruzzi) stands tall at
3’11” and weighs about 70 pounds. This 69 year old
man has had an outstanding career as a circus
performer, a stunt man and television and film actor
most of his life. One of his most outstanding roles for television was the beloved Cousin Itt; the long hairy member of the ABC hit series The Addams Family. |
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Although the show only lasted two years, the show still re-runs today and is a television favorite. However, virtually no one knew who Cousin Itt was.
“The character was introduced in the 19th episode” states Silla. Call time was 3:00 a.m. because it took 3 hours to be made up using nine different pieces. Shoot time was at 7:00 a.m. and sometimes it would rain where the shoot was cancelled and I had to take off all the make up, “what a pain” states Felix, because in those days they had to use acid tone to remove the glue and it hurt.”
In 1955 Felix immigrated to the United States to join his older brother. He arrived in New York on a ship the day before Thanksgiving,” it was freezing cold,” states Silla. Not able to speak English yet, at 16 Silla landed a job with the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus, where there were many circus people who could speak Italian and Spanish.
He became an acrobat, bareback rider, trapeze artist and tumbler with the circus, a job that lasted until 1962. “The circus laid the ground work for my television and film career” states Silla. While working as a promotion’s character for Pacific Ocean park in Santa Monica, Silla was discovered by a gentleman from MGM Studios who was looking for a little person to do some stunts for a little boy in a movie called “A Turkish Affair” staring Gig Young and Shirley Jones.” My job was to double for a little kid that was tied to a weather balloon,” Silla said. “For several hours a day I would be strapped to a harness and dangle from a crane to simulate being held aloft by a giant balloon.” The job led to others and eventually a new career was born for Silla.
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He was a child gorilla in “Planet of the Apes” (1968) alongside Charlton Heston, a robot in the TV series “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century” (1979) an Ework in “Star Wars: episode VI
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“Return of the Jedi” (1983) a stunt duck in “Howard the Duck” (1986); and many more Television and film roles. You may remember him as the Leprechaun in the hit TV series Bonanza (1963). What a surprise it was for me to learn that Felix along with his wife Sue of 40 years, are Las Vegas residents. |
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They moved to Northwest Las Vegas two years ago to be near their children and grandchildren. I met Felix while I was dining at Montesano’s Italian Deli and Restaurant where I invited him to be on my TV show and since then we’ve become friends.
Felix tells me that he and his wife are the only members of their biological family that are small, “little people we are called.” His two daughters, one son and three grandchildren are all normal size. Felix and Susan were married in 1965.
Sometimes in life we are dealt a hand that may appear to be grim, but with the faith in God and a positive mental attitude even a man standing 3’11’’ can become a giant.
Visit Felix's Website at www.felixsilla.com
