Felix Silla

Felix Anthony Silla (January 11, 1937 – April 16, 2021), also credited as Felix Cilla, was an Italian character actor, circus performer, voice artist and movie stuntman, best known for his career in Hollywood in TV and film.

Silla started his career in the circus, but is best known from television's The Addams Family as Cousin Itt, a costumed character. Itt was only in one of Charles Addams original comics and his demeanor was created for the show. The character's voice was provided by series director Nat Perrin and Anthony Magro.

Biography Early life and circus career Felix Silla was born on January 11, 1937, in the small village of Roccacasale, Abruzzo, Italy. He trained as a circus performer and came to the United States aged 18, in 1955, touring with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. His multiple talents as a bareback horse rider, trapeze artist, and tumbler brought him to Hollywood, where he became a stuntman, appearing in the film, A Ticklish Affair.

Film and television

His best-known roles include Litvak, the maniacal, miniature Hitler who menaces George Segal in film The Black Bird (his favorite role). He was also responsible for the physical performance of the robot Twiki in the TV series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century,

Voice-art work

Silla provided his voice for the character Mortimer Goth in the 2004 video game The Sims 2.

Famous characters

The Addams Family: Cousin Itt

Silla became famous however as the recurring costumed character of Cousin Itt on television's The Addams Family. The character was only in one of Charles Addams original comics, but his demeanor was created for the original black and white television series by producer David Levy, debuting in the 1965 first-season episode "Cousin Itt Visits the Addams Family", and appearing in a total of 19 episodes, 17 of which featured Silla and Roger Arroyo, over the course of the show's two seasons. The character's voice was usually provided by studio sound engineer Anthony Magro (1923–2004). The character became so popular it was carried over to subsequent licensed media including film, stage and video games.

Star Wars: Ewoks

He played one of the hang glider Ewoks in the film Star Wars Return of the Jedi in 1983.

He also appears to have done quite a bit of work with Glen A. Larson as he was the body actor for the robot Twiki in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century as well as Lucifer in "Battlestar Galactica."

Death Felix Silla died on April 16, 2021, from pancreatic cancer at the age of 84, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Filmography (as actor) Name Year Role Bonanza (TV series) 1963 Sean Grimdl (TV series) 1963 Flaged Petticoat Junction (TV series) 1965 Baron Munchin The Addams Family (original TV series) 1965–1966 (17 episodes) Cousin Itt. (costumed character) Star Trek (TV series) Talosian (uncredited) The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. (TV series) 1966 Circus Performer The Monkees (TV series) 1967 Willy the Midget in S1:E22, "Monkees at the Circus" She Freak (film) 1967 Shorty Point Blank (film) 1967 Bellhop Planet of the Apes (film) 1968 Child Gorilla The April Fools (film) 1969 Waiter at Safari Club Justine 1969 Child Prostitute H.R. Pufnstuf (TV series) 1969–1970 Polka Dotted Horse - Various Characters Pufnstuf (film version, based on above) 1970 Polka Dotted Horse Bewitched (TV series) 1967/1970 Goblin/Troll Night Gallery (TV series) 1971 Baby New Year (uncredited) Lidsville (TV series) 1971–1972 Colonel Poom Little Cigars (film) 1973 Frankie Sssssss (film) 1973 Sam Lee the Seal Boy Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (TV movie) 1973 Creature Lincoln (TV miniseries) 1974 General Tom Thumb The Black Bird (film) 1975 Litvak Mastermind 1975 Scahatzi Black Samurai (film) 1976 Little Hitman Reinhardt Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (TV series) 1977 Chuck Demon Seed (film) 1977 Baby The Kentucky Fried Movie (film) 1977 Crazed Clown Halloween with the New Addams Family (TV movie) 1977 Cousin Itt. The Manitou 1978 Misquamacus The Lord of the Rings (voice) 1979 Character actor Battlestar Galactica (TV series) 1978–1979 Buck Rogers in the 25th Century 1979–1981 Twiki (body) Under the Rainbow (film) 1981 Hotel Rainbow Guest Mork and Mindy (TV series) 1981 Orkan Porter The Sting II (film) 1983 Ringside man taking bets Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (film) 1983 Ewok Meatballs Part II 1984 Meathead the Alien The Dungeonmaster(credited here as 'Felix Cilla 1984 Desert Bandit The Dukes of Hazzard (TV series) 1985 The Visitor House 1985 Little Critter Spaceballs 1987 Dink Ghostbusters II (film) 1989 Courtroom Spectator Married... with Children 1990 Alien Batman Returns (film) 1992 Emperor Penguin The Legend of Galgameth 1996 Little Galgy Characterz 2016 Don Cluff Meet Slate (TV miniseries) 2018Bitcoin