Angelo Muscat

Born

1930-09-24

Died

1977-10-10

Biography

Angelo Muscat (September 24, 1930 – October 10, 1977) was a Maltese-born British character actor renowned for his role as the diminutive, silent butler in the cult TV series The Prisoner (1967-1968), appearing in 14 episodes and selected by star Patrick McGoohan. Standing just 4 feet 3 inches tall—unlike his taller family, including a policeman father—he moved to England after his parents' deaths, initially working odd jobs like kitchen porter and factory hand before breaking into acting in 1961 with a touring production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. His TV debut came as a Chumbley robot in Doctor Who's "Galaxy 4" (1965), followed by roles in Alice in Wonderland (1966), an uncredited part in the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour (1967), and an Oompa-Loompa in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). As acting opportunities dwindled, he supported himself crafting birdcages while living alone in London, until his death from pneumonia at age 47 in St. Bartholomew's Hospital.