Probably the earliest character actor I remember recognizing from one show to another was Vito Scotti, an absolute expert in different ethnic characterizations. He started in films in the late forties but really made his mark on television a few years later. One look at his IMDB filmography verifies my theory that he was pretty much on everything in the sixties and early seventies...and quite a few things after that, right up to his passing in 1996!
For more info on Vito Scotti, check out his Wikipedia page here:
Just saw him in a Gunsmoke episode as a Mexican thug in John Saxon’s Comincherro gang. Amazing portrayal with really bad teeth!
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