Henry Armetta

Henry Armetta was a Sicilianborn American character actor who appeared in at least 150 American films, starting in silents around 1915 to 1946, when his last film was released posthumously.

Armetta was born Enrico Armetta in Palermo, Sicily. At the age of 14, he stowed away on a boat and came to America. The authorities were ready to send him back when an Italian came forwards to act as his sponsor. He performed menial tasks to get by and eventually ended up working as a pants presser in New York City at a well known club where he managed to befriend Raymond Hitchcock, who got him a chorus part in his play A Yankee Consul.

Source: Wikipedia