Actor. He was best known for playing the character roles of organ grinders, customers, bartenders, valets, barbers, bicyclists, proprietors, waiters, tailors, painters, bootleggers, photographers, professors, and many people named Tony, beginning with silent pictures and then moving to sound pictures. He will be best remembered for playing the role of 'Laurent' in the film drama, "The Man Who Reclaimed His Head" (1934). The film which was directed by Edward Ludwig, which was written by Jean Bart, Finley Peter Dunne, and Erwin Gelsey, and which also starred Claude Rains, Joan Bennett, and Lionel Atwill, tells the story of a brilliant but impoverished writer, who is a pacifist, who goes to work for a publisher and writes anti-war editorials. When he discovers that the publisher has betrayed him and he is in league with munitions manufacturers to make money off of war, he goes insane. He was born as Enrico Henry Armetta in Palermo, Italy, to Giovanni "John" Armetta (1861-1917), and his wife Rosalia Fazio Armetta (1856-1911), on July 4, 1888. He stowed away on a boat to the United States from his native Italy when he was fourteen years old. Upon his arrival in the United States, he was discovered and the immigration authorities were preparing to send him back when an Italian family acted as his sponsor and took him in. He then settled in New York City, New York, and found work delivering groceries, selling sandwiches, pizzas, and other jobs to get by. He then found work as a pants presser at the well-known Lambs Club and it was here that he met and befriended the actor and film producer Raymond Hitchcock, who then gave him a chorus part in his play, "A Yankee Consul." He then appeared in numerous other stage productions and in stock before he decided that he wanted to a be a full-time actor and he hitchhiked to Hollywood, California, where he then entered films. He made his actual film debut in the film drama, "The Governor" (1915), which was directed and written by Edgar Lewis, which was based on the play by Edward Sheldon, and which also starred William Farnum, Claire Whitney, and George De Carlton, tells the story of a man named Philip Morrow who grows to manhood in the belief that the blood in his veins is the most aristocratic in the South. "Clif" Noyes, a distiller of whiskey of the fiery brand manufactured for consumption, persuades Morrow to run for Governor. Upon his election to the Governorship, he decides to sign a Prohibition Bill which means the ruin of Noyes' business. Noyes visits Morrow. He has found papers proving that Morrow has blood in him. Morrow, undaunted, makes the Prohibition Bill a law, resigns his office, and sacrifices his love to devote his life to the uplift of the Negro. Besides, "The Governor" (1915), and "The Man Who Reclaimed His Head" (1934), his many other film credits include, "The Plunderer" (1915), "The Marble Heart" (1916), "The Eternal Sin" (1917), "The Jungle Trail" (1919), "The Face At Your Window" (1920), "Fantomas" (1920), "The Silent Command" (1923), "The Desert's Price" (1925), "The Missing Link" (1927), "Girls" (1927), "7th Heaven" (1927), "A Midsummer Night's Steam" (1927), "Paid To Love" (1927), "A Girl In Every Port" (1927), "Street Angel" (1928), "Lonesome" (1928), "The Red Dance" (1928), "Homesick" (1928), "In Old Arizona" (1928), "Four A.M." (1928), "Lady Of The Pavements" (1929), "Madame X" (1929), "Sunny Side Up" (1929), "Half Marriage" (1929), "Love, Live And Laugh" (1929), "Jazz Heaven" (1929), "The Trespasser" (1929), "The Climax" (1930), "The Ship And The Shanghai" (1930), "A Lady In Love" (1930), "The Girl Said No" (1930), "Lovin' The Ladies" (1930, He performed the song, "You're Always In My Arms," in the film), "Ladies Loves Brutes" (1930), "Die Sehnsucht jeder Frau" (1930), "Barnum Was Wrong" (1930), "The Sins Of The Children" (1930), "Off To Peoria" (1930), "Who's Got The Body?" (1930), "Little Accident" (1930), "Romance" (1930), "Society Goes Spaghetti" (1930), "Razored In Old Kentucky" (1930), "Sei tu l'amore" (1930), "Moonlight And Monkey Business" (1930), "Hey Diddle Diddle" (1930), "He Loved Her Not" (1931), "The Wife O'Riley" (1931), "La mujer X" (1931), "A Tailor Made Man" (1931), "Strangers May Kiss" (1931), "Laughing Sinners" (1931), "Just A Gigolo" (1931), "Five And Ten" (1931), "Hush Money" (1931), "New Adventures Of Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford" (1931), "The Unholy Garden" (1931), "Sighteseeing In New York" (1931), "Forbidden" (1932), "High Pressure" (1932), "The Passionate Plumber" (1932), "Arsène Lupin" (1932), "Steady Company" (1932), "Scarface" (1932), "The Doomed Battalion" (1932), "Huddle" (1932), "Week Ends Only" (1932), "Red-Headed Woman" (1932), "Bachelor's Affairs" (1932), "Speak Easily" (1932), "Who, Me?" (1932), "Okay America!" (1932), "Hat Check Girl" (1932), "Deception" (1932), "Prosperity" (1932), "Men Of America" (1932), "Uptown New York" (1932), "A Farewell To Arms" (1932), "Central Park" (1932), "They Just Had To Get Married" (1932), "Rasputin And The Empress" (1932), "Family Troubles" (1933), "What-No Beer?" (1933), "The Trial Of Vince Barnett" (1933), "Pick Me Up" (1933), "The Cohens And Kellys In Trouble" (1933), "So This Is Africa" (1933), "Bogus Bandits" (1933), "Don't Bet On Love" (1933), "Laughing At Life" (1933), "Her First Mate" (1933), "Hello Pop" (1933), "Too Much Harmony" (1933), "Open Sesame" (1933), "Cross Country Cruise" (1934), "The Poor Rich" (1934), "The Cat And The Fiddle" (1934), "Full Coverage" (1934), "Ceiling Whacks" (1934), "Viva Villa!" (1934), "The Black Cat" (1934), "Good Time Henry" (1934), "Let's Talk It Over" (1934), "Half A Sinner" (1934), "Kiss And Make-Up" (1934), "Romance In The Rain" (1934), "Hide-Out" (1934), "Gift Of Gab" (1934), "Embarassing Moments" (1934), "One Night Of Love" (1934), "Wake Up And Dream" (1934, He performed the song, "When You're In Love," in the film), "Two Heads On A Pillow" (1934), "The Merry Widow" (1934), "Imitation Of Life" (1934), "Cheating Cheaters" (1934), "Henry's Social Spalsh" (1934), "After Office Hours" (1935), "Night Life Of The Gods" (1935), "Old Age Pension" (1935), "I've Been Around" (1935), "Straight From The Heart" (1935), "Princess O'Hara" (1935), "Dinky" (1935), "Unknown Woman" (1935), "Manhattan Moon" (1935), "Romance Of The West" (1935), "3 Kid And A Queen" (1935), "Magnificent Obsession" (1935), "Carnival Day" (1936), 'Let's Sing Again" (1936), "Poor Little Rich Girl" (1936), "The Crime Of Dr. Forbes" (1936), "Two In A Crowd" (1936), "The Magnificent Brute" (1936), "Top Of The Town" (1937), "Make A Wish" (1937), "Manhattan Merry-Go-Round" (1937), "Everybody Sing" (1938), "Speed To Burn" (1938, He performed the song, "My Wild Irish Rose," in the film), "My Pop" (1938), "Submarine Patrol" (1938), "Road Demon" (1938), "Fisherman's Wharf" (1939, He performed the song, "Fisherman's Chanty," in the film), "Winner Take All" (1939), "The Lady And The Mob" (1939), "I Stole A Million" (1939), "Dust Be My Destiny" (1939), "Rio" (1939), "The Escape" (1939), "Boss Foreman" (1939), "3 Cheers For The Irish" (1940), "The Man Who Talked Too Much" (1940), "You're Not So Tough" (1940), "We Who Are Young" (1940), "Caught In The Act" (1941), "The Big Store" (1941), "Slick Chick" (1941), "Stage Door Canteen" (1943), "Good Luck, Mr. Yates" (1943), "Thank Your Lucky Stars" (1943), "Once Upon A Time" (1944), "Ghost Catchers" (1944), "Allergic To Love" (1944), "A Bell For Adano" (1945), "Penthouse Rhythm" (1945), and "Anchors Aweigh" (1945). During his acting career, he worked with the likes of the Marx Brothers, Bobby Breen, Judy Garland, Allan Jones, Fanny Brice, Buster Keaton, Jimmy Durante, Frank Sinatra, and Gene Kelly, among many others. His last film role was playing 'Jimmy Economy' in Colonel Effingham's Raid" (1945). The film was directed by Irving Pichel, which was written for the screen by Kathryn Scola and Frank Gabrielson, and which also starred Charles Coburn, Joan Bennett, and William Eythe, takes place in 1940, when Colonel Will Seaborn Effingham, a retired Army officer, returns to his home town of Fredericksville, Georgia, and is disturbed at the lack of civic pride. He writes a letter to the editor of the local newspaper and attacks those who would do away with traditions, especially those moving to tear down the old city hall and those who wish to rename Confederate Square after a local politician. His last film was released posthumously in 1946, the year after his death. During his acting career, he also used the name Enrico Armetto and Tony Martin. He passed away from a heart attack in San Diego, California, on October 21, 1945, at the age of 57. He was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California. He was married to Iole Armetta from 1920 until his death. Together the couple had three children.