Felix Silla Felix Anthony Silla is an actor and stuntman who appeared as a Talosian in the pilot . He did not receive credit for this role . He filmed his scene on Friday at Desilu Culver Stage 15 . Hailing from a small village outside Rome , Italy , the 3 ' 11 " tall Silla began his career in show business as a circus performer and toured with the Ringling Bros . and Barnum and Bailey Circus following his arrival in the United States in 1955 . In the early 1960s , he broke into acting and stuntwork . One of Silla ' s best - known roles in that of the short , hair - covered , gibberish - speaking Cousin Itt on the classic 1960s television series " The Addams Family " , which co - starred fellow TOS guest actor Ted Cassidy . Other " Trek " actors who appeared alongside Silla in guest roles are Lee Bergere , Meg Wyllie and Anthony Caruso . The character of Cousin Itt was later portrayed on the big screen by John Franklin . Another of Silla ' s famous roles is Litvak in the 1975 film " The Black Bird " , co - starring Elisha Cook , Jr . and Vic Tayback . He is also known for playing the robot Twiki in the science fiction series " Buck Rogers in the 25th Century " , co - starring with Tim O ' Connor and Eric Server . Other " Trek " alumni who worked on this show are Vic Perrin , Don Marshall , Seamon Glass , Frank Gorshin , James Sloyan , Jay Robinson , Ray Walston , Earl Boen , Michael Ansara , Alfred Ryder , Sid Haig , Julie Newmar , Barbara Luna , David Opatoshu , Lance LeGault , Mark Lenard , Paul Carr , Harry Townes , Anthony James , Billy Curtis , Walker Edmiston , writer D . C . Fontana and director Vincent McEveety . In both of these cases , Silla wore his character ' s costume , while another actor provided the character ' s voice ( Tony Magro for Itt , Mel Blanc and Bob Elyea for Twiki ) . In addition to these roles , Silla was a regular performer on " H . R . Pufnstuf " , appeared as Lucifer on the original " Battlestar Galactica " ( in which role he played alongside John Colicos , Ed Begley Jr . , Reggie Nalder , George Murdock , Arlene Martel and Larry Cedar and was directed by Richard Colla ) , and played an Ewok in 1983 ' s " Star Wars : Episode VI : Return of the Jedi " . Besides " Star Trek " , Silla made guest appearances on such television programs as " Petticoat Junction " , " The Monkees " , " Bewitched " , " The Dukes of Hazzard " , and " Married . . . with Children " . He has also acted in a number of films , including " Point Blank " ( 1967 , with Sharon Acker , Sid Haig , James B . Sikking , and Michael Strong ) , the original " Planet of the Apes " ( 1968 , with James Daly , Lou Wagner , Paul Lambert , Billy Curtis , Jane Ross , music by Jerry Goldsmith and designs by Wah Chang ) , " Black Samurai " ( 1977 , with Biff Yeager ) , " Demon Seed " ( 1977 , co - starring Gerrit Graham , Davis Roberts , Fritz Weaver , and , in a bit part , Michael Dorn ) , " The Manitou " ( 1978 , with Michael Ansara ) , " The Brood " ( 1979 , starring Samantha Eggar ) , " Meatballs Part II " ( 1984 , starring Hamilton Camp and John Larroquette ) , " House " ( 1986 , with Michael Ensign and Steve Susskind ) , and as a Dink in Mel Brooks ' popular 1987 sci - fi spoof " Spaceballs " ( featuring Tim Russ and Leslie Bevis ) . Silla ' s stunt work consists primarily of feature films , including " Battle for the Planet of the Apes " ( 1973 , with France Nuyen , Paul Williams , David Gerrold , music by Leonard Rosenman and cinematography by Richard H . Kline ) , " The Towering Inferno " ( 1974 , with Elizabeth Rogers , Paul Comi and John Crawford ) , Robert Wise ' s " The Hindenburg " ( 1975 , with Rene Auberjonois , Alan Oppenheimer and Vic Perrin ) , " E . T . the Extra - Terrestrial " ( 1982 ) , " Poltergeist " ( 1982 , with Allan Graf , music by Jerry Goldsmith and cinematography by Matthew F . Leonetti ) , and " Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom " ( 1984 ) . He was more recently a stunt actor on 1992 ' s " Batman Returns " ( co - starring Diane Salinger , Vincent Schiavelli , Sean Whalen , and Biff Yeager ) , in which he played an emperor penguin , one of the Penguin ' s " henchbirds " .