Small Performer, Big Talent
Actors, performers and comedians with immense talent who happened to be have dwarfism.
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English actor Warwick Davis was born in Epsom, Surrey, England, the son of Susan J. (Pain) and Ashley Davis, an insurance broker. Davis was born with the condition spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenital (SED), which caused his dwarfism. He was educated at City of London Freemen's School. When he was 11 years old, his grandmother heard a radio appeal for people under four feet tall to appear in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983). A huge Star Wars fan, Davis auditioned successfully and was cast as an extra, playing an Ewok. Kenny Baker was cast as lead Ewok Wicket, but fell ill so George Lucas chose Davis to replace him. The film was a smash hit, and Davis went on to reprise his role as Wicket in further TV projects - The Ewok Adventure (1984) and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985).
Davis next big role came with a part specifically written for him, as the titular hero in Willow (1988). Other successes followed with roles in such projects as Prince Caspian and the Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1989) and two distinctly different film series - the 'Harry Potter' and 'Leprechaun' film series. In 2006, he appeared in a cameo role in Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's hit sitcom Extras (2005), which led to the pair writing a series specifically for Davis, the comic mockumentary Life's Too Short (2011).
Davis, along with his father-in-law Peter Burroughs, is also the director of an acting agency for very short and tall actors called Willow Management. He is married to Samantha Davis and they have a son and a daughter.- Actor
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Brad Williams was born on 13 January 1984 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Brad Williams: Daddy Issues (2016), Brad Williams: Fun Size (2015) and Little Evil (2017). He has been married to Jasmine Gong since 2017. They have one child.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Danny Woodburn is an entertainer on stage, film, television, and the comedy club circuit.
Born and raised in the Philadelphia area, he is the son of a nurse and a professional golfer. He is a graduate of Philadelphia's Temple University's School of Film and Theater and recipient of their Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award of 2001.
Danny achieved prominence on NBC's sitcom Seinfeld (1989), performing the role of Mickey Abbott, the volatile but lovable friend of Kramer. Since his first appearance on the show in 1994 he has gained speed as an actor and garnered respect from industry professionals. His character on Seinfeld was an important role for him, in the sense that the writing and portrayal of Mickey is positive and non-stereotypical.
Danny is a well-known, long-time advocate for performers with disability in film, television and theatre. He serves on the Performers With Disabilities Committee of SAG-AFTRA, where he not only negotiated better contract terms for disabled actors, but created more opportunities, fought for authentic representation, and increased inclusion and diversity at the studio and network level. His work has changed social perceptions of persons with disability.- Actor
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Phil Fondacaro started his career in 1981 when a casting call went out for "little people" for the feature film Under the Rainbow (1981). This was the beginning of a career that is still going strong to this day. From that time he has worked in every genre. including drama, comedy, horror and animation.
Phil has worked in films with directors such as Robert Zemeckis (The Polar Express (2004)), Ron Howard (Willow (1988), in which he played Vohnkar) and George Lucas (Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983), in which he played an Ewok - the only Ewok who died on screen). Phil's feature films include many in the horror genre, such as Troll (1986), Ghoulies II (1987), Bordello of Blood (1996), Blood Dolls (1999), Meridian (1990) and his collaboration with George A. Romero in Land of the Dead (2005). He also starred opposite Verne Troyer in a short film, Bit Players (2000), which premiered at Sundance and was directed by Andy Berman. Phil's television credits included a recurring role in Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996) as Roland. His TV work also includes some other memorable performances where he guest-starred in shows such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000), and had an amazing role in Touched by an Angel (1994).
Phil Fondacaro stands 3' 6" tall and lives by the quote, "It is not the size of the man in the fight, but the size of the fight in the man".- Actress
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Meredith Eaton is well known for her breakout recurring role as feisty attorney Bethany Horowitz, on the ABC hit series Boston Legal (2004). Meredith has also guest starred on several critically acclaimed prime time shows, such as House (2004), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999), and Without a Trace (2002).
Prior to her role on Boston Legal (2004), Meredith was best known for her role of Emily Resnick, the spitfire attorney on the CBS prime time drama, Family Law (1999). Other memorable roles have been on NYPD Blue (1993) and Dharma & Greg (1997).
Meredith Hope Eaton was born and raised on the south shore of Long Island, New York. Her mother is a clinical psychoanalyst and her father, a retired governor appointed administrative law judge. After graduating from Hofstra University with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Theater, Meredith completed her Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology with a 4.0 grade point average from the prestigious Derner Institute Of Psychoanalysis at Adelphi University.
Meredith's breakthrough acting opportunity came when she learned that there was an open casting call for a feature film that was looking for a short-stature actress to star in a leading role alongside Kathy Bates and Rupert Everett. Meredith landed the role over 500 women who auditioned from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The movie, Unconditional Love (2002) has become a cult classic.
Her performance as Emily Resnick on Family Law (1999) has earned her much public recognition, including a MAC award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a drama, as well as winner of "Best New Cast Addition For A Television Series" from Pop Matters. Meredith has also garnered accolades for her role on Boston Legal (2004), including being named one of the Fall, 2006 top "Dramatic Debuts" by Yahoo! TV, and earning "Must Watch" pick by the influential magazine, Entertainment Weekly.- Actor
- Stunts
- Producer
Tony Cox was born on 31 March 1958 in Uniontown, Alabama, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Bad Santa (2003), Spaceballs (1987) and Bad Santa 2 (2016). He has been married to Otelia since 1989. They have one child.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Kenny Baker was born on 24 August 1934 in Birmingham, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005), Time Bandits (1981) and The Elephant Man (1980). He was married to Eileen Baker. He died on 13 August 2016 in Preston, Lancashire, England, UK.- Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
Felix Silla was born on January 11, 1937 in a small village outside Rome, Lazio, Italy. Silla trained as a circus performer, came to the United States in 1955, and toured with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Show. His multiple talents -- as a bareback rider, trapeze artist and tumbler -- brought him to Hollywood where he became a stuntman, starting with the Gig Young-Shirley Jones vehicle, A Ticklish Affair (1963).
His best-known roles are the maniacal, miniature "Hitler" who menaces George Segal in The Black Bird (1975) and Cousin Itt on The Addams Family (1964). He had doubled -- often for children -- in such hits as The Towering Inferno (1974), The Hindenburg (1975) and Battlestar Galactica (1978). Between movies, he frequently appears in Las Vegas and Reno nightclubs with his own musical combo, "The Original Harmonica Band".
Silla and wife Sue Silla -- a "little person", like himself -- were married from 1965 until Felix's death on April 16, 2021, and had three children, Bonnie, Michael and Diana.- Actor
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- Soundtrack
Michael Dunn was born Gary Neil Miller in Oklahoma. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Fred Miller. They moved to Detroit, Michigan, in 1938. Dunn was 5 years old when he knew he'd be a dwarf but was determined not to let it stop him or make him dependent. He graduated from Detroit's Redford High School in 1951, where he had been active in many school activities, including the student council, and was captain of the cheer-leading team. At 18 he enrolled as a student at the University of Michigan, but a leg injury incurred when he was accidentally knocked down a flight of stairs forced him to leave. Later he transferred to the University of Miami, where he acted, was a cheer leader and editor of the college newspaper, and he received his degree in 1956. He'd supported himself during school by singing at local bars, and knew by graduation that he wanted to be an actor. "Frankly", he told a reporter, "I knew there wouldn't be too much competition for roles. There are a great many professional midgets, but there aren't too many dwarfs who can act". Waiting for his big break, he found employment as a sports reporter, a hotel detective and a missionary. When he hit New York he finally got some acting parts in off-Broadway plays--and when he was nominated for a Tony Award in 1963 (for his role in Edward Albee's "Ballad of A Sad Cafe"--his luck changed for the better. He even landed an Oscar nomination for his role as narrator in Ship of Fools (1965). Still, Dunn was frustrated by the lack of variety in the parts he was offered. While filming The Abdication (1974) on location in England in 1973, the 3'11" actor died. He was 38.- Actor
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Billy Barty was born William John Bertanzetti on October 25, 1924 in Millsboro, Pennsylvania. He began performing at age three and began making pictures in 1927. He played Mickey Rooney's little brother in the "Mickey McGuire" comedy shorts series. He was equally adept in both comedy and drama, and generally gives an added zest to any production he is associated with. He founded the Little People of America in 1957 and the Billy Barty Foundation in 1975. He possessed an immense talent and energetic charm that added a much needed shot in the arm to many series and films. Billy Barty died at age 76 of heart failure on December 23, 2000 in Glendale, California.