Don’t Forget the Little People: 15 Midgets That Made it Big in Hollywood

The Doll Family - Harry, Daisy, Grace and Tiny Earles

Actors come in all shapes and sizes.  Fat, thin, tall and small, there really is a role tailor made for any type of person.  However, every now and then a role comes up for someone that is really small.  I mean smaller then small.  A part which requires a certain kind of small.  These are the roles which require a midget.

Midgets have a long history in entertainment.  Originally becoming prominent in medieval courts, midget performers were far more then just a novelty act.  They were truly the predecessor of the stand up comedian, who would amuse king and queens with their sharp tongued wit at the expense of current politics, public figures and events.  However, due to their size, midget jesters could get away with such comments where others could not.  As a result, many midget jesters became advisors and confidents to the monarchy, while becoming valued entertainment for the court.  This eventually led to their roles as circus performers and sideshow exhibits.  Although it seems awful by today’s social standards, two centuries ago midgets were still an abnormity, and seeing them perform in circuses became not only a common sight, but often was the only way that most midgets were able to make a living.  In fact, some midget performers, such as General Tom Thumb, became international sensations and proved to be quite wealthy.  Within time midgets appeared in every form of entertainment.  From the vaudeville stage to wrestling rings and burlesque theatres, midget performers were one of the great novelty acts of a previous, less socially tolerant, generation.  Thus, with the advent of film finding popularity at the beginning of the twentieth century, it was a matter of time before midgets crossed over to the big screen.  However, as time rolled on, and a culture that demanded respect for all people of all shape, color and sizes emerged, midget performers soon began to shed their novelty status.

"The Wizard of Oz" (1939) is probably the most famous film featuring midget actors, but midget actors play a far larger role in Hollywood then just being Munchkins.

Chronicling the history of midgets in modern entertainment has been truly an eye opening journey.  Although we may often disregard midgets as being a screen oddity, they have, in fact, touched every aspect of the pop culture journey.  Midgets have been nominated for Oscars, Emmys and Tonys (although they, unfortunately, have never won any).  They have stars on the Hollywood walk of fame and one midget has his feet at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (well…sorta).  They have shared the screen with countless classic films appearing with some of the most iconic film stars of all time and have been involved in nearly every major film franchise imaginable.  They appear in nearly every film genre including crime noir, horror, comedy, musicals, Asian action cinema and dramas.  Midgets are far more then just Munchkins and Oompa Loompas.  They can do pretty much anything.

Come and join us as we take a look at the contributions of fifteen of the most notable midgets in the history of Hollywood.  By telling their stories, the entire history of Hollywood is encompassed, and we gain a look at the entertainment industry from a different perspective

CONFESSIONS OF A POP CULTURE ADDICT PRESENTS

DON’T FORGET THE LITTLE PEOPLE:

15 MIDGETS WHO MADE IT BIG IN HOLLYWOOD

P.T. Barnum and Tom Thumb. It was Barnum that first coined the term "midget" to define the physical differences between "midgets" and "dwarfs."

But before we go to the profiles, let’s take a look at the word “midget.”  While writing this project the question of the political correctness of the term midget arose.  For decades the term midget was considered to be demeaning, while the term “little people” was preferred.  Personally, I find the term “little people” to sound condescending and confusing.  I mean, technically you could call Gary Coleman or Danny DeVito a “little person,” and they are not midgets.  However, my search for an answer brought me to an essay by Dr. Leonard Sawish called “What Offends Us.” In the essay Sawish teaches of the origins of the word “midget.”  The term midget was originally created by fabled showman PT Barnum at the end of the 19^th Century.  Midgets, to Barnum, were little people who had no physical deformities and looked to be just like normal sized people, just small.  Meanwhile, Barnum kept what he called “dwarfs” as part of the sideshow and were kept away from the public.  As a result there came a time where it was a status symbol to be a midget instead of a dwarf.

Billy Barty formed the "The Little People of America" in 1957. The term "little people" was chosen as a compromise between dwarf and midget members.

It wasn’t until actor Billy Barty formed the Little People of America in 1957 that the term “little people” was coined, but even then it was only as a compromise.  Barty’s original intent was to call the group “Midget of America,” but received opposition from members that considered themselves to be dwarfs instead of midgets.  Barty then proposed to call the group “Midgets and Dwarfs of America,” but once again faced criticism because there was a higher membership of dwarfs then midgets, and questions arrised why the term “midget” appeared before “dwarf.”  Thus, to please everybody, Barty came up with the term “little people.”  It encompassed everyone, and made everybody happy.  Thus, as time wore on, and people became more sensitive to political correctness, the term “midget” began to be questioned while the term “little people” become the favored expression.  However, recently the term “midget” has started to be, once again, accepted by many members of the “little people” community.  It really isn’t what the word represents as much as how you use it.  Do you use it as a condescending point or do you use it as an expressive term.  Still, midget is a touchy word, but I have decided to use the word throughout this article.  It isn’t used in jest, but because, well, it sounds so much more natural then “little people.”  If anything is learnt from this article it’s that midget are incredible people who can do anything and be anything.  Not allowing their height to be an obstacle, midgets can live lives and have experiences beyond normal sized people.  So now that we have an understanding of the term “midget,” let’s start our look at some of the greatest midget performers in the history of entertainment

Harry Earlies (1905 - 1985)

Harry Earles -O ften playing the roles of babies or as stunt doubles for children, Harry Earles was possibly the first midget Hollywood superstar in pop culture history.  Born in German in 1902, Earles’ real name was Kurt Fritz Schneider and was one of four midget siblings born to Emma and Gustav Schneider (Harry had another three siblings who were of normal height).  Harry and his older sister Frieda started a song and dance act and entered the sideshow circuit under the names “Hansel and Grethel.”  Not long after they developed the act, the pair were discovered by an American showman named Bert W. Earles who brought the pair to the United States to tour with the 101 Ranch Wild West Show.  Living with Bert Earles and his family, Kurt and Frieda adopted their last name as well as changed their first names to the more Americanized Harry and Gracie.  Eventually the younger Schneider siblings, Hilda and Elly, joined their brother and sister’s act in America, and renamed themselves Daisy and Tiny Earles.  Eventually the four joined a long partnership with Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, in which they were a popular attraction from 1926 until 1952,

Harry Earles as "thug disguised as baby" Little Willey in Tod Browning's "The Unholy Three." (1925) Harry would play the role of babies for the majority of his career.

Although all of the Earles siblings appeared in films, Harry Earles became the standout of the four for his ability to get roles that were larger then that of most midget actors at the time.  Harry’s film career began in 1925 when he gained the attention of famous horror director Tod Browning.  Browning was preparing to do a film version of a short crime story called The Unholy Three about a trio of circus performers who start a crime wave.  Signing horror superstar Lon Chaney in the role of the ventriloquist and Victor McLaglen as a strongman, Browning scoured circus sideshows for a midget to play the role of Little Willie.  Browning eventually came across Earles and signed him on for the part of the baby faced villainous midget.  One of the stranger films of the silent era, The Unholy Three featured Chaney, McLaglen and Earles as three circus performers who open a pet shop as a front for a crime spree.  Chaney disguises himself as a little old lady, McLaglen her son and Earles pretended to be a baby in a carriage so that the public would not expect the three to be behind the robberies.  The film was successful, and Earles became close friends with both Browning and Chaney, as well as gained the attention of studio executives.  A year later Earles took on his first starring role playing an actual baby in a silent comedy called That’s My Baby.  The film featured Earles made up to look like a real baby who gets into dangerous misadventures, such as playing with explosives, dancing on the wing of a biplane and walking into traffic, only to escape unscathed while his babysitter, played by Douglas McLean, gets pulverized.  Earles would appear in four more silent comedies between 1926 and 1928, but he quickly became typecast either as a baby, or a midget in the guise of a baby.  Does that sound familiar?  Harry Earles became the inspiration and model for Baby Herman from the 1988 Walt Disney film Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

Harry Earles and Olga Baclanova in the controversial film "Freaks." (1932) It was Harry himself who brought the idea of "Freaks" to Tod Browning after reading a short story called "Spurs."

However, Earles had bigger ambitions then playing just babies for his entire career, and when he was reteamed with Lon Chaney for a sound version of The Unholy Three in 1930, Harry read a short story in a pulp magazine called Spurs, about a circus midget who falls in love with a malicious trapeze artist who marries the midget for his money and plots to kill him with the help of a strongman.  Harry brought the story to Tod Browning in hopes that it would make a vehicle for him beyond the baby roles he had been wedged into and Browning, Earles and Chaney began preparation to develop Spurs into a film.  Unfortunately the remake of The Unholy Three would be Chaney’s last film.  He died within the year, while development of Spurs was still in its early stages.  Browning and Earles continued on and over the next two years assembled the largest group of sideshow attraction ever brought together on one sound stage.  Changing the movie titles to Freaks, Harry Earles took on his most important role as the love sick and scorned circus midget Hans.  Harry’s sister Daisy was also cast in the film as his rejected girlfriend Frieda.  Although a powerful film, the film proved to be controversial at the time, and while Browning, who started his own career in the circus himself, attempted to give a loving look at sideshow performers as being human, the film bordered on exploitation and the often grotesque performances by the other performers was deemed too shocking to movie audiences.  Freaks was banned in cities and states all over America, as well as a number of European countries.  Because of the bad reputation of the film, Browning was reduced to directing B movies for the rest of his career.

Harry Earles in "The Wizard of Oz" (1939) as one of the Lollipop Guild. Harry is the munchkin to the far right in the blue shirt. "The Wizard of Oz" would be his final film appearance.

However, after Freaks Harry Earles would make one more major film appearance.  Representing the Lollipop Guild in the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz, Harry Earles was the third Lollipop Guild member on the far right.  The rest of the Earles siblings also appeared as munchkins in The Wizard of Oz as well, but Harry was the only one who gained any real screen time.

After The Wizard of Oz, the Earles siblings decided to leave Hollywood behind and chose the life of the circus over the movie business, and continued with Ringing Brothers and Barnum and Bailey until 1952.  Becoming quite wealthy due to proper management, the four built a home in Florida that was custom made to their small size.  The four remained together in Florida until their deaths.  Harry died in 1985 at age 83.  Since his death Freaks has become a major cult film, and one of the highest acclaimed horror/exploitation films of all time, gaining Harry Earles a prominent place in the history of film.

Billy Barty (1924 - 2000)

Billy Barty – Possibly the most famous of all midget actors, Billy Barty had one of the longest and most colorful careers in Hollywood.  However, Billy Barty was more then just another short actor.  Billy Barty was an activist that dedicated his life to bettering the lives, and offering support, for people with the same stature as himself.

The son of vaudeville performers, Billy started his acting career at the age of one in a 1925 film called Half a Hero.  However, in 1927, at age four, Billy was cast in the role of Billy McGuire in the Mickey McGuire films.  A rival to Hal Roach’s classic Our Gang films, the Mickey McGuire films featured seven year old Mickey Rooney as a rough and tumble kid with a gang of friends, including Billy as Mickey’s baby brother.  Billy appeared in over thirty Mickey McGuire films between 1927 and 1934, but while audiences watched Mickey Rooney grow up on screen, Billy always remained a baby.  In fact, Billy would play primarily roles as a baby until the age of eleven, even appearing as a baby in films such as Golddiggers of 1933, The Bride of Frankenstein and The Three Stooges film debut Soup to Nuts.  Billy would struggle in Hollywood playing the typical midget roles with little notoriety.  However, with the popularity of television in the 1950’s, Billy finally was able to find his foothold in the entertainment industry.  Playing a leprechaun in an episode of The Dennis Day Show, Billy caught the attention of musical comedian Spike Jones.  Billy joined Jones stage show, which was eventually brought to television in 1954.  Now a prolific midget actor, Billy began to make frequent appearances on programs of all sorts.  There wasn’t anything Billy Barty couldn’t do.  Throughout the fifties and sixties Billy appeared in programs as diverse as Rawhide, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Get Smart, Mr. Lucky, Thriller, Laugh-In and The Joey Bishop Show.  Billy also held regular roles on Peter Gunn, playing Peter Gunn’s shoe shine informer Babby; Circus Boy as Little Tom; and The Red Skelton Show.  During this time Billy even appeared with Elvis Presley in two films – Harum Scarum and Roustabout.

Billy Barty as Sigmund the Seamonster. Barty would be an important part of the Kroft Brothers productions of the late 1960's and 1970's, performing many of their costumed characters.

By the end of the 1960’s Billy became acquainted with puppeteers Sid and Marty Krofft and became an important part of their productions, often playing costumed companions to the human stars of Kroft’s imaginative, acid driven kids programs.  Starting in the role of Googy Gopher in H.R Pufn’stuf, Billy played the Bugaloo’s sidekick Sparky the Firefly, and then starred as Sigmund in Sigmund the Sea Monster.  Billy would also appear in other Krofft productions as The Lost Saucer, The Ghostbusters and Dr. Shrinker.

Barty continued as being every program’s token midget performer throughout the seventies and eighties. Because of his high energy, agreeable personality and sense of fun, Barty became a popular actor for directors and producers.  As a result he appeared in more programs then any other midget performer before or since.  A partial list of Barty’s television guest appearances throughout the later period of his career include The Waltons, Love American Style, Chico and the Man, Barney Miller, Man From Atlantis, Charlie’s Angels, CHiP’s, Supertrain, Fantasy Island, Love Boat, Little House on the Prairie, Trapper John MD, Hart to Hart and The Golden Girls.

Hollywood's most prolific midget actor, Billy Barty started acting age age 3 and was featured in 172 productions until his death in 2000 at age 76.

But, Barty had a larger purpose then just being another midget actor.  In 1957 Barty organized a gathering of little people in Reno, Nevada.  From that gathering Barty, along with other professionals and actors of his stature, formed The Little People of America, as a non profit organization to provide support and information for people living with dwarfism and their families.  The LPA still exists today and has more then 7,000 members.  Barty spent his life as a crusader to increase the public’s awareness of dwarfism, and fighting against the public’s tendency to treat little people as jokes or novelties.  Barty believed that little people could do anything a person of normal height could do, and fought for the social acceptance of little people.

By the end of eighties Barty had slowed down his acting appearances, although he did appear in a few films and television programs.  However, Barty chose to move primarily to voice acting.  Billy’s final major television appearance would be a 1996 episode of Frasier, with his final film being a forgettable film called I/O Error.  Billy Barty died in 2000 at age 76, leaving behind a long legacy of television and screen appearances, as well as being an inspiration for little people all over the world.

"Little" Angelo Rossitto (1908 - 1991)

Angelo Rossitto - Better known as Little Angelo, Angelo Rossitto was one of the more familiar faces in B movies and horror films throughout the early days of Hollywood.  However, Rossitto would also become a fixture in Hollywood not only on the screen, but as on Hollywood Boulevard as well where he ran a newspaper stand for decades.  You see, unlike most midget performer in the early part of the twentieth century, Angelo didn’t start his career in vaudeville or the circus sideshow.  Angelo learned to be a showman by hocking papers.  Standing on a suitcase the small man would yell out headlines to draw crowds, and peddle papers in order to survive.   In fact, it was at his newspaper stand that Little Angelo was first discovered by movie legend John Barrymore, and brought Angelo to the attention of director Alan Crosland who was looking for a midget performer to play a dwarf in the silent film The Beloved Rouge.  His performance in The Beloved Rouge gained Angelo further roles in a number of crime and horror pictures.  However, as a result of his dark hair and eyebrows, Angelo had a far rougher and more menacing face, and unlike his contemporaries such as Billy Barty and Harry Earles, Angelo managed to avoid the typical sweet midget or “baby” roles, instead playing rougher and more menacing parts.

"Google Goggle! Google Goggle! We accept her! We accept her! One of us! One of us!": Little Angelo took center stage in the key scene in "Freaks" (1932) when he passed the loving cup.

It was in 1932 when Rossitto gained what has become his most iconic moment in film when he joined the cast of Tod Browning’s controversial film Freaks.  Although Harry and Gracie Earles already had the starring midget roles, Little Angelo was a favorite midget performer at MGM studios and was added to the cast.  As a result, Angelo became the central figure in the most memorable scene of the film.  Getting on top of a banquet table during the wedding feast, Little Angelo passes the Loving Cup around to the sideshow performers as the cast chanted “Google Goggle!  Google Goggle!  We accept her!  We accept her!  One of us!  One of us!”  Despite the fact that Freaks was banned throughout the USA, as well in many European countries, the scene became one of the most famous moments in cult film history, with Little Angelo becoming one of the most memorable characters of the film.

Little Angelo in "One Stolen Night" (1929)

Throughout the forties and fifties Angelo continued to appear in a variety of films with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars including Bela Lugosi in Spooks Run Wild, The Corpse Vanishes and Scared to Death; Boris Karloff in Mr. Wong in Chinatown and Doomed to Die; Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland in Lady in the Dark;  Basil Rathbone in The Spider Woman; Harold Lloyd in The Sin of Harold Diddleback; Vincent Price in The Baron of Arizona as well as two Cecil B. Demille productions’ Samson and Delilah and The Greatest Show on Earth.  Angelo also appeared in notable films such as Child Bride, Invasion of the Saucer Men, The Story of Mankind and the Academy Award wining Carousal.  In his strangest Hollywood job Angelo even donned a blonde wig and acted as Shirley Temple’s stunt double!   However, for the majority of these films Angelo went uncredited.  As a result, he earned little for any of these films, and was forced to continue to peddle papers on Hollywood Boulevard for a living.

Little Angelo was featured alongside J. Carol Nash and Lon Chaney Jr. in Al Adamson's grindhouse classic "Dracula vs. Frankenstein" (1971)

Angelo continued to make occasional appearances on television during the 1960’s, including spots of The Fugitive, Rawhide and The Man From UNCLE.  However, by the end of the decade he made two valuable contacts – kid show producers the Krofft Brothers and horror director Art Adamson.  Along with Billy Barty, Angelo became a performer on HR Puf’n’stuf and Lidsville.  However, with Al Adamson Angelo found a greater cult appeal throughout the 1970s by appearing in Dracula vs. Frankenstein and Brain of Blood.

Despite a acting career spanning sixty years, Little Angelo remained a fixture on Hollywood Boulevard where he ran a newspaper stand.

In 1975 Angelo received his first regular acting gig when he was hired as informer Little Moe on Berretta.  Through Berretta Angelo received more television appearance on The Hardy Boys, The Incredible Hulk and Jason of Star Command.  Yet, despite regular TV gigs Angelo continued to sell the papers.  According to Angelo, it was the only steady wage that he knew.

Little Angelo’s final major role would be playing the Master Blaster in 1985’s Mad Max:  Beyond the Thunderdome.  Shortly afterwards Angelo retired from acting.  He died in 1991 at age 83.  During his life he gained little credit for what was an enormous body of work, but his performances will be remembered by movie fans forever.

Jerry Maren as the Oscar Meyer mascot. Marin would also be well known for playing the mascot for Buster Brown shoes, as well as Mayor McCheese for McDmonals.

Jerry Maren - It is difficult to pinpoint just where Jerry Marin’s true claim to fame lays, but with a prolific career that has lasted over sixty years, Marin has become one of the leading midget actors today.  

Maren entered the pop culture scene in 1939 with all guns a blazing.  Along with Harry Earles, Jerry Maren was one of the Lollipop Gang from The Wizard of Oz, yet what made Jerry stand out was the fact that he was the middle member who actually hands Judy Garland the giant lollipop.  Following The Wizard of Oz Jerry’s movie career consisted of playing standard midget roles in a number of forgettable films.  Jerry’s next real memorable role would be playing one of the three mole men in Superman and the Mole Men, the feature length Superman film starring George Reeves which doubled as a pilot for the TV series that followed.  Jerry would play other strange creatures in the mold of the Mole Men when he appeared as an alien on The Beverly Hillbillies and as a Gremlin on Bewitched.  Marin also played the ape child in the memorable scene in Planet of the Apes when Charleton Heston escapes from his prison and runs wild around the Ape city.

Jerry Maren hands Judy Garland the lollipop in "The Wizard of Oz" (1939)

However, it would be in the world of advertising that Maren would probably be best remembered.  He played Buster Brown in Buster Brown Shoe commercials, Little Oscar for Oscar Meyer wieners and was the original Hambugler and Mayor McCheese for McDonalds.  Maren also appeared alongside Billy Barty and Little Angelo in the Krofft Brother’s Lidsville series. He is often also remembered as the confetti throwing midget at the finale of 70s era Gong Show episodes.

Jerry Maren with George Reeves in "Superman and the Mole Men" (1951)

Marin continued to ma ke films and TV appearances throughout the 80’s and 90’s, including small uncredited parts in TRON, Spaceballs and The Great Outdoors, as well as making a memorable appearance in an episode of Seinfeld.  However, these days, at age 89, Jerry Marin mainly appears at autograph shows as one of the last surviving cast members of The Wizard of Oz.  However, Maren has hardly slowed down and has two films currently in post production – Frankenstein Rising, which is slated to be released later in 2009, and Dahmer vs. Gacy, which is looking at a release date of 2010.  Although his place in pop culture history may be a bit more jumbled then others, Jerry Maren is still one of the most prolific and busiest midget performers in the world.

Michael Dunn (1934 - 1973)

Michael Dunn - Michael Dunn had a philosophy.  He believed that there were hundreds of midget actors, but none of them could actually act.  As a result, Dunn decided that being short was not enough for him in order to enter the world of acting.  A classically trained actor, Dunn refused to play the standard midget roles, such as novelty roles, babies and circus midgets.  He believed that he was as good as any normal sized actor, and sought to compete for those roles.  He believed that being short was not a handicap.  As a result, Dunn not only raised the standard for midget actors everywhere, but is the only midget actor to ever be nominated for an Oscar.

Known for his extraordinary intelligence, Michael Dunn developed his natural talent for words and music at an early age.  Gifted as a writer and musician, Dunn first began acting after transferring to the University of Miami after he was injured by being knocked down a flight of stairs at the University of Michigan.  Upon graduation Dunn relocated to New York where he began acting classes at the prestigious Actors Studio.  While most midget actors before him got their roles based on their height, Michael Dunn was America’s first classically trained midget.  He soon found his way onto the New York stage, but Dunn refused to be typecast in typical midget roles and sought after roles that the regular theatre community was going for.  Defying the odds, Dunn became a popular figure on Broadway, even earning a Tony nomination in 1964 for his role in The Ballad of the Sad Café.

Michael Dunn with Phoebe Dorin

It was during this period of his career that Dunn met struggling actress Phoebe Dorin in an off-Broadway production called Two by Saroyan.  The two became friendly, and after rehearsals would go to the Plaza Hotel and sit by the fountain and sing.  Within time the beautiful girl and the small little man became a fixture on the New York streets, attracting crowds of spectators in the early hours of the morning.  It was during one of these nighttime performances that Dunn’s colleague Roddy McDowell made the suggestion that Dunn and Dorin should take their thrown together performances into a night club act.  Dunn had already made a couple of small movie appearances, but Dorin was still scraping to get by.  Although hesitant at first, the pair made their musical debut at Greenwich Village’s Upstairs at the Duplex Nightclub and was an instant success.  Performing show tunes, standards and jazz numbers, what made the show unique was the fact that unlike other acts containing midgets, Dunn and Dorin’s show was not a novelty act.  There was comedic patter, but Dunn and Dorin’s show was acclaimed for its sophistication.

Michael Dunn, Pheobe Dorin and Richard Keil as Dr. Loveless, Antoinette and Voltaire on "The Wild Wild West."

It was during one of Dunn and Dorin’s performance that television producer Michael Garrison caught the pair.  Garrison was producing a new television program called The Wild Wild West which would combine the western and spy genres.  Charmed by the pair, Garrison felt that Dunn would make a perfect arch nemesis for heroes James West and Artemis Gordon, played by Robert Conrad and Ross Martin.  Upon talking with Dunn, Garrison created the character of Dr. Miguelito Loveless, a diabolical and insane inventor, and for Dorin, Loveless’ lovely companion Antoinette.  Giant actor Richard Kiel also joined the pair as Loveless’ servant Voltaire.  While wreaking havoc across the old west, Dunn and Dorin would take time out to perform a musical number.  Dunn and Dorin made ten appearances over four seasons and became two of the most popular villains on The Wild Wild West.  Dunn’s performance on The Wild Weld West made Dunn a popular guest star on a number of popular 60’s era programs.  He was cast in the role of Mr. Big, the leader of enemy agent organization CHAOS, in the pilot episode of Get Smart; the villainous Mr. Sin on Burke’s Law; a widowed circus performer on Bonanza; and as friendly Platonian Alexander in the classic Star Trek episode Plato’s Children.

Michael Dunn's performance in "Ship of Fools" (1965) would earn him an Academy Award nomination.

Yet, despite appearances on hit TV series and success on Broadway, Dunn’s greatest achievement came in 1965 when he co-starred in Stanley Kramer’s Ship of Fools alongside Vivien Leigh, Jose Ferrer and Lee Marvin.  As cynical narrator Glockin, Dunn became the character that linked the films various sub-plots together.  Ship of Fools would be nominated for seven Oscars, including a nomination to Dunn for Best Supporting Actor.  He lost the Oscar to Walter Mattheau for his performance in The Fortune Cookie, but Dunn still remains to be the first, and only, midget to ever be nominated for an Academy Award.

In 1966 when Dunn surprised the world when he married a burlesque dancer named Joy Talbot.  The small Dunn and his leggy normal sized bride quickly became a newsworthy oddity, but the marriage proved to be a disaster and ended quickly.  Soon after his divorce Dunn relocated to Europe where he became a fixture in Italian and British horror films.  However, during this period of his life Dunn’s once proud roles were beginning to dry up and he was forced to take the typical roles of assistants and servants that were commonly played by midgets in these films.

Rumours that Michael Dunn's death in 1973 was a suicide proved to be false.

It was while making a forgettable film called The Abdication in England that Dunne died in 1973.  He was only 38.  Rumors surfaced that Dunn had committed suicide but an autopsy proved that he had died from heart failure brought upon by a deadly combination of prescription drugs that he was taking to treat severe arthritis caused by his size.  Although his career would prove to be a short one, Dunn became an inspiration to little people worldwide proving that size didn’t matter, and raised the bar for midget performers, proving that midgets could play any sort of part.