Billy Barty, 1924-2000

"The name of my condition is Cartilage Hair Syndrome Hypoplasia, but you can just call me Billy." Go, Billy!

Billy Barty was probably the most famous midget/small person/little person/dwarf/elf/etc of all time until Verne Troyer's immense success as MiniMe in the Austin Powers sequel knocked Billy to second.

Although acting in films since the 1930's he does not appear in The Wizard of Oz. As a midget in Hollywood for the past 70 years he's played characters with names like: Noodles MacIntosh, Bellmouse, Iddy, Rumpelstiltskin, Gwildor, Dweedle, Screwball, Inch (despite his height being 3'9"), Figment, Ludwig, Stilts, The Shark, Sigmund Ooze, Sparky the Firefly, Googy Gopher, Clang, Baba, Billy the midget, The Imp, Little Tom The Midget, Billy Bitesize, Kimba, Mustard-Seed, Little Eddie, White Pawn/The Baby, Mouse/Little Boy, "Pettin' in the Park" Baby, and Tiny baby (in jar).

Barty is most known to me, for his two Chevy Chase films, Foul Play ("beware of the dwarf") and Under the Rainbow.

Billy was born William John Bertanzetti, October 25, 1924, Millsboro, Pennsylvania (some sources say 1910). He died on December 23, 2000, Glendale, California, USA, of heart failure.

Billy Barty began performing at three. He played Mickey Rooney's little brother in the "Mickey McGuire" comedy shorts series. He was known for the added zest he gave to any production he was 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 has added a much needed shot in the arm to many shows and films.

Billy was hospitalized overnight for injuries from a motor scooter accident during a parade on May 28, 1999. But, he died at 9:20 a.m. PST at Glendale Memorial Hospital after a two week stay with lung and heart problems. His funeral was held at the Church of Jesus Christ at Later-Day Saints in North Hollywood, California on December 27, 2000. At the time of his death, he left a widow, Shirley Barty (whom he had been married to for 50 years), and two children, a son, Braden, daughter, Lori.

His films include: An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (1997), Radioland Murders (1994), Life Stinks (1991), Rescuers Down Under, The (1990), UHF (1989), Lobster Man from Mars (1989), Willow (1988), Rumpelstiltskin (1987), The Mouse and the Motorcycle (1986) (TV), Tough Guys (1986), Legend (1985), Under the Rainbow (1981), Hardly Working (1980), Firepower (1979), Foul Play (1978), Rabbit Test (1978), The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington (1977), W.C. Fields and Me (1976), Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976), The Day of the Locust (1975), Pufnstuf (1970), Harum Scarum (1965), Roustabout (1964), Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962), Nothing Sacred (1937), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Roman Scandals (1933), Alice in Wonderland (1933), Footlight Parade (1933), Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933), and his first film Soup to Nuts in 1930. Leonard Maltin: "As an adult, he's a real ham, glowering at fellow cast members and often snarling lines in his gravelly voice, and functions best in absurdly comic roles."

Starring on TV in "The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour", "The Krofft Supershow", "Sigmund and the Sea Monsters", "The Bugaloos", "H.R. Pufnstuf", "The Spike Jones Show". And guest starring on "Get Smart", "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour", "Frasier", "The Golden Girls", "CHiPs", "Little House on the Prairie", "Fantasy Island", "Charlie's Angels", "Barney Miller", "The Love Boat", "The Waltons" and "Rawhide".