Hervé Villechaize

Lore & Background

Villechaize was born in Nazi-occupied Paris on 23 April 1943 to Evelyn Recchionni, an Anglo-Italian socialite and ambulance driver, and André Villechaize, a surgeon. The youngest of four sons, he was born with dwarfism, likely due to an endocrine disorder, which his father tried unsuccessfully to cure. He insisted on being called a 'midget' rather than a 'dwarf', which annoyed activist Billy Barty. Bullied at school, he found solace in painting, entered the École des Beaux-Arts at 16, and at 18 became the youngest artist to have work displayed in the Museum of Paris. He left France for the United States in 1964, settling in New York City and learning English by watching television.

His big break came with The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), by which time he was so poor he lived in his car in Los Angeles and worked as a rat catcher's assistant. Co-star Christopher Lee said filming was possibly the happiest time of Villechaize's life. He also performed Oscar the Grouch's legs on Sesame Street starting in the third season. On Fantasy Island, he was popular with the public but difficult with producers, eventually fired after demanding a salary on par with co-star Ricardo Montalbán. He later appeared in Forbidden Zone (1982), Airplane II: The Sequel (1982), and episodes of Diff'rent Strokes and Taxi, and became popular in Spain for impersonating Prime Minister Felipe González on Viaje con nosotros.

Reader's Guide

Hervé Villechaize's significance lies in his iconic roles that made him a recognizable figure in popular culture, despite his relatively short filmography. As Nick Nack in The Man with the Golden Gun, he delivered a memorable performance as a cunning henchman, and as Tattoo on Fantasy Island, his catchphrase became embedded in television history. His career illustrates both the opportunities and challenges faced by actors with dwarfism in the 1970s and 1980s. Villechaize's insistence on the term 'midget' and his conflicts with producers highlight the personal and professional struggles he endured. His death by suicide in 1993, after chronic pain from oversized internal organs, brought attention to the health issues associated with his condition. The 2018 HBO film My Dinner with Hervé, based on an interview conducted just before his death, has renewed interest in his life. His legacy endures through his distinctive performances and the ongoing discussion about representation of little people in entertainment.

Did You Know?

• Villechaize became the youngest artist ever to have his work displayed in the Museum of Paris at age 18.
• He worked as a rat catcher's assistant before being cast in The Man with the Golden Gun.
• He performed Oscar the Grouch's legs on Sesame Street for scenes requiring Oscar to be mobile.
• At the time of his death, he was in negotiations with Cartoon Network to co-star in Space Ghost Coast to Coast.