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{{Short description|French actor (1943–1993)}} |
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[[Image:HerveVillechaize.jpg|right|thumb|Hervé Villechaize]] |
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{{More citations needed|date=October 2022}} |
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{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}} |
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{{Infobox person |
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| name = Hervé Villechaize |
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| image = Herve Villechaize 1977.jpg |
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| alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> |
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| caption = Villechaize in 1977 |
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| birth_name = Hervé Jean-Pierre Villechaize |
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1943|4|23|df=y}} |
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| birth_place = [[Paris]], France |
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| death_date = {{Death date and age|1993|9|4|1943|4|23|df=y}} |
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| death_place = [[North Hollywood]], California, U.S. |
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| resting_place = Ashes spread into the [[Pacific Ocean]] |
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| occupation = Actor |
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| years_active = 1966–1993 (as an actor) |
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| notable_works = Nick Nack in ''[[The Man with the Golden Gun (film)|The Man with the Golden Gun]]'' (1974) <br> Spider in ''[[Seizure (film)|Seizure]]'' (1974) <br> King Fausto in ''[[Forbidden Zone]]'' (1980) <br> Smiley in ''[[Two Moon Junction]]'' (1988) |
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| height = {{convert|3|ft|11|in|cm}} |
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| television = ''[[Fantasy Island]]'' |
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| spouse = {{plainlist| |
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* {{marriage|Anne Sadowski|1970|1979|end=divorced}} |
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* {{marriage|Camille Hagen|1980|1982|end=divorced}} |
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}} |
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}} |
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'''Hervé Jean-Pierre Villechaize''' ({{IPA|fr|ɛʁve vilʃɛz|lang}}; April 23, 1943 – September 4, 1993) was a French actor and painter. He is best known for his roles as the evil [[henchman]] Nick Nack in the 1974 [[James Bond]] film ''[[The Man with the Golden Gun (film)|The Man with the Golden Gun]]'', and as Mr. Roarke's assistant, Tattoo, on the American television series ''[[Fantasy Island]]'' that he played from 1977 to 1983. On ''Fantasy Island'', his shout of "[[De plane! De plane!]]" became one of the show's signature phrases.<ref name="NYTobit"/> He died by suicide in 1993. |
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==Early life== |
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'''Hervé Jean-Pierre Villechaize''' ([[April 23]], [[1943]]–[[September 4]], [[1993]]) was a [[France|French]] [[actor]] of [[Filipino]] ancestry who was born in [[Paris]]. He achieved worldwide recognition for his role as Mr. Roarke's assistant, Tattoo, in the [[television series]] ''[[Fantasy Island]]'' ([[1978]]–[[1984]]). He was also well known for playing the [[henchman]] [[Nick Nack]] in the [[James Bond]] film ''[[The Man with the Golden Gun]]''. |
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Villechaize was born in [[Paris in World War II|Nazi-occupied]] Paris on April 23, 1943,<ref>[https://www.biography.com/people/hervé-villechaize-21149551 "Hervé Villechaize Biography"]. [[Biography.com]]. Retrieved October 20, 2018.</ref> to Evelyn, an Anglo-Italian socialite who was an ambulance driver during [[World War II]] and André Villechaize, a surgeon in [[Toulon]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/10/my-dinner-with-herve-villechaize-hbo-true-story.html | title=The True Story Behind My Dinner with Hervé | date=October 19, 2018 }}</ref> Villechaize also had German ancestry.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://ew.com/tv/2018/08/29/peter-dinklage-herve-villechaize-hbo/ | title=Exclusive: Peter Dinklage talks Hervé Villechaize movie, addresses casting controversy | magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] }}</ref><ref name= plea/> The youngest of four sons,<ref name= plea>{{cite news| url= https://people.com/archive/tattoo-and-his-bride-begin-their-marriage-with-a-plea-we-are-as-normal-as-anyone-vol-14-no-15/| title= Tattoo and His Bride Begin Their Marriage with a Plea: 'We Are as Normal as Anyone'| first= Karen G. | last= Jackovich| date= October 13, 1980 | access-date= August 31, 2018}}</ref> Villechaize was born with [[dwarfism]], likely due to an [[Endocrine system|endocrine]] disorder, which his surgeon father tried unsuccessfully to cure in several institutions.<ref name="Grdn"/> In later years, he insisted on being called a "[[midget]]" rather than a "[[dwarfism|dwarf]]",<ref name= plea/> which annoyed his acting contemporary with a similar condition, [[Billy Barty]], who was an activist who found that term derogatory.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.newsfromme.com/pov/col325/ |title=POV Victor & Billy |journal=[[Comics Buyer's Guide]] |via=News from ME |first=Mark |last=Evanier |date=19 January 2001}}</ref> Villechaize was [[school bullying|bullied at school]] for his condition and found solace in painting. In 1959, at age 16, he entered the [[École des Beaux-Arts]] to study art. In 1961, he became the youngest artist ever to have his work displayed in the Museum of Paris.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pIs53hp32WQC&q=herve+villechaize+museum+of+paris&pg=PA17|title=They Call Me Naughty Lola: Personal Ads from the London Review of Books|last=Rose|first=David|date=2006-11-28|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=9781416545040|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Miller"/> |
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In 1964, Villechaize left France for the United States.<ref name=Betty>{{cite book|last1=Adelson|first1=Betty|title=The Lives of Dwarfs: Their Journey from Public Curiosity Toward Social Liberation|date=2005|publisher=Rutgers University Press|isbn=9780813535487|page=[https://archive.org/details/livesofdwarfs00bett/page/251 251]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/livesofdwarfs00bett/page/251}}</ref> He settled in a Bohemian section of New York City, and taught himself English by watching television.<ref name="Miller">{{Cite magazine|last=Miller|first=Julie|title=The Tragic, Beautiful True Story Behind Peter Dinklage's My Dinner with Hervé|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/10/peter-dinklage-my-dinner-with-herve-villechaize-hbo-fantasy-island|access-date=2021-09-04|magazine=Vanity Fair|date=October 19, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> |
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Villechaize suffered from [[dwarfism]] due to a [[thyroid]] dysfunction, despite his sergeant father's attempts to cure the disease in several institutions. He insisted on being called a midget, rather than "little person," irritating activists like [[Billy Barty]] who felt that euphemisms hurt their cause. After receiving his initial art training in France, he left for the [[United States|USA]], where he continued his career as an artist and photographer. |
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==Career== |
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His first movie appearance was in ''[[Chappaqua]]'' in [[1966]], which was followed by several films including ''[[Crazy Joe]]'', ''[[Seizure (film)|Seizure]]'', and ''[[Forbidden Zone|The Forbidden Zone]]''. He proved a popular, though difficult, actor on ''Fantasy Island'' where he continually propositioned women and quarreled with the [[television producer|producers]]. He was eventually fired, but the show's popularity waned as the show [[jumped the shark]] soon after this move, and it was soon cancelled. |
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Villechaize initially worked as an artist, painter, and photographer. He began acting in [[Off-Broadway]] productions, including Werner Liepolt's ''The Young Master Dante'' and a play by [[Sam Shepard]], and he also modelled for photos for ''[[National Lampoon (magazine)|National Lampoon]]'' before moving on to film.{{Citation needed|date=October 2018}} |
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His first film appearance was in ''[[Chappaqua (film)|Chappaqua]]'' (1966). His second film was [[Edward Summer]]'s ''Item 72-D: The Adventures of Spa and Fon'', filmed in 1969.<ref>{{cite news|author=IMDB |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0198570/combined |title= Item 72-D: The Adventures of Spa and Fon |publisher=IMDB |date= n.d.|access-date=November 30, 2012 | location=USA}}</ref> This was followed by several films, including ''[[The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight (film)|The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight]]'' (1971); Christopher Speeth and Werner Liepolt's ''[[Malatesta's Carnival of Blood]]'' (1973); ''[[Crazy Joe (film)|Crazy Joe]]'' (1974); and Oliver Stone's first film, ''[[Seizure (film)|Seizure]]'' (1974). He was asked to play a role in [[Alejandro Jodorowsky]]'s film ''[[Dune (Jodorowsky film)|Dune]]'', which had originally begun pre-production in 1971, but was later cancelled. |
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As a consequence of his health problems and troubles in his professional career, Villechaize became [[alcoholism|alcoholic]] and [[Clinical depression|depressive]] in the last few years of his life. In 1993, he shot himself at his home and was found by his wife, Kathy Self. He died in hospital in [[North Hollywood, California]] as a result of his injuries. |
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Villechaize's big break was being cast in ''[[The Man with the Golden Gun (film)|The Man with the Golden Gun]]'' (1974), by which time he had become so poor that he was living in his car in Los Angeles. Prior to being signed by Bond producer [[Albert R. Broccoli]], he made ends meet by working as a rat catcher's assistant near his [[South Los Angeles|South Central]] home. From what his co-star [[Christopher Lee]] saw, ''The Man with the Golden Gun'' filming was possibly the happiest time of Villechaize's life; Lee likened it to honey in the sandwich between an insecure past and an uncertain future. |
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[[Category:1943 births|Villechaize, Hervé]] |
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[[Category:1993 deaths|Villechaize, Hervé]] |
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In the 1970s, Villechaize performed [[Oscar the Grouch]] on ''[[Sesame Street]]'' as a pair of legs peeping out from Oscar's [[Sesame Street (fictional location)#Oscar the Grouch's Trash Can|trash can]], for scenes that required Oscar to be mobile. These appearances began in the third season, and included the 1978 [[Hawaii]] episodes. |
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[[Category:People with dwarfism|Villechaize, Hervé]] |
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[[Category:French actors|Villechaize, Hervé]] |
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In 1980, Cleveland International Records released a single by the Children of the World, featuring Villechaize as vocalist: "Why", with [[B-side]] "When a Child Is Born".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Children-Of-The-World-Why/release/13022999 |date=1980 |title=Children Of The World (2) – Why |work=[[Discogs]] |access-date=March 15, 2021 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228074710/https://www.discogs.com/Children-Of-The-World-Why/release/13022999 |archivedate=February 28, 2021}}</ref> |
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[[Category:James Bond actors|Villechaize, Hervé]] |
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[[Category:Television actors|Villechaize, Hervé]] |
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Though popular with the public, Villechaize proved a difficult actor on ''[[Fantasy Island]]'', where he continually propositioned women and quarreled with the producers. He was eventually fired after demanding a salary on par with that of his co-star [[Ricardo Montalbán]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Fantasy Island Actors you may not Know Passed Away |author=Paul Gaita |url=https://www.looper.com/601307/fantasy-island-actors-you-may-not-know-passed-away/ |publisher=[[Looper (website)|Looper]] |date=September 11, 2021 |accessdate=September 27, 2021}}</ref> For its final season from '83-'84, Villechaize was replaced by [[Christopher Hewett]], best known for his lead role in the sitcom ''[[Mr. Belvedere]]''. |
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[[Category:Suicides|Villechaize, Hervé]] |
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Villechaize also starred in the movie ''[[Forbidden Zone]]'' (1980), and appeared in ''[[Airplane II: The Sequel]]'' (1982), and episodes of ''[[Diff'rent Strokes]]'' and ''[[Taxi (TV series)|Taxi]]''. He later played the title role in the "[[List of Faerie Tale Theatre episodes|Rumpelstiltskin]]" episode of [[Shelley Duvall]]'s ''[[Faerie Tale Theatre]]''. In the 1980s, he became popular in Spain due to his impersonations of Prime Minister [[Felipe González]] on the television show ''Viaje con nosotros'' (''Travel with Us''), with showman [[Javier Gurruchaga]]. His final appearance was a [[cameo appearance|cameo]] as himself in an episode of ''[[The Ben Stiller Show]]''. |
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==Personal life and death== |
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In the mid-1970s, Villechaize met actress [[Susan Tyrrell]]. According to Tyrrell, they had a two-year relationship and shared a home in the [[Laurel Canyon]] area of Los Angeles.<ref name="Garcia">{{cite web |last=Garcia |first=Chris |date=September 24, 2012 |title=A life of blows and disappointments can't bow Susan Tyrrell |url=https://www.statesman.com/story/entertainment/movies-tv/2012/09/24/a-life-of-blows-and-disappointments-cant-bow-susan-tyrrell/10228745007/ |access-date=September 6, 2021 |website=Austin 360}}</ref> |
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Villechaize married twice. He married his first wife, artist Anne Sadowski, in 1970. After Villechaize's serial infidelities, as well as ridicule over their height difference, they divorced in 1978 or 1979 (sources differ).<ref name="plea"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Hervé Villechaize's Short Life of Torment and Fantasy|url=https://www.eightieskids.com/herve-villechaize-leave-fantasy-island-death/|work=80s Kids}}</ref> He met his second wife, Camille Hagen, an actress and stand-in double, in 1977 on the set of the [[television pilot|pilot]] for ''Fantasy Island''.<ref name= plea /> They married in 1980 and Hagen filed for divorce 15 months later. During their marriage, they lived at a {{cvt|1.5|acre|adj=on}} [[San Fernando Valley]] ranch, which also was home to a menagerie of farm animals and pets.<ref name= plea /> |
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In the early morning hours of September 4, 1993, at his North Hollywood home, Villechaize, aged 50, is believed to have first fired a shot through the sliding-glass patio door to awaken his longtime girlfriend, Kathy Self, before shooting himself. Self found Villechaize in his backyard, and he was pronounced dead at the [[Medical Center of North Hollywood]]. His ashes were scattered into the [[Pacific Ocean]] off [[Point Fermin]] in [[San Pedro, Los Angeles]].<ref name=Frank>{{Cite web|last=Wilkins|first=Frank|title=The Suicide of Herve Villechaize – Tattoo|url=https://reelreviews.com/shorttakes/tattoo/tattoo.htm|access-date=2022-01-30|website=Reel Reviews|language=en-gb}}</ref> |
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Villechaize left a suicide note saying he was despondent over longtime health problems.<ref name="NYTobit">{{cite news| url= https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/05/obituaries/herve-villechaize-actor-50-commits-suicide-at-his-home.html| title= Herve Villechaize; Actor, 50, Commits Suicide at His Home| work= [[The New York Times]]| date= September 5, 1993}}</ref> He was suffering from chronic pain due to having oversized internal organs putting increasing pressure on his body. According to Self, Villechaize often slept in a kneeling position so he could breathe more easily.<ref name=Frank/> He also left an audio recording of the suicide that included his last words.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2018/10/fantasy-island-actor-herve-villechaize-recorded-suicide-tape/|title='Fantasy Island' Star Hervé Villechaize Made Recording Of His Own Suicide|date=October 31, 2018|work=Radar Online}}</ref> |
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At the time of his death, [[Cartoon Network]] was in negotiations for him to co-star in ''[[Space Ghost Coast to Coast]]'', which was in pre-production at the time. Villechaize would have voiced [[Space Ghost]]'s sidekick on the show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.c4vct.com/kym/sg/pilots/pilot2.htm |title=Space Ghost Coast to Coast: The Second Pilot |website=C4vct.com |access-date=2010-10-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100209225815/http://c4vct.com/kym/sg/pilots/pilot2.htm |archive-date=2010-02-09 }}</ref> |
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==Depictions in media== |
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[[Sacha Gervasi]] spent several years writing a script about Villechaize. Gervasi conducted a lengthy interview with Villechaize just prior to his death.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/01/magazine/peter-dinklage-was-smart-to-say-no.html |title=Peter Dinklage Was Smart to Say No | first= Dan |last= Kois |newspaper=The New York Times |date=2012-03-29 |access-date=2013-07-03}}</ref> The film ''[[My Dinner with Hervé]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/james_mcavoy_circling_sacha_gervasis_my_dinner_with_herve |title=James McAvoy Reading Sacha Gervasi's 'My Dinner With Hervé' |work=The Playlist |date=2011-04-19 |access-date=2013-07-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029201834/http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/james_mcavoy_circling_sacha_gervasis_my_dinner_with_herve |archive-date=2013-10-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref> which is based on the last few days of Villechaize's life, stars [[Peter Dinklage]] in the title role,<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.contactmusic.com/news/peter-dinklage-herve-villechaize-biopic-is-based-on-director-s-final-interview_3615097 |title=Sacha Gervasi — Peter Dinklage: 'Herve Villechaize Biopic Is Based On Director's Final Interview' |work= Contact Music |date= 2013-04-19 |access-date=2013-07-03}}</ref> and premiered on [[HBO]] on October 20, 2018.<ref name="Grdn">{{cite news |last1=Mangan |first1=Lucy |title=My Dinner with Hervé review – a glorious and tragic romp in 90s Lalaland |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/oct/22/my-dinner-with-herve-review-a-glorious-and-tragic-romp-in-90s-lalaland |access-date=23 October 2018 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=22 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url= https://variety.com/2017/tv/news/peter-dinklage-jamie-dornan-hbo-film-my-dinner-with-herve-1202421438/|title=Peter Dinklage and Jamie Dornan Team Up for HBO Film|first=Elizabeth|last=Wagmeister|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=May 9, 2017| access-date= May 10, 2017}}</ref> |
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==Filmography== |
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{| class="wikitable" |
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|+Hervé Villechaize filmography |
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|- |
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! colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Film |
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|- |
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! Year |
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! Title |
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! Role |
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! Notes |
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|- |
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|1966|| ''[[Chappaqua (film)|Chappaqua]]'' || Little Person || Uncredited |
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|- |
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|1970|| ''[[Maidstone (film)|Maidstone]]'' || || |
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|- |
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|1971|| ''[[The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight (film)|The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight]]'' || Beppo || |
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|- |
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|rowspan=2| 1972|| ''The Last Stop'' || Deputy || |
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|- |
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|''[[Greaser's Palace]]'' || Mr. Spitunia || |
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|- |
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|1973|| ''[[Malatesta's Carnival of Blood]]'' || Bobo || |
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|- |
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|rowspan=3| 1974|| ''[[Seizure (film)|Seizure]]'' || The Spider || |
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|- |
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|''[[Crazy Joe (film)|Crazy Joe]]'' || Samson || |
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|- |
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|''[[The Man with the Golden Gun (film)|The Man with the Golden Gun]]'' || Nick Nack || |
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|- |
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|1977|| ''[[Hot Tomorrows]]'' || Alberict || |
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|- |
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|1978|| ''[[The One and Only (1978 film)|The One and Only]]'' || Milton Miller || |
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|- |
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|1980|| ''[[Forbidden Zone]]'' || King Fausto of the Sixth Dimension || |
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|- |
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|1982|| ''[[Airplane II: The Sequel]]'' || Little Breather || |
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|- |
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|rowspan=2| 1988|| ''[[The Telephone (1988 film)|The Telephone]]'' || Freeway || Voice |
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|- |
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|''[[Two Moon Junction]]'' || Smiley || |
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|- |
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! colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Television |
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|- |
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! Year |
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! Title |
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! Role |
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! Notes |
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|- |
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|1977–1983|| ''[[Fantasy Island]]'' || Tattoo || 130 episodes; 2 TV films |
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|- |
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|1980|| ''[[Taxi (TV series)|Taxi]]'' || Himself || season 2, episode 23: "Fantasy Borough" |
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|- |
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|1982|| ''[[The Fall Guy]]'' || Himself || season 1, episode 22: "The Scavenger Hunt" |
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|- |
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|1982|| ''[[Faerie Tale Theatre]]'' || Rumpelstiltskin || |
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|- |
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|rowspan=2| 1992|| ''[[Larry Sanders Show]]'' || Himself || Season 1, Episode 4: "The Guest Host" |
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|- |
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|''[[Phil Donahue Show]]'' || Himself || Famous Past Celebrities |
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|} |
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== Publications == |
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Chris Distin: ''James Bond - Golden Gun on Location : behind the scenes with Hervé Villechaize on the sets of The Man with the Golden Gun 1974'', Braunschweig : DAMOKLES, 2024, ISBN 978-3-9824063-7-4[https://goldengunbook.com] |
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==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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* {{IMDb name|898199}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Villechaize, Herve}} |
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[[Category:1943 births]] |
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[[Category:1993 deaths]] |
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[[Category:1993 suicides]] |
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[[Category:Male actors with dwarfism]] |
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[[Category:French emigrants to the United States]] |
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[[Category:French male film actors]] |
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[[Category:French male television actors]] |
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[[Category:French people of Italian descent]] |
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[[Category:Male actors from Paris]] |
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[[Category:Suicides by firearm in California]] |
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[[Category:20th-century French male actors]] |
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Latest revision as of 02:21, 8 December 2024
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2022) |
Hervé Villechaize | |
|---|---|
 Villechaize in 1977 | |
| Born | Hervé Jean-Pierre Villechaize 23 April 1943 Paris, France |
| Died | 4 September 1993 (aged 50) North Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Ashes spread into the Pacific Ocean |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1966–1993 (as an actor) |
| Notable work | Nick Nack in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) Spider in Seizure (1974) King Fausto in Forbidden Zone (1980) Smiley in Two Moon Junction (1988) |
| Television | Fantasy Island |
| Height | 3 ft 11 in (119 cm) |
| Spouses | Anne Sadowski
(m. 1970; div. 1979)Camille Hagen
(m. 1980; div. 1982) |
Hervé Jean-Pierre Villechaize (French: [ɛʁve vilʃɛz]; April 23, 1943 – September 4, 1993) was a French actor and painter. He is best known for his roles as the evil henchman Nick Nack in the 1974 James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun, and as Mr. Roarke's assistant, Tattoo, on the American television series Fantasy Island that he played from 1977 to 1983. On Fantasy Island, his shout of "De plane! De plane!" became one of the show's signature phrases.[1] He died by suicide in 1993.
Early life
[edit]Villechaize was born in Nazi-occupied Paris on April 23, 1943,[2] to Evelyn, an Anglo-Italian socialite who was an ambulance driver during World War II and André Villechaize, a surgeon in Toulon.[3] Villechaize also had German ancestry.[4][5] The youngest of four sons,[5] Villechaize was born with dwarfism, likely due to an endocrine disorder, which his surgeon father tried unsuccessfully to cure in several institutions.[6] In later years, he insisted on being called a "midget" rather than a "dwarf",[5] which annoyed his acting contemporary with a similar condition, Billy Barty, who was an activist who found that term derogatory.[7] Villechaize was bullied at school for his condition and found solace in painting. In 1959, at age 16, he entered the École des Beaux-Arts to study art. In 1961, he became the youngest artist ever to have his work displayed in the Museum of Paris.[8][9]
In 1964, Villechaize left France for the United States.[10] He settled in a Bohemian section of New York City, and taught himself English by watching television.[9]
Career
[edit]Villechaize initially worked as an artist, painter, and photographer. He began acting in Off-Broadway productions, including Werner Liepolt's The Young Master Dante and a play by Sam Shepard, and he also modelled for photos for National Lampoon before moving on to film.[citation needed]
His first film appearance was in Chappaqua (1966). His second film was Edward Summer's Item 72-D: The Adventures of Spa and Fon, filmed in 1969.[11] This was followed by several films, including The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight (1971); Christopher Speeth and Werner Liepolt's Malatesta's Carnival of Blood (1973); Crazy Joe (1974); and Oliver Stone's first film, Seizure (1974). He was asked to play a role in Alejandro Jodorowsky's film Dune, which had originally begun pre-production in 1971, but was later cancelled.
Villechaize's big break was being cast in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), by which time he had become so poor that he was living in his car in Los Angeles. Prior to being signed by Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli, he made ends meet by working as a rat catcher's assistant near his South Central home. From what his co-star Christopher Lee saw, The Man with the Golden Gun filming was possibly the happiest time of Villechaize's life; Lee likened it to honey in the sandwich between an insecure past and an uncertain future.
In the 1970s, Villechaize performed Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street as a pair of legs peeping out from Oscar's trash can, for scenes that required Oscar to be mobile. These appearances began in the third season, and included the 1978 Hawaii episodes.
In 1980, Cleveland International Records released a single by the Children of the World, featuring Villechaize as vocalist: "Why", with B-side "When a Child Is Born".[12]
Though popular with the public, Villechaize proved a difficult actor on Fantasy Island, where he continually propositioned women and quarreled with the producers. He was eventually fired after demanding a salary on par with that of his co-star Ricardo Montalbán.[13] For its final season from '83-'84, Villechaize was replaced by Christopher Hewett, best known for his lead role in the sitcom Mr. Belvedere.
Villechaize also starred in the movie Forbidden Zone (1980), and appeared in Airplane II: The Sequel (1982), and episodes of Diff'rent Strokes and Taxi. He later played the title role in the "Rumpelstiltskin" episode of Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre. In the 1980s, he became popular in Spain due to his impersonations of Prime Minister Felipe González on the television show Viaje con nosotros (Travel with Us), with showman Javier Gurruchaga. His final appearance was a cameo as himself in an episode of The Ben Stiller Show.
Personal life and death
[edit]In the mid-1970s, Villechaize met actress Susan Tyrrell. According to Tyrrell, they had a two-year relationship and shared a home in the Laurel Canyon area of Los Angeles.[14]
Villechaize married twice. He married his first wife, artist Anne Sadowski, in 1970. After Villechaize's serial infidelities, as well as ridicule over their height difference, they divorced in 1978 or 1979 (sources differ).[5][15] He met his second wife, Camille Hagen, an actress and stand-in double, in 1977 on the set of the pilot for Fantasy Island.[5] They married in 1980 and Hagen filed for divorce 15 months later. During their marriage, they lived at a 1.5-acre (0.61 ha) San Fernando Valley ranch, which also was home to a menagerie of farm animals and pets.[5]
In the early morning hours of September 4, 1993, at his North Hollywood home, Villechaize, aged 50, is believed to have first fired a shot through the sliding-glass patio door to awaken his longtime girlfriend, Kathy Self, before shooting himself. Self found Villechaize in his backyard, and he was pronounced dead at the Medical Center of North Hollywood. His ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean off Point Fermin in San Pedro, Los Angeles.[16]
Villechaize left a suicide note saying he was despondent over longtime health problems.[1] He was suffering from chronic pain due to having oversized internal organs putting increasing pressure on his body. According to Self, Villechaize often slept in a kneeling position so he could breathe more easily.[16] He also left an audio recording of the suicide that included his last words.[17]
At the time of his death, Cartoon Network was in negotiations for him to co-star in Space Ghost Coast to Coast, which was in pre-production at the time. Villechaize would have voiced Space Ghost's sidekick on the show.[18]
Depictions in media
[edit]Sacha Gervasi spent several years writing a script about Villechaize. Gervasi conducted a lengthy interview with Villechaize just prior to his death.[19] The film My Dinner with Hervé,[20] which is based on the last few days of Villechaize's life, stars Peter Dinklage in the title role,[21] and premiered on HBO on October 20, 2018.[6][22]
Filmography
[edit]| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1966 | Chappaqua | Little Person | Uncredited |
| 1970 | Maidstone | ||
| 1971 | The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight | Beppo | |
| 1972 | The Last Stop | Deputy | |
| Greaser's Palace | Mr. Spitunia | ||
| 1973 | Malatesta's Carnival of Blood | Bobo | |
| 1974 | Seizure | The Spider | |
| Crazy Joe | Samson | ||
| The Man with the Golden Gun | Nick Nack | ||
| 1977 | Hot Tomorrows | Alberict | |
| 1978 | The One and Only | Milton Miller | |
| 1980 | Forbidden Zone | King Fausto of the Sixth Dimension | |
| 1982 | Airplane II: The Sequel | Little Breather | |
| 1988 | The Telephone | Freeway | Voice |
| Two Moon Junction | Smiley | ||
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1977–1983 | Fantasy Island | Tattoo | 130 episodes; 2 TV films |
| 1980 | Taxi | Himself | season 2, episode 23: "Fantasy Borough" |
| 1982 | The Fall Guy | Himself | season 1, episode 22: "The Scavenger Hunt" |
| 1982 | Faerie Tale Theatre | Rumpelstiltskin | |
| 1992 | Larry Sanders Show | Himself | Season 1, Episode 4: "The Guest Host" |
| Phil Donahue Show | Himself | Famous Past Celebrities | |
Publications
[edit]Chris Distin: James Bond - Golden Gun on Location : behind the scenes with Hervé Villechaize on the sets of The Man with the Golden Gun 1974, Braunschweig : DAMOKLES, 2024, ISBN 978-3-9824063-7-4[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Herve Villechaize; Actor, 50, Commits Suicide at His Home". The New York Times. September 5, 1993.
- ^ "Hervé Villechaize Biography". Biography.com. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
- ^ "The True Story Behind My Dinner with Hervé". October 19, 2018.
- ^ "Exclusive: Peter Dinklage talks Hervé Villechaize movie, addresses casting controversy". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ a b c d e f Jackovich, Karen G. (October 13, 1980). "Tattoo and His Bride Begin Their Marriage with a Plea: 'We Are as Normal as Anyone'". Retrieved August 31, 2018.
- ^ a b Mangan, Lucy (October 22, 2018). "My Dinner with Hervé review – a glorious and tragic romp in 90s Lalaland". The Guardian. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
- ^ Evanier, Mark (January 19, 2001). "POV Victor & Billy". Comics Buyer's Guide – via News from ME.
- ^ Rose, David (November 28, 2006). They Call Me Naughty Lola: Personal Ads from the London Review of Books. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781416545040.
- ^ a b Miller, Julie (October 19, 2018). "The Tragic, Beautiful True Story Behind Peter Dinklage's My Dinner with Hervé". Vanity Fair. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
- ^ Adelson, Betty (2005). The Lives of Dwarfs: Their Journey from Public Curiosity Toward Social Liberation. Rutgers University Press. p. 251. ISBN 9780813535487.
- ^ IMDB (n.d.). "Item 72-D: The Adventures of Spa and Fon". USA: IMDB. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
- ^ "Children Of The World (2) – Why". Discogs. 1980. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ Paul Gaita (September 11, 2021). "Fantasy Island Actors you may not Know Passed Away". Looper. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
- ^ Garcia, Chris (September 24, 2012). "A life of blows and disappointments can't bow Susan Tyrrell". Austin 360. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
- ^ "Hervé Villechaize's Short Life of Torment and Fantasy". 80s Kids.
- ^ a b Wilkins, Frank. "The Suicide of Herve Villechaize – Tattoo". Reel Reviews. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
- ^ "'Fantasy Island' Star Hervé Villechaize Made Recording Of His Own Suicide". Radar Online. October 31, 2018.
- ^ "Space Ghost Coast to Coast: The Second Pilot". C4vct.com. Archived from the original on February 9, 2010. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
- ^ Kois, Dan (March 29, 2012). "Peter Dinklage Was Smart to Say No". The New York Times. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ^ "James McAvoy Reading Sacha Gervasi's 'My Dinner With Hervé'". The Playlist. April 19, 2011. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ^ "Sacha Gervasi — Peter Dinklage: 'Herve Villechaize Biopic Is Based On Director's Final Interview'". Contact Music. April 19, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ^ Wagmeister, Elizabeth (May 9, 2017). "Peter Dinklage and Jamie Dornan Team Up for HBO Film". Variety. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
