The Fall Guy
1981
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Oct 20, 2018 · Sacha Gervasi, the director of HBO's 'My Dinner With Hervé,' was a journalist when he interviewed 'Fantasy Island's Hervé Villechaize in 1993. It took him 25 years to finally tell his story.
- George Gurley
- Villechaize Was Born with Dwarfism
- Hervé’s Father Tried to Find A Cure For His Dwarfism
- Villechaize Was Bullied at School For His Condition
- He insisted on Being called A “Midget” Rather Than A “Dwarf”
- His Artistic Work Was displayed in The Museum of Paris
- He Relocated to The United States from France at 21 Years
- Villechaize Initially Worked as An Artist, Painter, and Photographer
- His First Film Appearance Was in Chappaqua
- His Big Break Was Getting Cast in A ‘James Bond ‘ Movie
- Villechaize Committed Suicide by Shooting Himself
Villechaize was born in Nazi-occupied Paris, France, on April 23, 1943, to English-born Evelyn (Recchionni) and André Villechaize, a surgeon in Toulon. Villechaize was of Filipino descent. The youngest of four sons, Villechaize was born with dwarfism, likely due to an endocrine disorder. He suffered a proportionate dwarfism condition due to an acut...
Villechaize was raised by a surgeon. When his son was born with dwarfism, he set out to find a treatment. Despite trying several facilities, he was unable to assist his son. His father took him to several medical facilities for therapy, including the ‘Mayo Clinic’ in Minnesota and other institutes in England and Germany. He endured numerous medical...
After his father sort out treatment for Villechaize and unfortunately there was none, Hervé had to live with his small height and also with undersized lungs. Because of his dwarf stature, Villechaize faced bullying in the school which made it difficult to socialize with fellow students. This made him stay in solitude most of the time during his tim...
He suffered from proportionate dwarfism. In later years, he insisted on being called a “midget” rather than a “dwarf”. This came during the time he underwent bullying while still attending school. His height was 3 feet and 10 inches which rendered him shorter than his fellow schoolmates.
Villechaize was bullied at school because of his tiny height, so he turned to paint and the arts for solace. He enrolled in the ‘École des Beaux-Arts’ at the age of 16 in 1959. His work was presented in the ‘Museum of Paris in 1961, making him the youngest artist ever to do so at the age of 18 which were well received.
On the suggestion of his father, he left France at the age of 21 and moved to the United States of America where he settled in Greenwich Village, New York City. In the USA, he continued to paint and take photographs. He also began to appear in various films and was rapidly offered multiple roles in plays and later in films.
At the age of 21, Hervé sailed to New York City to ply his artistic craft. Villechaize initially worked as an artist, painter, and photographer. After teaching himself English by watching American television and immersing himself in the New York City art scene, he would eventually land roles in several off-Broadway plays in the big city.
Chappaqua was his debut cinematic appearance (1966). In 1969, he appeared in Edward Summer’s Item 72-D: The Adventures of Spa and Fon. This was followed by other films, including The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight (1971) where Hervé would play ‘Beppo’ in the 1971 comedy starring Robert DeNiro, Malatesta’s Carnival of Blood (1973), Crazy Joe (197...
His big break came when he was cast in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), by which time he was living in his car in Los Angeles due to financial hardship. He managed to make ends meet by working as a rat catcher’s helper close to his South Central house until being signed by Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli. The Man with the Golden Gun co-star Chr...
In the early hours of September 4, 1993, Villechaize, 50, is thought to have shot himself after shooting through the sliding glass patio door of his North Hollywood home to awaken his longtime lover, Kathy Self. Self-discovered Villechaize in his backyard and the Medical Center of North Hollywood declared him dead. His ashes were scattered into the...
Oct 18, 2018 · Photo: Courtesy of HBO. Peter Dinklage as Hervu00e9 Villechaize in My Dinner With Hervu00e9. Villechaize faced adversity for his dwarfism throughout his life. In 1946 Paris, Villechaize’s...
- Elena Nicolaou
Oct 19, 2018 · My Dinner With Hervé. Hervé Villechaize and Sacha Gervasi. Photo: Sloane Pringle. I remember that afternoon vividly. It was Sunday, September 4, 1993, and the windows of my South London flat...
- Sacha Gervasi
- Contributor
Oct 5, 2018 · Villechaize was just 50 years old when he committed suicide a week after Gervasi interviewed him. “He told me the truth of his life story, and no one else knew it,” Gervasi said.
Television and Movie Actor Herve Villechaize 1943-1993 who played Tattoo in the TV series Fantasy Island and committed suicide in Los Angeles, at...
Mar 13, 2022 · Villechaize's life came to a tragic end when he shot himself in the garden of his Hollywood home in 1993, aged 50. He left a suicide note which read: "I love everybody. Nobody is to blame for...
