- Born
- Died
- Birth nameWilliam John Bertanzetti
- Height3′ 9″ (1.14 m)
- Billy Barty was born William John Bertanzetti on October 25, 1924 in Millsboro, Pennsylvania. He began performing at age three and began making pictures in 1927. He played Mickey Rooney's little brother in the "Mickey McGuire" comedy shorts series. He was equally adept in both comedy and drama, and generally gives an added zest to any production he is 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 added a much needed shot in the arm to many series and films. Billy Barty died at age 76 of heart failure on December 23, 2000 in Glendale, California.
- IMDb mini biography by: Xeresa@home.com
- SpouseShirley Bolingbroke(February 24, 1962 - December 23, 2000) (his death, 2 children)
- ChildrenLori Ellen Barty
- ParentsAlbert Steven BertanzettiEllen Cecial Bertanzetti
- High-pitched gravelly voice
- He was on the Board with former President George H.W. Bush to help pass the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Said one of his major pet peeves was when people would try to pick him up as though he were a child.
- Los Angeles KRTH-FM Radio News Director Steve Fredericks once asked the 3-foot, 10-inch-tall actor in an interview whether, if he could suddenly become a "big" person, if he would choose that. After a long and thoughtful pause, Barty said, "No... because I've made all the adjustments.".
- Founder of Little People of America, a support/advocacy organization for people with dwarfism. Although it has been reported that "no one over 4' 10" may join LPA" this is not correct - it is open to anyone affected by dwarfism (including family, friends, and medical professionals who treat little people). However, people over 4' 10" (i.e. not meeting the medical definition of a dwarf) *were* precluded from holding office in the organization until the late 1980s.
- He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 6922 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on July 1, 1981.
- The name of my condition is Cartilage Hair Hypoplasia, but you can just call me Billy.
- The general public thinks all little people are in circuses or sideshows. We have doctors, nurses, just about every field covered.
- [from a 1988 interview] I've never looked at acting as "Ahhh!" and "Gee!" I started in vaudeville when I was five and for me it was just walking on a stage and I'm gonna perform. Later on I was impressed by many things, like when I worked with Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas in Tough Guys (1986). That was an "Ahhh!" for me. When I look back, even today, I guess I can go "Ahhh!" because I worked with Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell in Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) when I was nine. Then they were just grown-ups on the stage. As I look back, I'm more awed now than I was when I was actually doing it.
- The hardest thing is to erase from minds the stereotypes that people have about people of short stature. You don't see any little people doing newscasts, you don't see any doing sports writing, you don't see any sports announcing, you don't see any coaches, but there are little people who are capable of doing these things, who have proven themselves.
- That's where it starts and sometimes finishes. My parents never told me I was small, so I never knew any better. They had to sign for me to play football and basketball, but they never said, "No, you can't. You're too small." I'm not the only one who has proved little people can get along in a big world. There are other little people out there who are doctors, lawyers, school teachers, electronics engineers.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
