Billy Barty - A Little Giant Passes Away

Since "Little People" have played such a large part of our lives...as Stand-Ins...as Stunt Doubles...and as islands of friendship on soundstages all over the world, the members of A Minor Consideration would like to extend their sympathies to the many friends of a true Industry Giant, Billy Barty. If a model exists for the nature of our advocacy it can be found in the extraordinary accomplishments of Mr. Barty.

Billy was, in fact, bigger than the Business that brought him so much acclaim. Certainly there will be sorrow within the Community at his passing, but as surely as the images Mr. Barty crafted in his chosen profession, his memory will live on in our hearts forever.

From the children of show business, thank you, Billy Barty, for speaking up for "Little People" everywhere.

Paul Petersen

Billy Barty, a very little giant, but a giant nonetheless, passed away at about 9:20 a.m. this morning at Glendale Memorial Hospital. Billy had been hospitalized since November 30, 2000 in Intensive Care with heart problems and a lung infection.

Billy Barty, the 3-foot-10-inch veteran actor whose career spanned seven decades, appeared in his first Hollywood feature in 1927 at the age of 3 and has performed for radio, television and on Broadway. Billy was truly a giant of a man in the world of entertainment. As an actor, he has appeared in over two hundred films and hundreds of television shows. As an entertainer, starting with vaudeville, he has appeared on stage all over the world in Theaters, Nightclubs, Broadway, the London Palladium and USO Shows around the world.

Billy played a number of outrageous characters in his career, including a wizard I the movie "Willow" (1988), a tongue-in-cheek stint as a German Spy in "Under the Rainbow" (1981) and a suspected stalker in "Foul Play" (1978) with Chevy Chase and Goldie Hawn. He also had TV appearances in the 1970's on "Punch and Jody," Sid and Marty Kroft's "Sigmund and the Sea Monsters," and even had his own show, "Billy's Big Show."

Mickey Rooney said, "Billy is somebody who has given his entire life to the film industry and the entertainment industry . . . and has always been a gigantic, tremendous personality and star to me, and always will be. Billy played may kid brother in the Mickey McGuire Comedies and he is my brother today. I am proud to say I have known Billy Barty. I am proud to know that God has let Billy entertain and gave him that talent that he alone possesses, for its not how big you are, its what you do with it. Billy has done more than you can ever see."

As a Humanitarian, Billy has fought tirelessly for the rights of the disabled, establishing a mainstream non-profit organization that has branched out worldwide, and irrefutably has changed the social and political views of global society, earning Billy dozens of commendations and awards, including a Doctorate of Humane Letters. Today, the Billy Barty Foundation and Little People of America continue to bring a powerful voice to those who, thanks to Billy, are now referred to respectfully as "Little People."

In 1957, Billy founded Little People of America, an advocacy group for those with dwarfism and in 1975, Billy founded the Billy Barty Foundation which were both an embodiment of Billy's dream - that Little People become integrated into mainstream society, facing no attitudinal, medical or architectural barriers setting them apart from average sized people. All funds raised go toward helping to provide educational and vocational scholarships, medical and psychological referrals, emergency financial assistance, referral services such as: employment opportunities, adaptive aids (automobile gas & brake pedal extensions), support groups, tailors and furniture for Little People.

According to Billy, "Most difficult to overcome are the attitudinal barriers which Little People have to face - the notion that we are only found in show business or at the circus. Among the ranks of Little People can be found doctors, lawyers, teachers, psychologists and judges, and the only way to approach the problem is to influence minds while they are young so prejudice won't appear later."

George Lucas chaired Billy Barty's 70th Anniversary in Entertainment Celebrity Roast and salute and said: "Billy Barty, is a man who has touched so many lives with entertainment and joy and who continues to give of himself by caring and helping his fellow man. His achievements have certainly inspired all of us."

Billy, a graduate of California State University, Los Angeles, received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater in 1995. He also had been appointed to the City Commission on Disabilities and the County Commission on Disabilities.

Survivors include: Billy's wife, Shirley; son, Braden; daughter Lori Neilson, Son-In-law David Neilson and an adopted granddaughter, Tina.

Funeral services have been set for Wednesday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in North Hollywood at 11:00 a.m. and burial to follow at Forest Lawn in Glendale.

WHERE: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
11022 Riverside Drive
North Hollywood, California 91604

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS: The family has asked that in lieu of flowers to please make donations to The Billy Barty Memorial Adoption Fund, a fund that has been set up to help with Adoption Services for Little People to Adopt Children with Dwarfism. Donations can be sent to:

Billy Barty Memorial Adoption Fund
C/O Paul Hagen
Little People of America - National Headquarters
6601 Three Oaks Circle
Austin, Texas 78759-3813