Billy Curtis (born Luigi Curto; June 27, 1909 – November 9, 1988) was an American film and television actor with dwarfism, who had a 50-year career in the entertainment industry.
Early years Curtis was born Luigi Curto in Springfield, Massachusetts, on June 27, 1909. He had three older brothers and a younger sister. After his graduation from high school at age 16, he worked in a store before joining a local stock theater company.
Career Before Curtis performed in films, he was an acrobat in vaudeville and a professional wrestler. His work in films included being a double for child stars.
The bulk of his work was in the western and science fiction genres, portraying a little person. One of his early roles was uncredited as a Munchkin city father in The Wizard of Oz (1939). He featured as part of the circus troupe in Alfred Hitchcock's Saboteur (1942). He also appeared in Superman and the Mole Men (1951), a B-Picture intended as the pilot for the Adventures of Superman TV series. Curtis followed up this role by playing yet another alien visitor in an episode of the last season of Adventures of Superman television series, titled "Mister Zero". As the title character, he portrayed a stranded refugee from Mars who visits the Metropolis Daily Planet newspaper office.
Curtis's work in westerns included the Clint Eastwood feature High Plains Drifter (1973) in which he was featured as Mordecai, a friendly dwarf sympathetic to Eastwood's character. He also appeared in the Musical/Western The Terror of Tiny Town (1938). As far as is known, the film is the world's only Western with an all-midget cast. Many of the actors in Tiny Town were part of a performing troupe called Singer's Midgets, who also played Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz.O'Connor, John E and Peter C Rollins. "Hollywood's West: The American Frontier In Film, Television, And History." 2006. American Historical Review. Ed. Professional Development Review. web. October 2, 2015. In 1973 he appeared as Arizona in an episode of Gunsmoke titled "Arizona Midnight". He had a starring role in American International Pictures' Little Cigars (1973), about a gang of small people on a crime spree.
Curtis also played Mayor McCheese and featured on the cover of the Doors' second album Strange Days.
On Broadway, Curtis portrayed a little boy in Anything Goes (1934) and Every Man for Himself (1940).
Death Curtis died November 9, 1988, aged 79 in Dayton, Nevada of a heart attack.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1938 The Terror of Tiny Town The Hero 1939 Three Texas Steers Hercules The Wizard of Oz Braggart Munchkin Uncredited1941 Maisie Was a Lady Midget Uncredited Emergency Landing Midget Judge Meet John Doe Midget Uncredited Outlaws of Cherokee Trail Papoose Uncredited Hellzapoppin' Bodyguard Uncredited1942 Tramp, Tramp, Tramp Midget Don't Lie Melinda the Chimp Short Saboteur Midget - Circus Troupe My Gal Sal Midget Driver Uncredited Wings for the Eagle Midget (Eddie) Just Off Broadway Billy, Midget in Wings Uncredited Lucky Legs Newsboy Uncredited 1943 The Hard Way Vaudeville Midget Uncredited 1944 Ghost Catchers Midget in Nightclub Dinner Gag Uncredited1945 That's the Spirit Midget Uncredited Incendiary Blonde 'Baby' Joe Uncredited An Angel Comes to Brooklyn Midget Musician Uncredited 1946 Three Wise Fools Dugan1947 Buck Privates Come Home Man Uncredited Blaze of Noon Midget Barker Uncredited1948 April Showers Colonel Rudolph L. Nemo Hills of Home Mighty Mite Uncredited Homicide for Three Himself, Midget Jiggs and Maggie in Court Little Man Uncredited 1950 Pygmy Island Makuba1951 Two Tickets to Broadway Midget in Deli Uncredited Superman and the Mole Men Mole-Man Uncredited 1952 Limelight Midget in Agent's Office Uncredited 1953 Here Come the Girls Clown Uncredited1954 Gorilla at Large Slim, Midget Carnival Employee Uncredited Gog Gog / Magog Operator Uncredited Princess of the Nile Tut Uncredited 3 Ring Circus Circus Midget Clown Uncredited1955 Jungle Moon Men Damu The Court Jester One of Hermine's Midgets Uncredited 1956 Friendly Persuasion Midget at County Fair Uncredited 1957 The Incredible Shrinking Man Midget 1958 The Adventures of Superpup Bark Bent / Superpup 1959 The Angry Red Planet Martian Uncredited 1961 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Carnival Visitor Season 7 Episode 3: "Maria" (uncredited) 1964 Robin and the 7 Hoods Newsboy Uncredited1965 Two on a Guillotine Big Mike, Owner / Bartender Uncredited John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! Little Football Player Uncredited Harlow Newsboy Uncredited1966 Batman Midget Episode: "True or False-Face", "Holy Rat Race" Out of Sight The Man From Flush1967 Gilligan's Island Soldier Episode "Lovey's Secret Admirer", Uncredited Star Trek: The Original Series Small Copper-Skinned Ambassador Episode: "Journey to Babel" Bewitched Goblin Episode: "Safe and Sane Halloween"1968 Planet of the Apes Child Ape Uncredited The Legend of Lylah Clare Clown Uncredited1969 The Comic Lifeguard in Film Uncredited Hello, Dolly! Midget Uncredited 1970 Norwood Edmund B. Ratner 1972 Evil Roy Slade Toy Cowboy TV movie, Uncredited1973 High Plains Drifter Mordecai Little Cigars Slick Bender 1973 Gunsmoke Arizona Episode:" Arizona Midnight " 1974 How to Seduce a Woman Toulouse1975 The Wild McCullochs Charlie P. White House Madness Secret Service Man 1976 Monster Squad The Ringmaster Episode:" The Ringmaster " 1978 Loose Shoes Menchkin 1982 Eating Raoul Little Person 1984 The Night They Saved Christmas Jack 1985 Head Office Reverend Lynch 1986 The Twilight Zone Creature TV series: Personal Demons 1987 Bloody Wednesday Teddy Voice, (final film role)
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