Billy Curtis

Diminutive American actor 'Billy Curtis' (qv) avoided the usual onus of freak-show employment as a youth, opting for a mainstream job as a shoe clerk. Encouraged by stock company actress 'Shirley Booth' (qv) to take a little person role in a stage production, Curtis soon became a professional actor, with numerous Broadway musical productions to his credit. Curtis' big movie season was 1938-39: he was cast in _The Wizard of Oz (1939)_ (qv) (albeit with voice dubbed by 'Pinto Colvig' (qv)) and as the cowboy hero of the all-dwarf western _The Terror of Tiny Town (1938)_ (qv). This last epic was one of the few instances that Curtis was cast as a good guy; many of his screen characters were ill-tempered and pugnacious, willing to bite a kneecap if unable to punch out an opponent. Seldom accepting a role which demeaned or patronized little people, Curtis played an obnoxious vaudeville performer compelled to sit on 'Gary Cooper' (qv)'s lap in _Meet John Doe (1941)_ (qv), a suspicious circus star willing to turn 'Robert Cummings' (qv) over to the cops in _Saboteur (1942)_ (qv), and one of the many fair-weather friends of _The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)_ (qv). 'Billy Curtis' (qv)' career thrived into the 1970s, notably with solid parts in the 'Clint Eastwood' (qv) western _High Plains Drifter (1973)_ (qv) and the crime-caper melodrama _Little Cigars (1973)_ (qv), in which he had second billing as a diminutive criminal mastermind. 'Billy Curtis' (qv) retired in the 1980s, except for the occasional interview or Wizard of Oz cast reunion.::Anonymous