Luis De Jesus

Best known for his role as Ralphus the demented dwarf in the infamous film _Bloodsucking Freaks (1976)_ (qv), which is also known as Blood Sucking Freaks. Luis DeJesus had been a circus performer, but was actually quite infamous around New York in the Seventies for his role in a stag movie, a charming little ditty entitled _The Anal Dwarf (1971)_ (qv). This eight-minute hardcore wonder was a regular attraction in 42nd Street peepshows, especially for people looking for something different. It was probably through this movie that the makers of "Bloodsucking Freaks" discovered DeJesus--"Freaks" director 'Joel M. Reed' (qv) also shot porn at the time, though under a different name--but they got more than they bargained for. On the last day of shooting DeJesus and several other members of the cast shocked Reed by staging an orgy; according to Reed, DeJesus "wasn't short in all departments". DeJesus continued to act in porn way into the 1980s, then tried for a more mainstream career with disappointing results. Typical of Hollywood's miscasting of dwarf actors, the only roles were in films like _Under the Rainbow (1981)_ (qv), a movie about the alleged wild behavior of the Munchkin cast during the filming of _The Wizard of Oz (1939)_ (qv). His last known role was as an Ewok.DeJesus was often mistaken for 'Hervé Villechaize' (qv). For years many critics thought it was the _Fantasy Island (1977)_ (qv) actor who had to stand on a box to mount 'Veri Knotty' (qv) in "The Anal Dwarf", despite their very different appearances.::Antony Butcher