"Little Billy" Rhodes

American actor (1895–1967) "Little Billy" Rhodes Clarence Herbert Bliss February 1, 1895 Lynn, Massachusetts, U.S. 1967 7 24 1895 2 1 Los Angeles, California, U.S. Actor 1904–1963 Clarence Herbert Bliss28 Jul 1967 Vital Records: Deaths http://www.newspapers.com/image/382433141/?terms=%22billy%20rhodes%22&match=1 live 2021-04-12 The Los Angeles Times en https://web.archive.org/web/20210412164709/http://www.newspapers.com/image/382433141/?terms=%22billy%20rhodes%22&match=1 2021-04-12 13 Dec 1935 Broker Pleads Guilty to Theft http://www.newspapers.com/image/380498397/?terms=%22clarence%20bliss%22%20%22little%20billy%22&match=1 live 2021-04-12 The Los Angeles Times en https://web.archive.org/web/20210412165207/http://www.newspapers.com/image/380498397/?terms=%22clarence%20bliss%22%20%22little%20billy%22&match=1 2021-04-12 (February 1, 1895 – July 24, 1967), professionally billed as "Little Billy" Rhodes, was an American stage and film character actor with dwarfism who was active in Hollywood from the 1920s through the 1960s. Over the course of his career, he appeared in noteworthy projects like The Wizard of Oz as the Barrister and The Terror of Tiny Town, the latter of which was a western that was billed as featuring an all-little-person cast.20 Feb 1941 Convention Is Midgets' Plan http://www.newspapers.com/image/43022612/?terms=%22little%20billy%22%20midget&match=1 live 2021-04-12 The Harrisburg Telegraph en https://web.archive.org/web/20210412064139/http://www.newspapers.com/image/43022612/?terms=%22little%20billy%22%20midget&match=1 2021-04-12 24 Jun 1938 Billy's a Veteran http://www.newspapers.com/image/334311623/?terms=%22little%20billy%22%20midget&match=1 live 2021-04-12 The Journal Times en https://web.archive.org/web/20210412064141/http://www.newspapers.com/image/334311623/?terms=%22little%20billy%22%20midget&match=1 2021-04-12 17 Feb 1939 Famous Midget Being Featured at Algiers http://www.newspapers.com/image/239069195/?terms=%22little%20billy%22%20midget&match=1 live 2021-04-12 The Desert Sun en https://web.archive.org/web/20210412064144/http://www.newspapers.com/image/239069195/?terms=%22little%20billy%22%20midget&match=1 2021-04-12 9 Jun 1930 Midgets Find New Field for Talents http://www.newspapers.com/image/116962132/?terms=%22little%20billy%22%20midget&match=1 live 2021-04-12 Arizona Republic en https://web.archive.org/web/20210412064142/http://www.newspapers.com/image/116962132/?terms=%22little%20billy%22%20midget&match=1 2021-04-12 7 Jul 1964 Rough to Be a Midget http://www.newspapers.com/image/335810034/?terms=%22little%20billy%22%20midget&match=1 live 2021-04-12 Sioux City Journal en https://web.archive.org/web/20210412064139/http://www.newspapers.com/image/335810034/?terms=%22little%20billy%22%20midget&match=1 2021-04-12 Biography A native of Lynn, Massachusetts, "Little Billy" recalled that his father left the family upon realizing his son's short stature (excluding early childhood). "I grew up in awful poverty—simply awful," he said in an interview. "Mattress on the floor, that sort of thing." As a child, he sold newspapers to help make ends meet. At the age of 9, infatuated by the theater, "Little Billy" was taken in by Jerry Grady, a showman who would become Billy's manager. Appearing in vaudeville and on Broadway beginning in the 1910s, he eventually made it to Hollywood around 1926 and began appearing on-screen.29 Jun 1929 Midget Is Center of Story http://www.newspapers.com/image/514378502/?terms=%22little%20billy%22%20midget&match=1 live 2021-04-12 The Daily News en https://web.archive.org/web/20210412064209/http://www.newspapers.com/image/514378502/?terms=%22little%20billy%22%20midget&match=1 2021-04-12 8 Nov 1910 Big Hit by Little Billy http://www.newspapers.com/image/675902181/?terms=%22little%20billy%22%20midget&match=1 live 2021-04-12 Yonkers Statesman en https://web.archive.org/web/20210412064601/http://www.newspapers.com/image/675902181/?terms=%22little%20billy%22%20midget&match=1 2021-04-12 In the early 1940s, he headed a convention known as the International Midget League. When asked about whether his height had a negative impact on his career, the actor had this to say: "I have never found my build a handicap. In fact, I consider it something of an asset. I have reached a fair measure of success in my life—success which would have been impossible if I had been of an ordinary build." He died in Los Angeles, California, in 1967. Selected filmography 1949: Skimpy in the Navy 1941: Kiss the Boys Goodbye 1940: You Nazty Spy! 1939: The Wizard of Oz 1938: The Terror of Tiny Town 1938: Marie Antoinette 1938: The Daredevil Drivers 1937: Artist and Models 1936: Bengal Tiger 1934: Men in Black 1932: The Devil Is Driving 1932: Make Me a Star 1932: They Never Come Back 1932: Polly of the Circus 1932: The Shadow of the Eagle 1930: Swing High 1928: The Sideshow 1926: Oh, Baby! References External links 0722372 Category:1895 births Category:1967 deaths Category:Male actors from Lynn, Massachusetts Category:American actors with dwarfism Category:American male film actors Category:Articles with quotation marks in the title Category:20th-century American people