47. He Gave Him Credit
Hervé already had many admirers among his fans and those who worked with him, and after news of his passing broke, one castmate felt compelled to say a few words. His co-star on Fantasy Island, Ricardo Montalbán, not only offered his sympathies but also made it clear that the series likely wouldn’t have been successful without Hervé’s inclusion.
At the same time, many still didn’t see eye to eye with him, even among those who could relate to him most.
Judd Gunderson, Los Angeles Times, Wikimedia Commons
48. They Couldn’t Agree
Hervé was one of the few actors with dwarfism at that time to reach his level of success, but not everyone was happy about this. While some likely saw him as a welcome change to the Hollywood status quo, others like Billy Barty—an actor with a similar condition—disagreed. Specifically, Hervé often told people to refer to him as a “midget,” a term that had already become offensive to many like Barty, who insisted that the correct term was “dwarf”.
Nonetheless, despite how some people saw him, he always tried his best to improve the world in his own way.
49. He Wanted To Help
Although Hervé had his demons and didn’t always spend his money on the smartest or healthiest things, he still had a big heart and was always looking to use the wealth he had gained for good. Beyond singing with the Children of the World, he also helped various children’s charities and even opened a home to care for troubled kids.
Ultimately, Gervasi didn’t let his interview go to waste—but suddenly, an article didn’t seem good enough.
Fotos International, Getty Images
50. He Released His Story
Hervé Villechaize may have become famous around the world, but he dealt with many of his struggles away from the spotlight, so there’s a good chance that much of his story would have vanished into time—if not for Gervasi. Believing Hervé deserved a grander legacy than just an article, Gervasi decided to turn the interview into a film script, eventually releasing the film in 2018, titled My Dinner with Hervé.
Screenshot from My Dinner with Hervé, HBO Films (2018)
You May Also Like:
Searching Facts About Mai, The Lost Traveler
Ill-Fated Facts About Robert Walker, The Nice Guy Who Finished Last
