Jack Purvis (13 July 1937 – 21 November 1997) was a British film actor. Purvis had dwarfism, and at 4 feet 2 inches (1.27 m)[1] was mainly cast in roles requiring actors of short stature. He appeared in three of director Terry Gilliam's early fantasy films, with significant roles in Time Bandits and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.
Jack Purvis | |
|---|---|
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| Born | 13 July 1937 London, England |
| Died | 21 November 1997 (aged 60) |
| Occupation | Film actor |
| Height | 4 ft 2 in (1.27 m)[1] |
For twenty years until 1991, Purvis performed as part of a musical comedy double-act with Kenny Baker, billed as the "Mini-Tones". Purvis played the trumpet to Baker's mouth-organ and vibraphone.[2] The duo would attend auditions for Star Wars in 1976, where Baker was instantly cast as R2-D2. At that time the duo had reached the final on the talent show Opportunity Knocks, and were reluctant to put the Mini-Tones work on hold.[3] After some negotiation, Purvis was also hired to appear in the film,[4] and would go on to play a different alien creature in each film of the original trilogy.[5]
In 1991, Purvis became quadriplegic after his neck was broken in a car repair accident.[2] This and the 1990 death of David Rappaport led to Terry Gilliam's indefinitely shelving an intended sequel to Time Bandits, where both actors played titular roles.[5]
Purvis died in November 1997 at the age of 60.[6]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Bashful | |
| 1969 | Popdown | mini photographer | |
| 1977 | Wombling Free | Great Uncle Bulgaria | |
| 1977 | Star Wars | Chief Jawa | |
| 1978 | I'm Dickie - That's Show Business | on-screen participant | |
| 1980 | The Empire Strikes Back | Chief Ugnaught | |
| 1980 | Not the Nine O'Clock News | Boxer on the Television | uncredited |
| 1981 | Time Bandits | Wally | |
| 1981 | The Goodies | Jester | uncredited |
| 1982 | The Dark Crystal | Muppet performer | Additional |
| 1983 | Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi | Additional | |
| 1983 | Return of the Jedi | Teebo | |
| 1985 | Brazil | Dr. Chapman | |
| 1986 | Mona Lisa | Brighton Busker | |
| 1986 | Labyrinth | Goblin Corps | |
| 1987 | People Are the Same the Universe Over | alien | |
| 1988 | Willow | Nelwyn Band Member | Uncredited |
| 1988 | The Adventures of Baron Munchausen | Jeremy / Gustavus | |
| 1989 | Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader | Dufflepud Leader | |
| 1989 | Oingo Boingo: Skeletons in the Closet | Additional | |
| 1990 | The Silver Chair | Golg |
References
edit- ^ a b Robb, Brian J. (2012). A Brief Guide to Star Wars. Little, Brown Book Group. ISBN 9781780335834. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- ^ a b Innes-Smith, James (19 August 2016). "A brief encounter with Kenny Baker: R2-D2 on fame, fans – and the sad rise of CGI". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- ^ "Kenny Baker". 10 June 2023 – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
- ^ Christian, Roger (2016). Cinema Alchemist. Titan Books. ISBN 9781785650857. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- ^ a b Davis, Warwick (2010). Size Matters Not: The Extraordinary Life and Career of Warwick Davis. p. 81. ISBN 9781118119396.
- ^ "Jack Purvis". BFI. Archived from the original on 16 September 2018.
External links
edit- Jack Purvis at IMDb