Billy Barty

Biography• Born William John Bertanzetti on October 25, 1924 in Millsboro, Pennsylvania.• Born into a performing family, Billy charmed his way into silent pictures at the age

of three.• Billy acted steadily and performed on the vaudeville circuit until he went to college.• As a child actor he was a standout in such films as "Alice in Wonderland", "A

Midsummer's Night's Dream," "Golddiggers of 1933" and "The Mickey McGuire Comedies.“

• As an adult, Billy appeared in "Willow", "Foul Play", "Under the Rainbow", "Rumplestiltskin", and the "Day of the Locust", which nearly earned him an academy award nomination but he was edged out by Burgess Meredith.

• Billy was an athlete, lettering in college football, baseball, gymnastics and (believe it or not) basketball.

• Billy is happily married to the woman he vowed to marry the moment he met her, Shirley. They have two children, Lori, a little person, and Braden six-foot one inch.

• Billy died on 23 December 2000, Glendale, California because of heart and lung failure.

Stood up for his beliefs

• Billy was called a “midget” his whole life, he knew it was wrong. Sooner or later he decided enough was enough. After a few news casts and press conferences, the term “midget” became formally now used as a little person

We are people, we didn't leap from the pages of a storybook or from an enchanted forest. We have doctors, nurses, just

about every field covered. -Billy Barty

Created Lpa

• While performing with Spike Jones, Billy was asked by the PR man for a Reno Nevada hotel to host a convention for "midgets."

• Billy agreed on April 3, 1957, twenty one people of short stature representing nine different states met in "The Biggest Little City in the World." The media loved the event, headlining them as "The Midgets of America," which bothered Billy a bit.

• At the 2009 national there was over 4,000 people of short stature attented. They repersented 51 states, and over 10 countries. Billy did that.

• His is the only organization supporting those affected by the more than 200 forms of dwarfism. Besides providing much needed support, his organizations address social, medical and scholarship needs.

Spread the new about dwarfs

• Billy had his own childrens show called Barty’s BigTop in California, where most of the kids were twice his size. The show not only showed mini shows like Little Rascals and Shirley Temples shorts, but Billy also informed kids about his short stature and how everyone is person even if they looked different.

• He did plenty of tv shows, interviews, documentaries, and speechs about dwarfism.

Billy Barty is my hero because...

• Life is kind of tough when you’re a dwarf, but Billy made it easier for all of us. I met him, when I was 6, I will never forget that moment when he gave me a hug and said “just remember people stare at us because we are different, but we look at them because they are all the same”. My best friends are little people, I would do anything for them. Billy introduced us because he created lpa. I use to feel bad for myself because I was a dwarf. When I came to lpa, there were people in wheel chairs, scooters, and people who have had surgeries throughout there whole life. After that day I never felt sorry for myself again because I realized I was a lucky one. Billy, I love you, you make me feel like I can conquer it all.

I ask two of my little people friends why Billy Barty is a hero to them. This is what they said:• Tessa Folkets: Billy Barty is my hero, because without his

dedication to lpa, I would of always thought of my self as being in this world on my own. Lpa gave me the strength to stand up for being a dwarf. I wish I would of met him. He should be a hero to people who are different from the average joe. RIP Billy, we all wish you could be partying with us at nationals

• Jonny Perez: Billy Barty is deffinatly one of the people that makes this world a better place. I can walk into this convention without being stared at because of him. People wish the convention would last longer then a week, but before Billy Barty we wouldn’t even have one day together. We wouldnt of known who some of our best friends, crushes, husbands, wives, even enemies were without that one week in July. I would just like to Thanks Billy for everything.

Billy Barty

do

first and foremost, we are people. We aren't sub-human. We are people with all the hopes, dreams, passions, and faults of everyone else. – Billy Barty

Works Cited Page

• http://www.billybartyandfriends.com• http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors

/b/billy_barty.html• http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/billy-barty/• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Barty• http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000863/bio