Hervé Villechaize facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hervé Villechaize
Villechaize in 1977
Born	Hervé Jean-Pierre Villechaize (1943-04-23)23 April 1943 Paris, France
Died	4 September 1993(1993-09-04) (aged 50) North Hollywood, California, U.S.
Resting place	Ashes spread into the Pacific Ocean
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1966–1993
Notable work	Nick Nack in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) Spider in Seizure (1974) King Fausto in Forbidden Zone (1980) Smiley in Two Moon Junction (1988)
Height	3 ft 11 in (119 cm)
Television	Fantasy Island
Spouse(s)	Anne Sadowski ​ ​ (m. 1970; div. 1979)​ Camille Hagen ​ ​ (m. 1980; div. 1982)​

Hervé Jean-Pierre Villechaize (April 23, 1943 – September 4, 1993) was a French actor and painter. He is best known for playing the villain's helper, Nick Nack, in the 1974 James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun. He also played Tattoo, Mr. Roarke's assistant, on the American TV show Fantasy Island. He was on Fantasy Island from 1977 to 1983. His famous line from the show, "The plane! The plane!", became a well-known phrase.

Early Life and Artistic Beginnings

Hervé Villechaize was born in Paris, France, on April 23, 1943. His mother was Evelyn and his father, André Villechaize, was a surgeon. Hervé was the youngest of four sons.

He was born with a condition that caused him to be very short. His father tried to help him with this condition, but it did not work. Hervé was sometimes picked on at school because of his height. He found comfort and joy in painting.

In 1959, when he was 16, he started studying art at the École des Beaux-Arts. This is a famous art school in Paris. In 1961, he became the youngest artist to have his work shown in the Museum of Paris.

In 1964, Villechaize moved from France to the United States. He lived in New York City and learned English by watching television.

Acting Career Highlights

Hervé Villechaize first worked as an artist, painter, and photographer. He then started acting in plays in New York. He also modeled for photos for National Lampoon magazine. After this, he began acting in movies.

His first movie was Chappaqua in 1966. He appeared in several other films, including The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight (1971) and Seizure (1974).

His big chance came when he was cast in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974). Before getting this role, he was very poor and even lived in his car. His co-star, Christopher Lee, said that filming this movie was a very happy time for Villechaize.

In the 1970s, Villechaize also helped with Sesame Street. He played the legs of Oscar the Grouch for scenes where Oscar needed to move around.

Hervé Villechaize became very popular on Fantasy Island. However, he sometimes had disagreements with the show's producers. He was eventually replaced on the show.

He also starred in the movie Forbidden Zone (1980). He appeared in Airplane II: The Sequel (1982) and episodes of TV shows like Diff'rent Strokes and Taxi. He played the main role in the "Rumpelstiltskin" episode of Faerie Tale Theatre. In the 1980s, he became well-known in Spain for making fun of Prime Minister Felipe González on a TV show. His last appearance was a small role as himself on The Ben Stiller Show.

Personal Life and Legacy

Hervé Villechaize was married two times. He met his second wife, Camille Hagen, while working on the TV pilot for Fantasy Island. They lived on a ranch in California with many farm animals and pets.

Hervé Villechaize passed away on September 4, 1993, at his home in North Hollywood, California. His ashes were spread into the Pacific Ocean.

Around the time of his death, Cartoon Network was talking to him about a new show. He was going to voice a sidekick character on Space Ghost Coast to Coast.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Hervé Villechaize para niños