His big break was getting cast in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), by which time he had become so poor he was living out of his car in Los Angeles. Prior to being signed up by Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli, he made ends meet by working as a rat catcher's assistant near his South Central home. From what his co-actor Christopher Lee saw, The Man with the Golden Gun filming was possibly the happiest time of Hervé's life: Lee likened it to honey in the sandwich between an insecure past and an uncertain future. In addition to being an actor, Villechaize became an active member of a movement in 1970s and 1980s California to deal with child abuse and neglect, often going to crime scenes himself to help comfort abuse victims. Villechaize's former co-workers recalled that despite his stature, he would often confront and chastise spousal and child abusers when he arrived at crime scenes.
I feel like I might cry watching this like I did watching Simon Birch.
He has been developing a script for years, based on the life of the “Fantasy Island” star Hervé Villechaize, with his friend Sacha Gervasi, director of “Anvil!” “He interviewed Hervé right before he killed himself. Sacha was a journalist, sitting here like we are now. After he killed himself, Sacha realized Hervé’s interview was a suicide note.”
jimmyolsenblues on June 23rd, 2017 at 18:36 UTC »
Dude that guy Herve Vlillchez has an awful sad life in real life.
CaptainBroverdose on June 23rd, 2017 at 19:40 UTC »
From Wikpedia:
I feel like I might cry watching this like I did watching Simon Birch.
arrogant_ambassador on June 23rd, 2017 at 20:05 UTC »
This was a dream project for Dinklage. Really happy for him.