Gary Friedkin was a pioneer. This actor, who died last Friday in Ohio at the age of 70 as a result of complications with Covid, participated in some of the most mythical films in cinema. Like Peter Dinklage from Game of Thrones or Warwick Davis from Willow, both also with achondroplasia, his time in the film industry also includes great titles, such as Blade Runner or Star Wars.
One of Friedkin’s memorable moments is his fight with Harrison Ford as a member of a motorcycle gang in Blade Runner (1982) as well as his portrayal of an Ewok in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983).
Gary Jay Friedkin, his full name, was born in the American city of Youngstown, Ohio, on November 23, 1952. He played the piano and percussion instruments in different bands while attending high school at The Rayen School. He later graduated from the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University in 1970.
He moved to Los Angeles and made his screen debut in Hollywood Madhouse (1981), a comedy starring Chevy Chase, Carrie Fisher and Wizard of Oz actor Jerry Maren.
Friedkin played Dr. Milton Chamberlain in the soap opera parody The Scalpel (1982) as part of a cast that included Michael McKean, Sean Young, Ted McGinley, Harry Dean Stanton and Dabney Coleman, and later appeared on Mother’s Day (2016), Marshall’s latest film.
Friedkin, who was 48 inches tall, was an active member of the Little People of America and attended many conventions, connecting with people from all over the United States and introducing others to the organization.
“While Gary may have been short in stature, he was a giant among his family and friends,” his family said.
