Debbie Lee Carrington
Debbie Lee Carrington | |
|---|---|
 Carrington in 2010 | |
| Born | Deborah Lee Carrington December 14, 1959 San Jose, California, U.S. |
| Died | March 23, 2018 (aged 58) Pleasanton, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, stuntwoman |
| Years active | 1981–2018 |
Deborah Lee Carrington (December 14, 1959 – March 23, 2018) was an American actress and stuntwoman. Her best known movie roles include playing a Martian rebel in Total Recall, an Ewok in Return of the Jedi (and in subsequent TV movies) and an elf in The Polar Express.
Carrington's film career began in college when she replied to an ad for extras in a newsletter published by Little People of America for Under the Rainbow, a film about the Munchkins from The Wizard of Oz.
Early life and career
[edit]Carrington was born in San Jose, California.[1] She had a brother, Robert, and sister, Kathy. In 1981 she answered a casting call for Under The Rainbow while attending college at University of California, Davis.[1] She took a break from her studies after landing a role in the film, but later returned and earned a degree in early childhood development.[2]
Carrington appeared in many films and TV shows, including In Living Color, The Drew Carey Show, Howard the Duck, Tracey Takes On..., Men in Black, Seinfeld, Baywatch, Married... with Children, Boston Legal, The Garbage Pail Kids Movie, Dexter, and Bones. In 2008, she filmed scenes for the action thriller Bitch Slap.[3] She also performed as a stunt double – often for child actors and dolls that had come to life – in films like Titanic and the Child's Play slasher film series.[4]
Carrington was born with dwarfism and said she had experienced prejudicial attitudes as a dwarf in Hollywood. She supported other dwarf actors, insisting that they received credit for their work, since many costume-specific parts often went uncredited.
By the 1990s, Carrington began to push back against being typecast in costume-only roles. On television, she played character roles like Tiny Avenger on In Living Color, Tammy in Seinfeld, and Doreen in The Drew Carey Show.[4] Additionally, in 1990, she was photographed by Peter Lindbergh for Vogue Italia with supermodel Helena Christensen.[5]
Death
[edit]Carrington died on March 23, 2018, at age 58 in her parents' home in Pleasanton, California following a period of health complications.[6][4]
Filmography
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Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Under the Rainbow | Hotel Rainbow Guest | |
| 1983 | Return of the Jedi | Romba Ewok | |
| 1984 | Earthlings | Zet | TV movie |
| The Ewok Adventure | Weechee | TV movie | |
| 1985 | Ewoks: The Battle for Endor | Weechee | TV movie |
| 1986 | Invaders from Mars | Drone | |
| Howard the Duck | Duck | ||
| Captain EO | Idee | Short | |
| 1987 | Harry and the Hendersons | Little Bigfoot | |
| The Garbage Pail Kids Movie | Valerie Vomit | ||
| 1989 | Nerds of a Feather | Little Army of Little Russian Soldiers | |
| 1990 | Spaced Invaders | Dr. Ziplock | |
| Total Recall | Thumbelina | ||
| Club Fed | Betty | ||
| The Bonfire of the Vanities | Crying Midget | ||
| 1992 | Seedpeople | Tumbler | |
| Batman Returns | Emperor Penguin | ||
| Mom and Dad Save the World | Bwaaa (Fishface) | ||
| Cattive ragazze | Amy | ||
| 1994 | The High Crusade | Branithar | |
| 1995 | Born to Be Wild | Gorilla Team | |
| 1997 | Men in Black | Alien Father | |
| 1998 | Mighty Joe Young | Other Gorilla | |
| 1999 | She's All That | Felicity | |
| 2000 | The Independent | Surfer Girl | |
| The Christmas Secret | Gorah | TV movie | |
| 2003 | Tiptoes | Kitty Katz | |
| Scary Movie 3 | Mini Tabitha | ||
| 2004 | The Polar Express | Elf (voice) | |
| Seed of Chucky | Herself | ||
| Big Time | Gizzie Blunderbore | Short | |
| 2006 | Sunstroke | Receptionist | Short |
| 2008 | Bedtime Stories | Booing Goblin | |
| 2009 | Bitch Slap | "Hot Pocket" | |
| 2017 | Special Unit | Sophie |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | What's Happening Now!! | Munchkin | Episode: "The Improbable Dream" |
| Amazing Stories | Alien | Episode: "Fine Tuning" | |
| 1989 | Monsters | Troll | Episode: "Fools' Gold" |
| 1990 | Married... with Children | Alien | Episode: "Married... with Aliens" |
| WIOU | Carla Sapper | Episode: "Do the Wrong Thing" | |
| 1991 | The New Adam-12 | Cindy | Episode: "Trick or Trick" |
| 1991–92 | In Living Color | Tiny Avenger | Recurring Cast: Season 3 |
| 1993 | Tales from the Crypt | Circus Performer | Episode: "Food for Thought" |
| 1994 | Seinfeld | Tammy | Episode: "The Stand-In" |
| Baywatch | Debbie | Episode: "Silent Night, Baywatch Night: Part 1 & 2" | |
| 1998 | Tracey Takes On... | Raquel Gibson | Episode: "Loss" |
| The Journey of Allen Strange | Meetra | Episode: "Haunted" | |
| 1999–00 | The Drew Carey Show | Doreen | Recurring Cast: Season 5 |
| 2000 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Creature | Episode: "Listening to Fear" |
| 2001 | The Lone Gunmen | Sadie | Episode: "Madam, I'm Adam" |
| 2002 | ER | Ginger Jones | Episodes: "A Simple Twist of Fate" |
| Philly | Stephanie Renato | Episode: "Tall Tales" | |
| The District | Alice | Episode: "Small Packages" | |
| 2004 | Boston Legal | Patty | Episode: "Loose Lips" |
| Huff | Marla | Episode: "Flashpants" | |
| 2006 | Dexter | Patty | Episode: "Truth Be Told" |
| Nip/Tuck | Merrily | Episode: "Reefer" | |
| 2008 | Men in Trees | Karen | Episode: "Read Between the Minds" |
| 2009 | Bones | Gidget Jones | Episode: "The Dwarf in the Dirt" |
| 2011 | Pair of Kings | Squonk Queen | Episode: "Dinner for Squonks" |
| Jessie | Jingles | Episode: "Christmas Story" | |
| 2012 | The New Normal | Little Person Mom | Episode: "Pilot" |
| See Dad Run | Brenda | Episode: "See Dad Lose Janie" | |
| 2016 | Grace and Frankie | Tina Marie | Episode: "The Party" |
Music video
[edit]| Year | Artist | Song | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Aerosmith | "Love in an Elevator" | Dwarf Woman |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Chuba, Kirsten (March 29, 2018). "Deborah Carrington, Stuntwoman and 'Total Recall' Actress, Dies at 58". Variety. Archived from the original on April 11, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ Kaplan, Ilana (March 30, 2018). "Debbie Lee Carrington dead: Total Recall and Star Wars actress dies aged 58". The Independent. Archived from the original on August 28, 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- ^ "David Strick's Hollywood Backlot". Los Angeles Times. 2008-06-12. Archived from the original on 2011-09-10. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
- ^ a b c Sedacca, Matthew (March 29, 2018). "Deborah Carrington, 58, Dies; Actress and Stuntwoman". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
- ^ "Photos PETER LINDBERGH". peter.lindbergh.free.fr.
- ^ Actress and Stuntwoman Debbie Lee Carrington Has Passed Away Archived 2019-06-23 at the Wayback Machine Bloody Disgusting, March 24, 2018
External links
[edit]
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |