Martin Klebba

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Martin Klebba
Klebba in 2007
Born (1969-06-23) June 23, 1969 (age 54)
EducationAthens High School
Occupations
Years active1983–present
Height4 ft 1 in (124 cm)

Martin Klebba (born June 23, 1969) is an American actor and stunt performer. He has a form of dwarfism called acromicric dysplasia; he is 4 feet 1 inch (1.24 m).[1] Klebba is best known for his role as Marty in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Personal life[edit]

Klebba was born and grew up in Troy, Michigan, graduating from Athens High School.[2]

Klebba runs a nonprofit foundation called Coalition for Dwarf Advocacy, which gives 100% of its donations to the cause of helping little people.[3]

Career[edit]

Early career[edit]

Klebba was an occasional guest on The Howard Stern Show in the 1990s and early 2000s, and was given the nickname "Marty the Midget".[4]

Film[edit]

Martin Klebba has acted in various productions, most notably the Pirates of the Caribbean series as Marty, a dwarf pirate member of Captain Jack Sparrow's crew in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. The character was originally named "Dirk," but someone, possibly director Gore Verbinski, preferred the actor's real name instead.[5] Klebba reprised his role in the sequels Dead Man's Chest, At World's End, and Dead Men Tell No Tales. On the role, Klebba was quoted in saying he's a normal guy who fell into the franchise, one stunt turned into four out of five movies.[6]

In 2003, Klebba played the ring announcer in the Cradle 2 the Grave. In 2009, Klebba played the role of "Count Le Petite" in All's Faire in Love, a romantic comedy set at a Renaissance fair. He has also been in low budget horror/comedy films Feast II: Sloppy Seconds & Feast III: The Happy Finish as "Thunder."

He has numerous stunt credits as well including Hancock, Zombieland, Bedtime Stories, Evan Almighty, Meet the Spartans, Epic Movie, and Van Helsing. Wearing motion capture pajamas, "Marty" stood in for the Dimorphodon who grapples with Chris Pratt in Jurassic World.

Television[edit]

Klebba starred as Friday, one of the seven dwarfs, in the 2001 made-for-TV film Snow White: The Fairest of Them All. In 2003, Klebba starred as Hank Dingo in the Comedy Central made-for-TV movie Knee High P.I.. He also made an appearance as a demon in the Charmed, season 6 episode Witch Wars (2004). He has also appeared in iCarly and Drake & Josh as Nug Nug.

Klebba made many appearances as Randall Winston in the television series Scrubs. He starred in the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episode "The Chick Chop Flick Shop" (2007) as Dickie Jones, and in the CSI: NY episode "Uncertainty Rules" (2010) as Calvin Moore. Also in 2010, Klebba guest starred as Hibachi in Pair of Kings, a Disney TV series. He played Todd Moore in the Bones (TV series) season 5 episode "Dwarf in the Dirt"' (2010).

Klebba has also been featured on the TLC reality show, Little People, Big World, with his good friend Amy Roloff. He will be featured in one episode of VH-1's I'm Married to a... in which his average sized wife talks about being married to a little person.

In 2011, Klebba appeared on The Cape as a series regular named "Rollo". He also appeared once again in Mirror Mirror (2012), which starred Julia Roberts, Armie Hammer, and Lily Collins.

Filmography[edit]

Film

Year Film Role Notes
2001 Planet of the Apes Monkey Grinder's Pet Uncredited role
Corky Romano Mini Bouncer
How High Party Guest
2002 Run Ronnie Run Music Video Doorman
Big Fat Liar Kissing Bandit Uncredited role
Death to Smoochy Rhinette / Krinkle Kid #3
Men in Black II Family Child Alien
Austin Powers in Goldmember Dancer Uncredited role
Blood Shot Secret Weapon Short film
2003 National Security Security Guard Uncredited role
Cradle 2 the Grave Fight Announcer
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Marty
El Matador Me Too
A Light in the Forest Boar
Looney Tunes: Back in Action Dancing Yosemite Sam
The Haunted Mansion Pickwick Uncredited role
2004 Van Helsing Dwerger
2005 Americano Matador
2006 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Marty
2007 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Marty
Cougar Club Short Boss Man Uncredited role
The Santa Trap Special Ops Elf
2008 Hancock Prisoner Uncredited role
Feast II: Sloppy Seconds Thunder Direct-to-video
2009 Feast III: The Happy Finish Thunder
American High School Principal Mann
2010 A Short Film Cowboy Short film
2011 Night of the Little Dead Little Dead
In the Gray Producer only
2012 Project X Dwarf Partygoer Credited as Angry Little Person
Mirror Mirror Butcher
2013 Movie 43 Killer Chaun
Oz the Great and Powerful Nikko
Blood Shot Marud
2014 The Hungover Games Fruito
The Bag Man Guano
Left Behind Melvin Weir
2015 Jurassic World Dimorphodon
Ted 2 Chucky
2016 Range 15 Zombie Klebba
All Hallows Eve Barnaby
2017 Eloise Mental Patient
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Marty
2019 Viy 2: Journey to China Captain
2024 The Electric State TBA Post-production
2025 Snow White Grumpy

Television

Year Film Role Notes
2001 Snow White: The Fairest of Them All Friday Television film
2011 Pair of Kings Hibachi 3 episodes
2021 Pacific Rim: The Black Spyder (voice) Recurring role (season 1)

References[edit]

  1. ^ Marty the Midget got married, archived from the original on 2021-07-12, retrieved 2021-07-12
  2. ^ McClatchy-Tribune Information Service (2011-01-05). "Martin Klebba has fun with his slightly shady character on 'The Cape'". Boulder Weekly. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
  3. ^ Cooper, Chet. "Martin Klebba". Ability. Retrieved 2012-04-03.
  4. ^ "MarksFriggin.com - Stern Show Archive (For The Week Of 9/9/2002 to 9/13/2002)".
  5. ^ Bring Me That Horizon: The Making of Pirates of the Caribbean, pg.83
  6. ^ "'Marty' meets pirate film fans". 24 July 2022.

External links[edit]