BLASTERMIND Size Matters Not
NOW WITH ANSWERS With Tyrion Lannister back on our screens, this week’s quiz is a celebration of other little sci-i and fantasy actors
The wait is over. Game Of Thrones is back. Sex and horse decapitations and dragons and the legend that is Tyrion Lannister will have us glued once more to the screen.
And it’s not just us fantasy fans who’ve recognised the brilliance of Peter Dinklage’s performance as Tyrion. The guy won an Emmy, and it was well-deserved indeed. It didn’t even feel like a plaudit gained out of some well-meaning but patronising sympathy because he’s an actor of diminutive stature – he simply managed to bring Tyrion to life in the most believable way (so why the Hugo Awards didn’t even nominate him for Best Actor is the real mystery).
But Tyrion’s by no means the first little person to make his mark on sci-fi and fantasy. Below are 12 more characters of restricted height (played by 10 different actors). Can you identify the film or TV show they’re from? Be careful – some of the actors may be more famous from other roles. Make sure you get the right one!
Usual request: Please don’t put answers in the comments section below (though feel free to use it to boast/bemoan how well/badly you’re doing) but the folks on this thread are quite happy for you to post and discuss answers if you follow the golden rule of only posting answers in invisible text (if you don’t know how ask somebody there – they’re very friendly).
Answers on the next page…
Answers on the next page…
Carnivale
The Prisoner (Angelo Muscat appeared in 14 of the 17 episodes)
The X-Files (extra points if you knew the episode was “Badlaa” – and yes, that is Deep Roy of “The Talons Of Weng-Chiang” and Charlie And The Chocolate Factory fame)
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Willow
The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus
Twin Peaks
The Man With The Golden Gun (not Fantasy Island , though it is the same actor)
Leprechaun
Lost Girl
Harry Potter (half a point) And The Philosopher’s Stone (another half point) – Professor Flitwick had a major makeover in later films, which probably pleased JK Rowling who commented, “I must admit, I was taken aback when I saw the film Flitwick, who looks very much like a goblin/elf (I’ve never actually asked the film-makers precisely what he is), because the Flitwick in my imagination simply looks like a very small old man.”
Threshold
The Time Bandits
Dave is a TV and film journalist who specializes in the science fiction and fantasy genres. He's written books about film posters and post-apocalypses, alongside writing for SFX Magazine for many years.