Size Matters Not: The Extraordinary Life and Career of Warwick Davis

by Warwick Davis

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"The life and times of Warwick Davis, star of Ricky Gervais's forthcoming sitcom, Life's Too ShortActors work their entire careers hoping to achieve the kind of cult movie hero status that Davis achieved at the age of eleven playing Wicket W. Warrick, the lead Ewok in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. In this lively and down-to-earth memoir, Davis offers personal stories on the making of some of the most popular films of the last few decades--including the Star Wars, Harry Potter, and show more Leprechaun movie franchises, among many others--and shares the unique perspective of life as experienced by someone with a one-in-a-million genetic condition. The real life of the man who helped destroy a Death Star, saved a princess, defeated an evil sorceress, taught magic to Harry Potter, became a Jedi Master, and embodied a mass murdering, gold-obsessed leprechaun--the one and only Warwick Davis Warwick Davis's honest look at the highs and lows of life as an actor and pop culture icon, from his screen debut in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi to his starring role in Ricky Gervais's forthcoming sitcom, Life's Too Short Includes behind-the-scenes stories, from sweltering inside a furry Ewok costume and filling in for R2-D2 to sliding down a glacier at Mach 2 with Val Kilmer and getting kicked in the face by Ricky Gervais (again and again); Features a foreword by George Lucas, who has been friends with Davis for almost three decades; Both refreshingly frank and highly entertaining, this book will help you see what life is like when it really is too short"-- show less

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3 reviews
Warwick Davis's career really has been extraordinary. His very first acting gig was on Return of the Jedi at the age of eleven. He was hired just beause he fit into an Ewok suit -- he'd top out as an adult at three foot six and was even shorter then -- and impressed everybody so much they decided to have him play Wicket when the actor who was originally supposed to do it came down with food poisoning. He then went on to star in Willow when he was only seventeen, and has since done all kinds of interesting things, including playing Professor Flitwick in the Harry Potter movies.

Davis talks a lot, in this memoir, about all the amazing projects he's worked on, and about palling around with the likes of George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Val show more Kilmer, and Ricky Gervais, but he never comes across as egotistical or name-droppy. Instead, every page oozes with charming, forthright enthusiasm. This is a guy who can't believe how lucky he is and how much fun he's having -- except maybe when they're trying to drown him in a storm scene or suffocate him in hot foam costumes on 100-degree days -- and is happy to take his readers along for the ride. He comes across as marvelously likable, funny, down-to-earth, and, despite having suffered his share of personal tragedies, irrepressibly upbeat. It was an utter, utter delight to hang out with him for a few hundred pages, and I'm still grinning after finishing it. show less
½
Genuinely funny and upbeat in tone, though there are some tragic moments. I expected him to talk about working with Billy Barty, perhaps the most famous little person actor at that time, but he didn't say a word. Odd. I guess it just wasn't memorable or maybe it was negative and he didn't want to speak ill of the dead. Much later he did refer to BB as the founder of the LPA.
Very good, emotional and funny. Fantastic reading about Warwick's life, so humble and talented. Must watch more of his movies!

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Picture of author.
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Emery, Gideon (Narrator)

Common Knowledge

Original publication date
2010
Dedication
Mum and Dad -- You gave me life

Nana Davis -- You started it all

George Lucas -- For all the opportunities

Sammy, Annabelle, Harrison, Lloyd and Baby George -- You make me feel 10 feet tall

Love an... (show all)d magic ... always x
First words
My dad had been sitting with no little anxiety in the expectant fathers' waiting room when he saw the doctor marching down the long corridor toward him.
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)... You deservedly hold the trump card.

Classifications

Genres
Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir, General Nonfiction
DDC/MDS
792.028092Arts & recreationRecreation, sports, and performing artsStage presentationsmodified standard subdivisionsTechniques, procedures, apparatus, equipment, materials, miscellanyActing and Performancemodified standard subdivisionsHistory, geographic treatment, biographyBiography
LCC
PN2598 .D313 .A3Language and LiteratureLiterature (General)Literature (General)DramaDramatic representation. The theaterSpecial regions or countries
BISAC

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81
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393,892
Reviews
3
Rating
(3.81)
Languages
English, Spanish
Media
Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
ISBNs
10
ASINs
4