David Rappaport Facts for Kids (2024)

Quick facts for kids

David Rappaport

Born

David Stephen Rappaport


23 November 1951

London, England

Died2 May 1990 (aged38)

Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Resting placeWaltham Abbey Jewish Cemetery, Waltham Abbey, Epping Forest District, Essex, England
OccupationActor, musician, writer, director, teacher
Yearsactive1971–1990
KnownforTime Bandits (1981)
Robin of Sherwood (1986)

David Stephen Rappaport (23 November 1951 – 2 May 1990) was an English actor with achondroplasia (a genetic disorder where the primary feature is dwarfism). He appeared in the films Time Bandits and The Bride, and television series L.A. Law, The Wizard and Captain Planet and the Planeteers. He was 3' 11" (1.19 m) in height.

Contents

  • Early life
  • Career
  • Final years, death and legacy
  • Theatre
  • Filmography
    • Film
    • Television

Early life

Rappaport was born to Jewish taxi driver Mark and his wife Diana, née Schneiderman in London. He was born with achondroplasia, a common form of dwarfism. As a child, he developed talents in playing the accordion and drums, the latter of which he played professionally during his life. Rappaport studied psychology at the University of Bristol from 1970, graduating with a degree while developing his skills as a semi-professional drummer, and acting skills at the college dramatical society.

After six months in the United States, he returned to the United Kingdom to marry his college girlfriend, Jane. They had a son Joe, and Rappaport tried to settle down to family life as a teacher. But as his marriage broke down and he decided to follow a career as an actor, he became a resident of the squatter "nation" of Frestonia, acting as Foreign Minister under the name David Rappaport-Bramley – all inhabitants adopted the surname 'Bramley', so that if the Greater London Council were to succeed in an eviction, they would have to rehouse them as one family.

Career

David Rappaport first came to public notice in children's television, appearing alongside Sylvester McCoy as an O-Man in the 1979 BBC children's series Jigsaw. Rappaport and McCoy had previously appeared together in Illuminatus! at the Science Fiction Theatre of Liverpool (founded by Ken Campbell and Chris Langham in 1976). The two men also appeared in the anarchic Ken Campbell Road Show. Rappaport was with the Road Show in 1979 when it featured in the Secret Policeman's Ball.

In the early 1980s Rappaport played the character of "Shades" on the anarchic Saturday morning kids TV shows Tiswas and The Saturday Show. One of Rappaport's most popular roles was as Randall, the leader of the gang of dwarves in the Terry Gilliam film Time Bandits in 1981. During the mid-80s, Rappaport played in the HTV production of Robin of Sherwood (released as Robin Hood in the US) with Jason Connery as Robin. The show was filmed in Bristol, where Rappaport had a home. During this time, he also made himself at home aboard Ki Longfellow-Stanshall and Vivian Stanshall's ship moored in the Bristol docks where he often appeared on stage. Rappaport appeared in 1985's The Bride as a circus dwarf who befriends Frankenstein's monster (played by 6ft 4in (1.93m) Clancy Brown). In 1986, Rappaport appeared on the 1985–1987 NBC TV Series Amazing Stories in an episode called "Gather Ye Acorns" (starring Mark Hamill of Star Wars fame). From 1986 to 1987, Rappaport played the lead role of Simon McKay in the CBS television series The Wizard. Rappaport also made guest appearances on such shows as The Goodies, The Young Ones, and L.A. Law.

In L.A. Law, Rappaport played lawyer Hamilton Schuyler in two episodes. Both episodes were significant roles, opposing Jimmy Smits. The second of these, "The Mouse that Roared", was filmed only six months prior to his death. Though the Schuyler character was frequently described as "from Texas," Rappaport made no attempt to hide his British accent, which was never explained within the show.

Rappaport was the voice of Dr. Blight's computer, MAL, on Captain Planet and the Planeteers; he was replaced by Tim Curry after his first four appearances due to his death four months before the series aired. He also played Mr. Belvedere's cousin on an episode of Mr. Belvedere entitled "Duel" (Season 5 Episode 6).

Final years, death and legacy

In 1987, Rappaport was best man at the wedding of Hazel O'Connor and artist Kurt Bippert, which took place on Venice Beach, California.

Rappaport struggled with depression later in his life. Just before his death, he had been cast and begun filming for the role of Kivas Fajo in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Most Toys". The scenes he had completed were later discarded when actor Saul Rubinek was hurriedly brought in by producers to replace him and complete the episode. The scenes of Rappaport as Kivas Fajo were included on the Season 3 Blu-ray Disc release of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Rappaport died on 2 May 1990.

Two of the creators of the US television series The Wizard, Michael Berk and Douglas Schwartz, went on to produce the lifeguard drama Baywatch. In this show's fifth season is an episode entitled "Short Sighted" which originally aired on 31 October 1994. Part of this episode concerns junior lifeguard Carter McKay (Nicholas Banko), whose father Simon McKay (Ed Gale) is a namesake tribute to Rappaport's character on The Wizard.

Theatre

YearTitleRole
1971–1972Sleep Fast, They've Landed (Everybody Wants a Frozen Donkey for Christmas)Yellow
Stonehenge Follies
1975-77Illuminatus!Markoff Chaney
Portland Bill Street Theatre
The ImmortalistReporter/Interviewer
Interplay
1977VolponeNano
The Warp
1979Little Brother Is Watching You (Small Is Beautiful)Himself
1979The Secret Policeman's BallMember of Ken Campbell Road Show
1980Dr. FaustusBeelzebub, Dick, Pope Adrian, and other characters
1980Cinderella
1983Exit the KingThe Doctor
1985LuluSchigolch

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleType
1973Turkish Delight (aka The Sensualist)DwarfFeature film
1978MysteriesGrogardFeature film
1979Black JackTom Thumb's ArmyFeature film
1979CubaJesusFeature film
1979The Secret Policeman's BallVarious charactersTV film
1981Time BanditsRandallFeature film
1981John DiamondMr SeedFeature film
1981Tales from the Thousand and One NightsFeature film
1982The Secret Policeman’s Other BallVarious charactersTV film
1982Beauty and the BeastBearkeeperTV film
1984Sword of the Valiant: The Legend of Sir Gawain and the Green KnightSageFeature film
1984The GourmetDr GrosvenorTV film
1985The BrideRinaldoFeature film
1986The Madness MuseumGhengisTV film
1989Luigi's LadiesLuigiFeature film

Television

YearTitleRoleType
1973Arthur of the BritonsWood PersonTV series, 1 episode
1978Whodunnit?CocoTV series, 1 episode
1978Do You Remember?PedroTV series, 1 episode
1978The Famous FiveMr Wooh’s AssistantTV series, 2 episodes
1979Not the Nine O'Clock NewsVariousTV series, 2 episodes
1980Q5Various charactersTV series, 4 episodes
1980–1981JigsawO-ManTV series, 12 episodes
1981, 1982The GoodiesRobot / Chief DwarfTV series, 5 episodes
1981–1982TiswasShadesTV series, 7 episodes
1982The Young OnesFtumch & ShirleyTV series, 2 episodes
1982There’s a Lot of it AboutVarious characters1985
1983Monaco Franze – Der ewige StenzTV series, 1 episode
1984Unfair ExchangesArthurTV series, Season 1 Episode 3
1984The Saturday ShowShadesTV series
1984DramaramaLukoTV series, 1 episode
1984Screen TwoArthurTV series, 1 episode
1985The Kenny Everett Television ShowVariousTV series, 1 episode
1985Summer SeasonChimpTV series, 1 episode
1986Fortune DaneAugie BriscoeTV series, 1 episode
1986Hardcastle and McCormickCluracanTV series, 1 episode
1986Robin of Sherwood (aka Robin Hood)SkulleyTV series, 1 episode
1986Amazing StoriesAncient Tree TrollTV series, Season 1 Episode 16: "Gather Ye Acorns"
1986–1987The WizardSimon McKayTV series, 19 episodes
1987, 1989L.A. LawHamilton SchuylerTV series, 3 episodes
1988HoopermanNick DerringerTV series, 2 episodes
1988Mr. BelvedereGalen BelvedereTV series, Season 5 Episode 6: "Duel"
1989A Fine RomanceDr TomasTV series, 1 episode
1989Peter GunnSpeckTV series
1990Beyond the GrooveSir Harold BlamdfordTV series, 3 episodes
1990Captain PlanetMAL (voice)TV series
1990Star Trek: The Next GenerationKivas FajoTV series, Episode: The Most Toys
(unreleased version)

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David Rappaport Facts for Kids (2024)

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