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"I'm just a normal guy who fell into the franchise. I submitted my name to do stunts and the director liked me. One stunt turned into four out of five movies."
―Martin Klebba[src]

Martin Klebba (born June 23, 1969), also credited as Marty Klebba, is an actor and stunt performer. The native of Troy, Michigan, Klebba has a form of dwarfism called acromicric dysplasia; he is 4'1" feet tall. Despite this, Martin Klebba had enjoyed numerous credits in feature films and television as both actor and stunt player.

Among his many roles, Martin Klebba portrayed the diminutive but tough Marty in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. He also worked as a stunt double on in the first three films, though was credited only for his work in this capacity on At World's End.

Biography[]

Film and Television career[]

His motion-picture credits as an actor have included Men in Black II, A Light in the Forest, Cradle 2 the Grave, El Matador, Looney Tunes: Back in Action and Americano. He was a stunt player in the films The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, The Animal, Planet of the Apes, Leprechaun: Back 2 Tha Hood, Van Helsing and SuperBabies: Baby Geniuses 2.

On television, Klebba is perhaps best known for his role as Randall Winston in multiple episodes of Scrubs, and he has also appeared in the TV movies Snow White and The Santa Trap, and in the series National Lampoon's Gordo's Road Show, Cedric the Entertainer Presents, Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Mad TV, Just Shoot Me! and Malcolm in the Middle. Klebba starred in the title role as tough detective Hank Dingo in Comedy Central's Knee High P.I.

Martinklebba

He's also a frequent guest on Howard Stern's hugely popular radio program. He is also the Fastest Little Person in the world and competes against other LP's from around the world. Martin has recently started a non-profit charity called CoDA (Coalition for Dwarf Advocacy) in which he and his friend Matt Roloff raise money to help get dwarf children adopted. His favorite role in life is father to his son Alec Martin Klebba.[1][2]

Pirates of the Caribbean[]

"I thought, if they bring me back, cool. If they don't, you know, I had a great time and enjoyed the opportunity. When I got a call asking me to come in for a costume fitting for 'Dead Man's Chest' and 'Pirates III,' I thought 'Wow! How often does this happen to an actor?!'"
―Martin Klebba[src]
DMCMartyBayouPromo

Martin Klebba as Marty in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.

For the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Martin Klebba portrayed Marty, a crew member of short stature but tall spirit and unafraid to go up against adversaries three times his size. "My character was originally named Dirk, but somebody—I think it was Gore Verbinski—preferred to use my real name instead," said Martin Klebba on his namesake. "Marty is from the island of Tortuga, and obviously he's a short-statured guy, but the one thing about pirates is that they didn't discriminate against anybody. They'll treat you as an equal as long as you pull your own weight. Marty is just like anyone else on the Black Pearl. As long as he's being paid, it's all good but, like the others, Marty doesn't really have an allegiance to anybody but himself." In addition to his acting, Marty Klebba is also a professional stuntman and, as such, has performed his on stunts on set. "It makes the story that much more real when you see the actual actor doing it. And I love doing them." Once in costume and makeup, Marty asserted, "I change. Once you get into it, it's like—boom!—I'm not Marty anymore, I'm Marty. Well, that doesn't make any sense, but I'm totally different when I'm in character. Marty's determined to get to where he wants to go through life and be respected. And he's enjoying the opportunity to work with one of the greatest pirates." As to the keys around Marty's neck, costume designer Penny Rose "decided that before I was a pirate, I was quite a womanizer, so these actually represent the keys to women's hearts."[3]

Martin Klebba POTC3AWE Premiere

Martin Klebba at the premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.

Klebba was surprised as many were on the success of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, which led to his return in the back-to-back productions of the second and third films, Dead Man's Chest and At World's End. On returning as the diminutive but tough Marty, Klebba said said, "I thought, if they bring me back, cool. If they don't, you know, I had a great time and enjoyed the opportunity. When I got a call asking me to come in for a costume fitting for 'Dead Man's Chest' and 'Pirates III,' I thought, 'Wow! How often does this happen to an actor?!'" One of the more notable scenes was filmed back at the former Marineland site in Palos Verdes, Verbinski continued directing a sequence at Pelegosto island, and this time, some of the stars‐including Orlando Bloom (Will Turner), Kevin R. McNally (Joshamee Gibbs), David Bailie (Cotton) and Martin Klebba—found themselves in a bone cage set loose from a 100-foot tall crane, swinging freely in long, wide arcs.[1] Spending much time at sea, particularly as fall turned it both cooler and choppier, tested the mettle of even the hardiest pirates, as Martin Klebba noted, "I mean, you're on a boat 10, 12, 14 hours a day. There's no way to walk away somewhere and collect your head. You're on a boat with another hundred or so people all trying to make the movie the best they can. They kept us plied with lots of water and food, brought boxed lunches to the ships, but you have no control of the sea tossing you about, mentally you get drained, and finally you go back to the hotel, wake up eight hours later and do it all over again. And even in your bed at night, or sitting at a computer, everything is still rocking back and forth. It's like being on a roller coaster."[2] According to Klebba, the only time he got hurt was while filming the scene "on the crow's nest firing during the storm" in which he sliced his hand, but he kept on going.[4]

Almost two years of shooting Dead Man's Chest and At World's End later, the approaching wrap brought a bagful of seriously mixed emotions among the cast and crew. "It's going to be like breaking up with your girlfriend," said Martin Klebba incisively just before he wrapped his role in At World's End.[2] To promote the film, Martin Klebba made an appearance during the Pirates Marathon at El Capitan Theatre in 2007.[citation needed]

Because his role was popular, Martin Klebba reprised the role of Marty for several aspects of the Pirates franchise. One of the bonus features in the Dead Man's Chest Blu-ray release was a full-motion video where Marty and Pintel (Lee Arenberg) teach viewers how to play the game Liar's Dice that was featured in the movie. One easter egg in the At World's End Blu-ray release showcased Klebba with his custom-made motorcycle, named the Black Pearl and had Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow on the gas tank, among other features. Klebba continued to appear in a series of advertisements, most notably one for Walmart, as well as starring in several videos (along with Arenberg as Pintel) to promote Pirates of the Caribbean Online.

Although Martin Klebba did not return for the fourth film, On Stranger Tides, he did make an appearance during the Pirates Marathon at El Capitan Theatre in 2011.[4] In 2013, Martin Klebba would join David Bailie, Kevin McNally, Lee Arenberg, Vanessa Branch (Giselle) and Lauren Maher (Scarlett) at the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo at McCormick Place on April 28, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois.[5]

In November 2014, Klebba posted a tweet implying his return to the fifth film, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, tagging Pirates co-stars Kevin McNally and Lee Arenberg. While in a conversation with McNally on Twitter, Klebba also expressed his hope that Arenberg and Mackenzie Crook (Ragetti) would return.[6] Although Arenberg and Crook were unable to return, Klebba and McNally arrived in Australia, starting work on the fifth film on February 2015.[7][8]

Appearances[]

External links[]

Notes and references[]

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