# Debbie Lee Carrington
**Debbie Lee Carrington** (birth name Deborah Lee Carrington; 1959 – March 23, 2018) was an American actress and stunt performer with dwarfism who appeared in film and television for more than three decades, most notably as an ewok in *Star Wars: Return of the Jedi* and as [Thumbelina](https://www.edgepedia.org/thumbelina) in *Total Recall* (1990).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140559/bio/) • [2](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/debbie-lee-carrington-dies-actress-013208323.html) She stood 3 feet 10 inches (1.17 m) tall as an adult.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140559/bio/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born / died | 1959, San Jose, California; March 23, 2018, Pleasanton, California, aged 58[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140559/bio/) |
| Cause of death | Died in her sleep from undetermined causes, according to her sister Cathy Ellis[2](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/debbie-lee-carrington-dies-actress-013208323.html) |
| Height | 3′ 10″ (1.17 m)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140559/bio/) |
| Signature roles | Ewok in *Star Wars: Return of the Jedi* (1983); Thumbelina in *Total Recall* (1990); Alien Father in *Men in Black* (1997)[3](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/303494-Debbie-Lee-Carrington) |
| Stunt work | Stunts and stunt doubling in roughly 30 titles, including *Titanic*, *Van Helsing*, and *Bride of Chucky*[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140559/) |
| Education | Degree from the University of California, Davis, earned in 1982[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140559/bio/) |
| Career span | Screen credits from *Under the Rainbow* (1981) to *Special Unit* (2017)[3](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/303494-Debbie-Lee-Carrington) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140559/) |
## Early life and entry into film
Carrington was born in [San Jose, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-jose-california), to Fred and Marlene Carrington, and had a brother, Robert, and a sister, Cathy.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140559/bio/) In high school she was a cheerleader and played [Sancho Panza](https://www.edgepedia.org/sancho-panza) in a junior-year production of *Man of La Mancha*, an experience she credited with igniting her passion for acting.[2](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/debbie-lee-carrington-dies-actress-013208323.html)
While attending the [University of California, Davis](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-california-davis), she saw an advertisement in the Little People of America magazine seeking extras for *Under the Rainbow*, a 1981 comedy loosely based on the little people who auditioned for Munchkin roles in *The Wizard of Oz*. She won a part as a Hotel Rainbow guest, took time off from college for the role, and later returned to complete her degree.[2](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/debbie-lee-carrington-dies-actress-013208323.html) • [3](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/303494-Debbie-Lee-Carrington) Sources describe the degree differently: IMDb's biography lists a degree in child psychology earned in 1982, while Yahoo Entertainment and TVmaze say the degree was in early childhood development.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140559/bio/) • [2](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/debbie-lee-carrington-dies-actress-013208323.html)
## Screen career
**Costume and creature roles.** Carrington's early career was built on parts that suited her height, many in costume. She played an ewok in *Star Wars: Return of the Jedi* (1983), a role identified by the German database FMDb as Romba, and reprised ewok work in the two made-for-television films *Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure* (1984) and *Ewoks: The Battle for [Endor](https://www.edgepedia.org/endor-star-wars)*, in which Spanish and French filmographies credit her as Weechee.[2](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/debbie-lee-carrington-dies-actress-013208323.html) • [5](https://fmdb.mov/people/19753-debbie-lee-carrington) • [6](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-66704/filmographie/) Her other credited creature and character parts include Valerie Vomit in *[The Garbage Pail Kids Movie](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-garbage-pail-kids-movie)* (1987), Little Bigfoot in *Harry and the Hendersons* (1987), Thumbelina in *Total Recall* (1990), Dr. Ziplock in *Spaced Invaders* (1990), the Emperor Penguin in *Batman Returns* (1992), and an elf in *The Polar Express* (2004).[3](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/303494-Debbie-Lee-Carrington) In Michael Jackson's 3D short film *Captain EO*, she played Idy, one half of the two-headed Geex; Cindy Sorensen played the other half, Ody, and [Carrington](https://www.edgepedia.org/carrington) described in a 2010 interview how the two actresses had to be matched in height and coordinate a single performance inside one costume.[7](https://www.endorexpress.net/related/captain-eo/2010/03/debbie-lee-carrington/) Her better-known face roles include the Alien Father in *Men in Black* (1997) and Felicity in *She's All That* (1999).[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140559/)
**Television.** Carrington worked steadily as a guest performer, with appearances on *Seinfeld* (as Tammy, 1994), *The Drew Carey Show* (as Doreen in four episodes), *Baywatch*, *ER*, *Boston Legal*, *Dexter*, *Buffy the Vampire Slayer*, *Bones*, *Nip/Tuck*, *[Jessie](https://www.edgepedia.org/jessie-2011-tv-series)*, and *Grace and Frankie*.[8](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/29797/debbie-lee-carrington) Her final listed screen appearance was in the 2017 film *Special Unit*.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140559/)
**Stunt work.** Alongside acting, Carrington built a parallel career as a stunt performer and double, with credits on about 30 titles including *Titanic* (1997), *Spawn*, *Wes Craven's New Nightmare*, *Van Helsing*, and *[Bless the Child](https://www.edgepedia.org/bless-the-child)*.[9](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/debbie-lee-carrington/credits/3060087277/) In the *Chucky* films she doubled the possessed doll, credited as stunt double for Chucky in *Curse of Chucky* (2013) and as Tiffany's double in *Bride of Chucky* (1998).[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140559/) • [9](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/debbie-lee-carrington/credits/3060087277/) She also appeared in the music video for Aerosmith's "Love in an Elevator".[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140559/)
## Later life and death
Carrington was a regular, well-received presence at Comic-Con and other live entertainment events.[2](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/debbie-lee-carrington-dies-actress-013208323.html) She died on March 23, 2018, at her parents' home in [Pleasanton, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/pleasanton-california), aged 58, dying in her sleep from undetermined causes according to her sister.[2](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/debbie-lee-carrington-dies-actress-013208323.html) • [10](https://www.idcrawl.com/deborah-carrington) Private memorial services were planned in Northern and [Southern California](https://www.edgepedia.org/southern-california); her survivors included her parents, her sister Cathy, and her brother Robert.[2](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/debbie-lee-carrington-dies-actress-013208323.html)
## References
1. [Debbie Lee Carrington – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140559/bio/)
2. [Debbie Lee Carrington Dies: Actress In 'Total Recall' And 'Star Wars' Was 58, Deadline via Yahoo Entertainment (Bruce Haring, 2018)](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/debbie-lee-carrington-dies-actress-013208323.html)
3. [Debbie Lee Carrington filmography, AFI Catalog of Feature Films](https://catalog.afi.com/Person/303494-Debbie-Lee-Carrington)
4. [Debbie Lee Carrington, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0140559/)
5. [Debbie Lee Carrington, FMDb](https://fmdb.mov/people/19753-debbie-lee-carrington)
6. [Filmographie Debbie Lee Carrington, AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-66704/filmographie/)
7. [Interview: Debbie Lee Carrington: Actress 'Idy', EndorExpress (David Yeh, 2010)](https://www.endorexpress.net/related/captain-eo/2010/03/debbie-lee-carrington/)
8. [Debbie Lee Carrington, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/29797/debbie-lee-carrington)
9. [Debbie Lee Carrington List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/debbie-lee-carrington/credits/3060087277/)
10. [Deborah Carrington profiles and obituary listings, IDCrawl](https://www.idcrawl.com/deborah-carrington)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames C to Cl*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license