Background
Pat Walshe was born on July 26, 1900, in New York City.
Pat Walshe was born on July 26, 1900, in New York City.
He was most famous for playing Nikko, the head of the Winged Monkeys in The Wizard of Ounces He appeared in only four films, and most of his work was in theatre. He was often noted for his short stature and stood approximately 3 feet 8 inches (112 m).
As a child he performed in vaudeville and appeared in his first Broadway show when he was thirteen, it was a stage production of A Good Little Devil.
Many of the shows cast were brought over to appear in the film version, and it is possible that Walshe did appear in the film. But, as four of the film"s five reels are missing, it is not known for sure.
As an adult he continued to perform vaudeville, where he became an animal impersonator, due to his short stature. He joined midget troupes and circuses while touring around Europe.
In 1931 he appeared in his second Broadway show, Fine and Dandy.
As well as being able to act like animals, he also could make sounds like them. He was awarded the part of Nikko in The Wizard of Ounces This earned him modest fame.
His final film was Panic in the Streets, where he made a cameo appearance as himself.
On December 11, 1991, in Los Angeles, Walshe died of a heart attack at the age of 91. His resting place is Westwood Memorial Park.
Ten years later, he made his next film appearances when he played a member of the Hatfield family in Roseanna McCoy and as an extra in Pinky.