Dwarf, midget, little people, short people, person who wouldn’t be chosen to play in the NBA … I have no idea what the correct thing is that they want to be refereed to as these days. I’m just telling a story here.
In 1982, Ozzy called them dwarfs. John Edward Allen aka “Ronnie the Dwarf” was not only featured in the live performances but he also appeared inside of the classic gatefold of the Speak of the Devil album.
Ozzy gave Allen the stage name “Ronnie the Dwarf” as a direct shot to his former Black Sabbath band members and their new vocalist, Ronnie James Dio. Dio publicly talked about how much he resented Ozzy Osbourne for having a personal dwarf that he used in his live shows for both the Diary of a Madman and Speak of the Devil tours. Ozzy and Dio, two guys that absolutely didn’t like each other.
In 1982, Ozzy called them dwarfs. John Edward Allen aka “Ronnie the Dwarf” was not only featured in the live performances but he also appeared inside of the classic gatefold of the Speak of the Devil album.
Ozzy gave Allen the stage name “Ronnie the Dwarf” as a direct shot to his former Black Sabbath band members and their new vocalist, Ronnie James Dio. Dio publicly talked about how much he resented Ozzy Osbourne for having a personal dwarf that he used in his live shows for both the Diary of a Madman and Speak of the Devil tours. Ozzy and Dio, two guys that absolutely didn’t like each other.
During the band’s performances of “Goodbye to Romance”, Ozzy would execute Ronnie on stage by hanging him from a noose.
Allen would also make random appearances throughout the show to bring his master booze and towels.
Allen would also make random appearances throughout the show to bring his master booze and towels.
When guitarist Randy Rhodes and four other people died after a plane crash during the North American leg of the Diary of a Madman tour, Ozzy’s drinking and drug use soared to new levels. Allen also paralleled this behavior and things progressively got worse for the whole tour. He continued to swing from the noose on stage during the Speak of the Devil shows.
At one point, Ozzy was criticised for the treatment of ‘Ronnie’ after locking him in the luggage compartment of the tour bus.
“He showed up late, he drank… It got to me after a while,” Ozzy once said of ‘Ronnie’. “So, one night, when he wanted to get on the tour bus, I threw him in the luggage compartment. Somebody grabbed me and said: ‘What you’re doing is not only illegal but it’s inhumane.’ I lost it. I yelled: ‘He’s my fucking midget and I’ll fucking do what I want with him.'”
It is at this point that the voice of ‘Ronnie the Dwarf’ could be heart muffled while in the luggage compartment uttering the words “He’s right: I’m his midget and he can do what he wants with me.’”
It is at this point that the voice of ‘Ronnie the Dwarf’ could be heart muffled while in the luggage compartment uttering the words “He’s right: I’m his midget and he can do what he wants with me.’”
When the tour wrapped up, Allen was either fired by Ozzy or he moved on. The truth is up for debate.
Allen appeared in a few more films and then tragically committed suicide from overdose in 1999 at the young age of 49.
