Pony Charvet’s grandfather was an animal trainer in a circus. His hippie parents named him “Pony” because they wanted him to run free, and during his first performing gig — in fourth grade — he portrayed an elf.
With a background like that, it’s not really surprising that he wound up in offbeat, irreverent Key West.
Today, Charvet is one of the island’s highly regarded actor-comedians. His local credits include portraying serial killer Buffalo Bill in the twisted “Silence of the Lambs: The Musical,” a dancing hooker in the locally written “Oklahoma Smith and the Pantheon of Annihilation,” and his dream role of Fagin in a Keys Kids production of “Oliver.”
His talent and timing shine even in brief appearances — including an unforgettable one-man skit about telephone foibles during a long-ago Red Barn Theatre show, which left his audience helpless with laughter.
Growing up in Washington state, Charvet was mentored by legendary filmmaker Stanley Kramer, whose successes included “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” — both starring Spencer Tracy.
“He and his wife had started up a program for performing kids,” Charvet explained. “He was an amazing man who did 36 motion pictures, and he took me under his wing.”
As well as lauding Charvet for having “that quality people want to watch,” Kramer warned his protégé that he needed to grow a thicker skin to succeed in show business.
After a stint in Los Angeles that proved Kramer right, Charvet stepped away from performing and moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico. He stayed for some eight years and worked as a hairdresser.
However, his life changed direction when a chance meeting at a convention led him to visit the Florida Keys.
“The first night I stayed with a friend who lived on Big Pine, and I was out at the end of the pier meditating under a full moon,” said Charvet. “The next day I went to Tea Dance in Key West, and that just sealed the deal — I knew this was the next place that I was supposed to be.”
He relocated to Key West in October 1995, initially doing hair at the Casa Marina Resort’s White House Salon and waiting tables at the Blue Heaven eatery. Almost immediately he became one of the island’s staunchest supporters, captivated by the warmth and sincerity he encountered.
“What’s magical about this island are the people and the sense of community,” Charvet said. “People come here and they let their guard down, and they speak what I call the language of the heart.
“There’s a magic that ensues with that — an authenticity and a genuine level of openness,” he added. “This island brings people together.”
As well as embracing the community and its lifestyle, Charvet returned to performing after his post-L.A. hiatus and became a well-known light on local stages. Encouraged by Comedy Key West’s Joe Madaus and Tom Dustin, he also tried his hand at standup comedy.
Today Charvet performs regularly for scores of visitors in his latest role as a driver for Old Town Trolley, spicing his sightseeing tours with personal tales about the island and its people — including the late author and songwriter Shel Silverstein and long-gone 1950s pinup queen Bettie Page.
“For my trolley tour, I try to be a one-man show and touch on the characters of Key West that are part of the magic of the island,” he said. “I try to run the gamut of all the emotions — you’re going to laugh, and I hope that I touch your heart.”
An incident involving his own heart provided even more reason for him to enjoy his life and island home. A couple of years ago, Charvet revealed, he had a heart attack that resulted in being airlifted to Miami and undergoing bypass surgery.
Now his non-working hours are full of long early-morning walks, meditation and reveling in the simplicity and beauty of favorite Key West places like the gardens at West Martello Tower. He’s also passionate about traveling, both on solo adventures and with a group of friends.
“Every day I get is a gift, and you always want to make sure that none is wasted — and there’s so much beauty in the world if you look for it,” Charvet said.
A parable he learned many years ago in New Mexico sums up his determination to approach life with exuberance and seek out beauty and positivity.
“There’s an old saying out there that there’s two wolves that live within us — a wolf that is dark and a wolf that is light — and the one you feed is the one that’s stronger,” he explained. “So I try to feed the wolf of light.”
