Munchkin Explained

The Munchkins
Series:Oz books
First:The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)
Creator:L. Frank Baum
Noinfo:yes

A Munchkin is a native of the fictional Munchkin Country in the Oz books by American author L. Frank Baum. They first appear in the classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) where they welcome Dorothy Gale to their city in Oz. The Munchkins are described as being the same height as Dorothy and they wear only shades of blue clothing, as blue is the Munchkins' favorite color. Blue is also the predominating color that officially represents the eastern quadrant in the Land of Oz. The Munchkins have appeared in various media, including the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, as well as in various other films and comedy acts.

Concept

While Baum may have written about it, there are no surviving notes for the composition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The lack of this information has resulted in speculation of the term origins he used in the book, which include the word Munchkin.[1] Baum researcher Brian Attebery has hypothesized that there might be a connection to the German: [[Münchner Kindl]], the emblem of the Bavarian city of Munich (spelled German: München in German).[1] The symbol was originally a 13th-century statue of a monk, looking down from the town hall in Munich. Over the years, the image was reproduced many times, for instance as a figure on beer steins, and eventually evolved into a child wearing a pointed hood.[2] Baum's family had German origins, suggesting that Baum could have seen one such reproduction in his childhood. It is also possible that Munchkin came from the German word German: Männchen, which means "mannikin" or "little figure". In 1900, Baum published a book about window displays in which he stressed the importance of mannequins in attracting customers.[3] Another possibility is a connection to Baron Munchausen. This fictional character is based on a real baron who told outrageous tall tales based on his military career.[1] [4] Like the other Oz terms, the word Munchkin ends in a diminutive which in this case refers to the size of the natives.[1]

Literature

Oz Books by Frank Baum

The Munchkins are first mentioned (quote shown) in an excerpt from chapter two of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, titled "The Council with the Munchkins". Dorothy initially meets only three of them, along with the Good Witch of the North. The rest of the Munchkins then come out of hiding and are shown to be grateful towards Dorothy for killing their evil ruler the Wicked Witch of the East. Dorothy later eventually finds the yellow brick road and along the way attends a banquet held by a Munchkin man named Boq. Sometime in the book a background story is also given about a "Munchkin maiden" (named Nimmie Amee in later books), who was the former love interest of the Tin Woodman.[5]

Baum also included the Munchkin characters in his later works as minor and major individual characters. The Munchkin Jinjur is the main antagonist in Baum's second book The Marvelous Land of Oz, where she seeks to overthrow the Scarecrow and take over the Emerald City. Jinjur makes a brief appearance in the next book, entitled Ozma of Oz, and is brought back in Baum's twelfth book, The Tin Woodman of Oz. By this time, she is shown to be a more prominent character who is helpful and friendly to Dorothy and her friends. Two other major Munchkin characters also appear in The Tin Woodman of Oz: Tommy Kwikstep and Nimmie Amee. The former appears in the story asking for a wish for running an errand for a witch; the latter is the name given to the mystery "Munchkin maiden" from the first book, who was the former lover of the Tin Woodman. More information is revealed that tells about the Tin Woodman's origin and their tragic love story.[5] Lastly, the Munchkin Unc Nunkie appears in Baum's seventh book, The Patchwork Girl of Oz, where he is accidentally turned to stone. His Munchkin nephew Ojo successfully goes on a quest in search of an antidote while learning more about himself in the process.

Subsequent Oz books

L. Frank Baum died on 6 May 1919 after which other writers took up writing additional Oz stories. In some cases these books were written under Baum's name and included the Munchkins. There is at least one known Munchkin character that was created after Baum's death that appears as a major character. Zif is a Munchkin boy who appears in John R. Neill's first adaptation called The Royal Book of Oz. Zif is a student at the College of Art and Athletic Perfection; he is both respectful and resentful towards his teacher Wogglebog who considers Zif a "nobody or a nothing". The Munchkin characters that Baum had created in his lifetime also appear in these additional works.

Film and musicals

Early works (1902–1933)

While the 1939 film is the most well known adaptation (see section below), it was not the first outside work to show the Munchkins in film or musical format. One of the first musical adaptations of Baum's books took place in 1902; it was also dubbed The Wizard of Oz.[6] [7] The Munchkins make their appearance in act one, called "The Storm", in which they are shown dancing around their maypole, not noticing that Dorothy's house has fallen to earth killing the Wicked Witch of the East.[8] The first film adaptation of Baum's works, titled The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, was released in 1910, followed by three sequels. However, it was not until 1914 that Munchkin characters first appeared in film works. Ojo the Lucky and Unc Nunkie both appear in a film titled The Patchwork Girl of Oz (based on the book of the same name). This film stars American actress Violet MacMillan as Ojo and was produced by Baum.[9]

1939 film

The 1939 movie musical The Wizard of Oz was loosely based on Baum's novel. Notable differences of the Munchkins include their country name of Munchkinland and their clothes of many colors instead of an all-blue attire. In the musical, the Munchkins are portrayed by the thirty-odd members of the Singer Midgets, a European performing troupe made up of adult actors with dwarfism. Their numbers were swelled when a national talent search brought in a further ninety-four little men, women, and teenagers, with a few average-sized children were also included as background extras[10] in order to make up the 124 characters requested by MGM.[11]

In the musical, the Munchkins first appear when Dorothy and Toto arrive in the Land of Oz after her house lands on the Wicked Witch of the East. The Munchkins hide from all the commotion until Glinda the Good Witch arrives reassuring them that everything is okay. Dorothy tells them how she arrived in the Land of Oz (through a musical number) and the Munchkins celebrate. To make it official, a Barrister and a number of City Fathers insist to the Mayor of the Munchkin City that they must make sure that the Wicked Witch of the East is really dead before the celebration continues. The Coroner confirms this by saying that the witch is "not only merely dead" but is indeed "most sincerely dead" while showing a Certificate of Death. The Munchkins then celebrate further as Dorothy receives gifts from the "Lullaby League" and the "Lollipop Guild". Near the end of the song, the Wicked Witch of the West arrives, which causes the Munchkins to panic. After the Wicked Witch of the West leaves, Glinda tells Dorothy to follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City as the Munchkins guide her out of Munchkinland.

The Munchkin actors have since not avoided controversy with alleged behavior behind the scenes. In a 1967 interview, Judy Garland referred to all of the Munchkins as "little drunks" who got intoxicated every night to the point where they had to be picked up in "butterfly nets". These accusations were denied as fabrications by fellow Munchkin Margaret Pellegrini, who said only "a couple of kids from Germany even drank beer".[12] On 20 November 2007, the Munchkins were given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Seven of the surviving Munchkin actors from the film were present. As a result of the popularity of the 1939 film, the word "munchkin" has entered the English language as a reference to small children, persons with dwarfism, or anything of diminutive stature.

Actors and actresses

The following is a list of actors who portrayed the Munchkins in the 1939 film. Most of the dwarfs hired were acquired for MGM by Leo Singer, the proprietor of Singer's Midgets.[13] A Daily Variety news story from 17 August 1938, stated 124 dwarves had been signed to play Munchkins; modern sources place the number either at 122 or 124. An additional dozen or so child actors were hired to make up for the shortage of dwarves.[10] At least one Munchkin actor, Dale Paullin (stage name Paul Dale), did not make the final cut for the movie.[14] Only two actors (Joseph Koziel and Frank Cucksey) used their actual voices for the dialogue exchanged with Dorothy where she is given the flowers. The rest of the voices, such as the "Munchkin chorus", were created by Pinto Colvig and Billy Bletcher[15] with their voices recorded at a slow speed, which were subsequently sped-up when played back.[16]

In 1989, author Stephen Cox researched, found, and wrote about the surviving Munchkin actors fifty years after they made the film. He wrote about them in his book, The Munchkins Remember (1989, E.P. Dutton), which was later revised as The Munchkins of Oz (Cumberland House), and his book remained in print for nearly two decades. When he wrote the book, 33 of the actors with dwarfism who appeared in the film were still alive and were interviewed. Several of them outlived all the major cast, as well as the original Tin Man Buddy Ebsen. Jerry Maren, who played the green "Lollipop Guild" member, was the last living adult Munchkin actor. Maren was the only Munchkin alive when the film's longest living cast member, Shep Houghton, an extra, died in 2016.

Notes: Some of the information presented in the table below may never be complete as Social Security records remain sparse prior to the mid-twentieth century. Stage names and/or aliases are present in italics and quotation marks.

Actor Born Died Part(s) played Source
Gladys W. Allison[17] Played a villager
John Ballas[18] 1903[19] Played a villager
Franz Balluch ("Mike") Played a villager
Josefine Balluch 1984 Played a villager [20] [21]
John T. Bambury 1891[22] 1960 [23]
Charlie Becker1887 1968 Played "The Mayor of Munchkinland" [24]
Freda Betsky 1914 1986 Played a villager [25]
Henry Boers 1896[26] Played a villager
Theodore Boers 1894 1945[27] Played a villager
Christie Buresh 1907 1979 Played a villager [28]
Eddie Buresh 1909 1982 Played a villager
Lida Buresh 1906 1970 Played a villager
1919[29] 2009 Played a fiddler, a town crier, and a soldier
Casper "Colonel" Balsam 1904[30] 1968 Played a villager
Nona A. Cooper 1875[31] 1953 Played a villager
Thomas J. Cottonaro 1914[32] 2001 Played a villager
Elizabeth Coulter Played a villager
1919[33] 2008 Played a soldier
Frank Cucksey1919[34] 1984[35] Played a villager who gives Dorothy flowers
1909[36] 1988
Eugene S. David Jr. 1915 1984 Played a fiddler[37]
Eulie H. David 1921 1972 Played a soldier
Ethel W. Denis 1894[38] 1968[39] Played a villager
1900 1984
Hazel I. Derthick 1906[40] 1989 Played a villager
1907 1980[41] Played a "munchkin maiden"
1899 1970 Played a "munchkin maiden"
1902 1985 Blue member of The Lollipop Guild[42]
1914 2004 Played a "munchkin maiden"
Major Doyle ("James D. Doyle") 1869 1940 Played a villager
Ruth Robinson Duccini1918[43] 2014 Played a villager
Carl M. Erickson 1917[44] 1958
Fern Formica 1925[45] 1995 Played a villager and a "sleepyhead"
Addie Eva Frank[46] Played a villager
Thaisa L. Gardner Played a villager
19251960[47] Red member of The Lollipop Guild
William A. Giblin 1916[48] 1985 Played a soldier
Jack S. Glicken 1900[49] 1950
Carolyn E. Granger 1915[50] 1973 Played a villager
Joseph Herbst 1908 Played a soldier
Jakob Hofbauer 1898 Played a soldier
Clarence C. Howerton ("Major Mite") 1913[51] 1975[52] Played the 3rd Trumpeter
Helen M. Hoy 1898[53] 1945 Played a villager
Marguerite A. Hoy Played a villager
James R. Hulse IV 1915 1964[54] Played a villager
Robert Kanter ("Little Lord Robert") 1886 Played a soldier
Charles E. Kelley Played a soldier
Jessie E. Kelley ("Jessie Becker") Played a villager
Frank Kikel Played a villager
Bernard Klima ("Harry") 1897 1957 Played a villager [55]
Mitzi Koestner 1894 1975 Played a villager
Emma Koestner 1900 1984 Played a villager
Willi Koestner 1908 1974 Played a soldier [56]
Adam Edwin Kozicki ("Eddie Adams") Played a fiddler[57]
Joseph J. Koziel 1919 1967 Played a villager who gives Dorothy flowers [58] [59]
Dolly F. Kramer 1904 1995 Played a villager
Emil Kranzler 1910 1993 Played a villager [60] [61]
Nita Krebs 1905 1991 Member of The Lullaby League and a villager [62]
Jeane LaBarbera ("Little Jean") 1909 1993 Played a villager [63]
Hilda Lange 1911 1975 Played a villager
John Leal ("Johnny") 1905 1996 Played a villager [64]
Ann Rice Leslie 1900 1973 Played a villager [65]
Charles Ludwig 1889[66] 1941[67] Played a villager
Dominick Magro 1909 1959 Played a villager [68] [69]
Carlos Manzo 1914 1955 Played a villager [70]
Howard Marco 1884[71] Played a villager
1920 2018 Green member of The Lollipop Guild[72] [73]
Bela Matina ("Mike Rogers") 1902 1954 Played a villager [74] [75]
Lajos Matina ("Leo") 1901 1975 Played a villager [76] [77]
Matyus Matina ("Ike Rogers") 1902 1965 Played a villager [78]
Walter M. B. Miller 1906 1987
George Ministeri 1913 1986 Played the coachman and a villager
1904 1999 Played a villager and a flying monkey [79]
Yvonne Bistany Moray Unknown Unknown Member of The Lullaby League and a villager
Johnny Maroldo ("Johnny Winters") 1905 1985 Played the Commander of the Navy
Marie Bernadet Maroldo ("Marie Winters") 1901 1979 Played a villager
1921 2010 Member of The Lullaby League, a sleepyhead, and a villager [80]
Nels P. Nelson 1918 1994 Played a villager [81] [82]
Margaret C. Nickloy ("Princess Marguerite") 1902 1961 Played a villager [83]
Franklin H. O'Baugh 1922 1963 Played a soldier [84] [85]
William H. O'Docharty 1920 1988 Played the coach footman and a villager
Hildred C. Olson Played a villager
Frank Packard Played a villager
Nicholas Page ("Nicky") 1904 1978 Played a soldier and a city father
Leona Megest Parks ("Duchess Leona") 1897 Played a villager
1923 2013 Played a "sleepyhead" and the "flower pot munchkin" [86]
Johnny Pizo Played a villager
Leon Polinsky ("Prince Leon") 1918 1955 Played a villager [87]
Lillian Porter 1917 1997 Played a villager [88]
1915 2010 [89]
1928 2003 Played a villager [90]
Matthew Raia Played a city father
Friedrich Retter ("Freddie") 1899 Played a fiddler and villager [91]
Billy Rhodes ("Little Billy")1895 1967 [92] [93]
Gertrude H. Rice Played a villager
Hazel Rice Played a villager
Sandor Roka 1896 1954 Played a villager [94] [95]
Jimmie Rosen 1892 1973 Played a villager
Charles F. "Wojnarski" Royal 1900 1947 Played a soldier [96]
Helen J. "Wojnarski" Royal 1897 1958 Played a villager
Stella A. "Wojnarski" Royal 1903 1959 Played a villager
Albert Ruddinger Played a villager
Elsie R. Schultz 1892 1987 Played a villager
Charles Silvern 1902 1976 Played a villager [97]
Garland Slatton ("Earl") 1917 1995 Played a soldier
1918 2011 Played the lead trumpeter, a soldier, a "sleepyhead", and a villager [98] [99]
Ruth E. Smith 1985 Played a villager
Elmer Spangler 1910 1992 Played a villager [100]
Pernell St. Aubin 1922 1987 Played a soldier [101]
Carl Stephan 1901 1959 Played a villager
Alta M. Stevens 1913 1989 Played a villager
George Suchsie Played a villager
Charlotte V. Sullivan Played a villager
1917 2009 Played a soldier [102]
Betty Tanner 1916 1994 Played a villager [103]
Arnold Vierling 1919 1949 Played a villager
Gus Wayne 1920[104] 1998 Played a soldier
Victor Wetter 1902 1990 Played the Captain of the Army
Grace G. Williams Played a villager
Harvey B. Williams 1905 1968 Played a soldier [105]
Gladys V. Wolff 1911 1984 Played a villager
Murray Wood 1908 1999 Played a city father [106]

Child actresses

About a dozen children of average height were hired so they could be used for background fill. Sources differ on the number of children used for these roles ranging anywhere from 10 to 12.[107] The names used for the women are maiden names with known aliases present in italics and quotation marks.

, at least three "child munchkins" are known to be living.

ActorBornDiedPart(s) playedSource
1931 2023 Munchkin hatchling [108] [109] [110] [111]
Priscilla Ann Montgomery Clark 1929 Living Munchkin Child [112] [113]
Donna Jean Johnson ("Stewart Hardaway") 1933 2008 Background fill [114] [115]
Joan Kenmore 1931 2022 Background fill [116] [117]
1934 2015 Background fill [118] [119]
Rae-Nell Laskey ("Alsbury") 1930 1991 unknown [120] [121]
Elaine Mirk ("Merk") 1930 Living Background fill [122]
Valerie Lee Shepard 1931 Living Background fill [123]
Ardith Dondanville ("Mae") Todd 1930 2022 Background fill [124]
Shirley Ann Kennedy ("Vegors") 1932 2005 Background fill [125]
Viola White ("Banks") 1931 2000 Background fill

Later works (1940–1989)

The 1939 film was adapted into a musical that was released in 1942 that includes the Munchkin characters. The events that take place mirror the film including the song "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead".[126] Twenty-seven years later an animated film called The Wonderful Land of Oz was made featuring Jinjur as a main antagonist.

Other works

References

Works cited

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Annotated Wizard of Oz: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz . registration . Lyman Frank Baum . Martin Gardner . Martin Gardner . W. W. Norton & Company . 2000 . 39 . 20 July 2018 . Lyman Frank Baum .
  2. Corinna Erhard: Das Münchner Kindl auf dem Rathaus – wer stand Modell? In: Corinna Erhard: München in 50 Antworten. München-Verlag, München 2011,, S. 16.
  3. Emily and Per Ola d'Aulaire, "Mannequins: our fantasy figures of high fashion," Smithsonian, Vol. 22, no. 1, April 1991
  4. Fisher. Jill A.. Investigating the Barons: narrative and nomenclature in Munchausen syndrome. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine. Spring 2006. 49. 2. 250–62. 10.1353/pbm.2006.0024. 16702708. 12418075.
  5. [Jack Snow (writer)|Jack Snow]
  6. Fricke, Stillman, Scarfone. The Wizard of Oz: The 50th Anniversary Pictorial History
  7. Web site: Chicago Theater Collection – Historic Programs: Grand Opera House, Wizard of Oz . 27 July 1902 . 19 January 2015.
  8. Book: Oz Before the Rainbow. Mark Evan Swartz. JHU Press. 1 July 2018. 978-0-8018-7092-7. 2002.
  9. Book: Historicising Transmedia Storytelling: Early Twentieth-Century Transmedia Story Worlds. Matthew Freeman. Routledge. 88. 3 November 2016. 978-1-315-43950-1.
  10. Web site: Wizard of Oz Notes . . 24 April 2017.
  11. Yours Retro magazine; Summer 2024; Issue No. 78; page 40
  12. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20141229103424/http://articles.latimes.com/2013/aug/07/local/la-me-margaret-pellegrini-20130808 . 29 December 2014 . Margaret Pellegrini dies at 89; actress played Munchkin in 'Oz' . . 21 April 2017 .
  13. Book: Harmetz, Aljean . The Making of the Wizard of Oz . . 75th Anniversary Updated . Chicago . 2013 . 193 . 978-1-61374-832-9.
  14. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170204155331/http://whotv.com/2013/04/10/iowas-munchkin-paullin-sets-the-record-straight/ . 4 February 2017 . IOWA'S MUNCHKIN: Paullin Sets The Record Straight . whotv.com. 10 April 2013. 7 July 2017.
  15. Web site: 2023-06-07 . MichaelBarrier.com -- Funnyworld Revisited: Billy Bletcher . 2024-02-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230607185340/https://www.michaelbarrier.com/Funnyworld/Bletcher/Bletcher.htm . 7 June 2023 .
  16. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20140921024712/http://articles.courant.com/2002-07-04/features/0207040446_1_wizard-song-judy-garland-fairy-tales . 21 September 2014 . We're Off to Sing the Wizard . Hartford Courant. Roger Catlin. 4 July 2002. 12 February 2018. live.
  17. Book: The Wizardry of Oz: The Artistry and Magic of the 1939 M-G-M Classic. Jay Scarfone, William Stillman. Hal Leonard Corporation. June 2004. 978-1-61774-843-1.
  18. Book: British Film Institute Film Classics, Volume 1. Rob White . Edward Buscombe . Taylor & Francis. 2 February 2014. 978-1-57958-328-6. 2003.
  19. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20180125145707/http://cnhillsborough.blogspot.com/2015/03/four-feet-tall-and-searching.html. 25 January 2018. Four Feet Tall and Searching. Greg Gillette. cnhillsborough.blogspot.com. 3 March 2015. 5 July 2017.
  20. Scarfone, Jay (2004). The Wizardry of Oz: The Artistry and Magic of the 1939 M-G-M Classic. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 240. .
  21. Rushdie, Salman (1992). The Wizard of Oz. Macmillan. p. 67. .
  22. Book: The Ultimate Directory of Silent and Sound Era Performers: A Necrology of Actors and Actresses. Billy H. Doyle. Scarecrow Press. 1999. Bambury, John (1938) : b . Pennsylvania, 10 Jul 1891 ; d . Los Angeles County, CA, 4 Nov 1960. 30. 9780810835474 .
  23. "Munchkins of 'Oz' get a star on Walk of Fame". USA Today. 21 November 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  24. Web site: Munchkin Mayor's famed 'Oz' vest displayed at Chicagoland casino. nwitimes.com. 17 November 2007. 2 February 2014.
  25. News: Little People. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 140. 25 September 1949.
  26. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20141208090329/http://www.phreeque.com/midget_jamboree.html. 8 December 2014. 1938 Midget Jamboree. phreeque.com. 2 February 2014.
  27. Billboard Mar 17, 1945. Billboard Magazine. 17 March 1945. 24 April 2017.
  28. Web site: At 70, 'The Wizard of Oz' still not old. valdostadailytimes.com. Jessica Pope. 22 September 2009. 2 March 2016.
  29. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20140201203640/http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/stltoday/obituary.aspx?n=mickey-carroll&pid=127041935. 1 February 2014. Mickey Carroll Obituary . St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 7 May 2009 . 20 April 2017.
  30. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20241203211905/https://auctions.potterauctions.com/LotDetail.aspx?inventoryid=55025. December 3, 2024. Lot #455: BALSAM, Casper “Col.” (1904-1968). Colonel Casper.. Potters Auctions. December 3, 2024.
  31. Billboard Sep 19, 1953. Billboard Magazine. 19 September 1953. 24 January 2018.
  32. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160505065538/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-22351965.html. 5 May 2016. EX-ACTOR THOMAS J. COTTONARO, A 'WIZARD OF OZ' MUNCHKIN, DIES. Highbeam. 9 February 2001. 2 March 2016.
  33. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170421020301/http://www.nwitimes.com/entertainment/columnists/offbeat/wizard-of-oz-munchkin-soldier-lewis-croft-dead-at-age/article_6bcaa4e3-1d46-59c2-9337-cb8691ab0cc2.html. 21 April 2017. 'Wizard of Oz' Munchkin soldier Lewis Croft dead at age 88. nwitimes.com. Philip Potempa. 11 May 2008. 28 February 2016.
  34. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20141208034347/http://www.phreeque.com/nate_eagle.html . 8 December 2014 . Nate Eagle's Hollywood Midgets . 22 January 2014 .
  35. Web site: Frank H. Cucksey Obituary . Sarasota Herald . 18 September 1984. 28 February 2016.
  36. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160424150130/http://articles.latimes.com/1988-11-12/news/mn-388_1_billy-Curtis. 24 April 2016. Actor, Double: Billy Curtis; Midget Had Film Career. Los Angeles Times. Burt A. Folkart. 12 November 1988. live. 2 March 2016.
  37. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170421024549/http://thetandd.com/lifestyles/two-munchkins-actors-in-wizard-of-oz-worked-at-srp/article_28131251-c9f1-50f6-a3d8-661df1593cc7.html. 21 April 2017. Two 'Munchkins' actors in 'Wizard of Oz' worked at SRP. thetandd.com. Ron Baxley Jr.. 26 July 2015. 24 February 2016.
  38. Book: Obituaries (12/25/68). The Arizona Republic. 54. 25 December 1968.
  39. News: https://web.archive.org/web/20170421025827/http://www.nytimes.com/1984/06/24/obituaries/prince-denis-84-performer-who-played-munchkin-mayor.html. 21 April 2017. Prince Denis, 84, Performer Who Played Munchkin Mayor . The New York Times . 24 June 1984 . live . 22 January 2014.
  40. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170421032013/http://articles.latimes.com/1985-06-09/news/cb-10158_1_wizard. 21 April 2017. Remembering Life Over the Rainbow: Former Munchkin Returns to Oz. Los Angeles Times. Kathee Yamamoto. 9 June 1985. live. 28 February 2016.
  41. News: https://web.archive.org/web/20170421032438/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1471733/Tiny-Doll.html. 21 April 2017. Tiny Doll. The Daily Telegraph. 15 September 2004. 25 February 2016.
  42. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160312081813/http://www.dove.org/the-munchkins-of-oz-exclusive-dove-interviews-part-2/. 12 March 2016. The Munchkins of Oz: Exclusive Dove Interviews (Part 2). dove.org. Edwin L. Carpenter. 27 November 2007. 24 February 2016.
  43. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170421035955/http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-25758075. 21 April 2017. Munchkin actress Ruth Duccini dies at 95. BBC. 17 January 2014. 21 April 2017.
  44. Web site: The Final Curtain. Billboard Magazine. 61. 21 April 1958. 8 July 2017.
  45. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170421041126/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-03-18/features/9101240885_1_munchkins-margaret-pellegrini-oz. 21 April 2017. 50 Years After Entering Oz, 2 Munchkins Still Step Along The Yellow Brick Road. Chicago Tribune. Howard Reich. 18 March 1991. 2 March 2016.
  46. Web site: http://web.archive.org/web/20180711225627/https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-wizard-of-oz-the-last-munchkin-and-the-little-people-left-behind. July 11, 2018. The Wizard of Oz, The Last Munchkin, and The Little People Left behind. The New Yorker. November 30, 2024.
  47. Book: The Wizard of Oz FAQ: All That's Left to Know About Life, According to Oz. David J. Hogan. Hal Leonard Corporation. June 2014. 978-1-4803-9719-4.
  48. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170421051656/https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/22486/lot/68/. 21 April 2017. A Munchkin soldier's jacket from The Wizard of Oz. bonhams.com. 24 February 2016.
  49. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160306104326/http://ibase.sdsu.edu/view-item?i=129000&WINID=1456716615749. 6 March 2016. Capt. Jack Glicken, Exposition, 1935. ibase.sdsu.edu. 28 February 2016.
  50. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20231101015501/https://www.geaugamapleleaf.com/arts-and-theater/return-to-oz-with-plenty-of-munchkins-for-company/. November 1, 2023. Return to Oz with Plenty of Munchkins for Company. geaugamapleleaf.com. Jamie Ward. 8 May 2014. 8 July 2017.
  51. Book: Marc Hartzman. American Sideshow: An Encyclopedia of History's Most Wondrous and Curiously Strange Performers. 21 September 2006. Penguin Group USA. 978-1-58542-530-3. 191.
  52. News: Major Mite . The White Tops . Sep–Oct 1992 . 9 November 2013 . 11–14 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131103224708/http://www.mortythedog.com/2011/08/major-mite.html . November 3, 2013 .
  53. Web site: The Final Curtain. Billboard Magazine. 33. 10 March 1945. 8 July 2017.
  54. Per records at Green Lawn Cemetery in Columbus, OH James R. Hulse IV died in 1964 and is buried in section 106
  55. Web site: Circus Midget Dies in Mexico . 22 January 2014.
  56. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170421215640/http://media.liveauctiongroup.net/i/11189/11537056_2.jpg?v=8CE8190A887E290. 21 April 2017. Willi Koestner photo. liveauctiongroup.net. 24 February 2016.
  57. Web site: Eddie Adams "Munchkin Fiddler" orange jacket designed. liveauctioneers.com. 12 February 2018.
  58. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170421220107/http://www.icollector.com/Wizard-of-Oz-Munchkin-Costume-Joseph-Koziel_i21668362. 21 April 2017. Wizard of Oz Munchkin Costume: Joseph Koziel. icollector.com. 26 February 2016.
  59. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20210130012133/https://www.shawlocal.com/bureau-county-republican/news/local/2021/01/29/did-you-know-one-of-the-wizard-of-oz-munchkins-was-a-spring-valley-native/. January 30, 2021. Did you know one of 'The Wizard of Oz' munchkins was a Spring Valley native?. Goldie Rapp. Shaw Local. January 30, 2021. October 31, 2023.
  60. Web site: Obituaries. Arizona Republic. 92. 10 April 1993. 8 July 2017.
  61. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20231031212555/https://lpaarchive.org/charter-member-info/. October 31, 2023. Charter Members. Little People of America. October 31, 2023.
  62. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160503074952/http://variety.com/1991/scene/people-news/nita-krebs-99125563/. 3 May 2016. Nita Krebs. Variety magazine. 28 January 1991.
  63. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160304085434/http://missioncreep.com/mundie/gallery/little/little15.htm . 4 March 2016 . Jeane La Barbera and Robert Drake . live . 21 April 2017.
  64. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20180125150608/http://articles.latimes.com/1996-11-12/local/me-63921_1_john-leal. 25 January 2018. John Leal; Played Munchkin in 'Wizard of Oz'. Los Angeles Times. 12 November 1996. live. 25 January 2018.
  65. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170425135931/https://pastimes13.wordpress.com/tag/ann-rice-leslie/. 25 April 2017. Come out, come out, wherever you are. A memorable munchkin from The Wizard of Oz. pastimes13.wordpress.com. 25 April 2017.
  66. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20151016142601/http://www.sideshowworld.com/13-TGOD/2008/tgod-MidgetCity.html. 16 October 2015. Midgets Break Ground for their City. sideshowworld.com. 6 July 2017.
  67. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170707022114/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/150043449/. 7 July 2017. Two Killed When Sedan Skids into Bus on Bay Bridge; Midget Hit, Dies; Fatal Heart Attack Follows Auto Crash. Oakland Tribune. 19. 1 April 1941. 6 July 2017.
  68. San Diego Union 5 January 1959 p b5
  69. Scarfone, Jay (2004). The Wizardry of Oz: The Artistry and Magic of the 1939 M-G-M Classic. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 248. .
  70. Web site: The Final Curtain. Billboard Magazine. 51. 2 July 1955. 8 July 2017.
  71. Web site: RB Registrants, 45–65, Get Big Play in Met Press. Billboard Magazine. 9 May 1942. 40.
  72. Web site: OFFBEAT: 'Wizard of Oz' Munchkin's wife, Elizabeth Maren, dead at 69 . 31 January 2011 . 22 January 2014.
  73. Web site: Jerry Maren, Who Sang and Danced as a Munchkin in Oz, Dies at 98. 6 June 2018. The New York Times.
  74. Book: Shortest Twins. Guinness World Records. 30 April 2013. 978-0-345-54711-8.
  75. Web site: Full text of "Billboard" June 12, 1954. Billboard Magazine. 12 June 1954. 26 April 2017.
  76. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170421150854/http://insroland.org/2012/11/12/prosper/. 21 April 2017. The Los Angeles Prosperity Carnival and Indoor Fair of 1915. insroland.org. Kim. 13 November 2012. 28 February 2016.
  77. Web site: Lajos and Majtus & Bela Matina . R. W. Baker & Company Funeral Home . 2023-03-08.
  78. https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=9278&h=1619504&tid=&pid=&queryId=6ae271eae664aa61d0bf79dcf8dce210&usePUB=true&_phsrc=OzZ11570&_phstart=successSource Ancestry: Ike Matina in the Virginia, Death Records, 1912-2014
  79. News: https://web.archive.org/web/20160313040150/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/587029.stm . 13 March 2016 . Wizard of Oz 'Munchkin' dies aged 95 . BBC News . 1 January 2000 .
  80. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20071011060510/http://www.kansasoz.com/infomunchkins.htm. 11 October 2007 . The "MGM" Munchkins . Kansasoz . 8 February 2010 .
  81. Web site: Obituaries May 5, 1994. Los Angeles Times. May 5, 1994. February 3, 2020.
  82. Web site: LITTLE PEOPLE…HUMONGOUS HEARTS – Part Five. OZ Museum. February 3, 2020.
  83. Book: Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed.. Scott Wilson. McFarland. 549. 978-1-4766-2599-7. 19 August 2016.
  84. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160304122045/http://www.thegurdontimes.com/article/20150821/NEWS/150829916. 4 March 2016. Local man appeared in Wizard of Oz. thegurdontimes.com. Wendy Richter. 22 August 2015. 26 February 2016.
  85. Web site: Franklin Haltom O'Baugh: A Short Biography. Hannah Pearce. scholarlycommons.obu.edu. 8 December 2016. 5 July 2017.
  86. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20141229103424/http://articles.latimes.com/2013/aug/07/local/la-me-margaret-pellegrini-20130808. 29 December 2014. Margaret Pellegrini dies at 89; actress played Munchkin in 'Oz' . Los Angeles Times. 8 August 2013 . 21 April 2017.
  87. Book: Egg Harbor City. Arcadia Publishing. Mark W. Maxwell. 125. 2010. 978-0-7385-6572-9.
  88. https://www.historyforsale.com/lillian-porter-autographed-inscribed-photograph/dc22717 History For Sale: Lillian Porter - HFSID 22717
  89. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20161104023339/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/10/movies/10raabe.html. 4 November 2016. Meinhardt Raabe, Famous Munchkin, Is Dead at 94. Fox, Margalit. 9 April 2010. The New York Times. 15 November 2011.
  90. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065250/http://www.sptimes.com/2003/08/20/news_pf/Pasco/_Oz__film_actor_never.shtml. 4 March 2016. 'Oz' film actor never measured stature in inches. St. Petersburg Times. Michelle Miller. 30 August 2003. 26 February 2016.
  91. Web site: Travel Ban Lifted for German Midget. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 17. 13 January 1942. 8 July 2017.
  92. Book: Classic Cliffhangers: Volume 1 1914–1940. Hank Davis. Midnight Marquee & BearManor Media.
  93. Book: Screen World 1968. John Willis. Biblo & Tannen Publishers. 238. 978-0-8196-0309-8. June 1983.
  94. Book: It's a Small World: All about Midgets. Walter Bodin, Burnet Hershey. Coward-McCann. 289. 1934.
  95. Web site: Roka Dies; Famous Midget. Sarasota News. 13. December 4, 1954. February 4, 2020.
  96. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20140926015210/http://www.phreeque.com/stella_royale.html. 26 September 2014. Wojnarski family midgets. phreeque.com. 22 April 2017.
  97. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20150422223310/http://www.otrr.org/FILES/Magz_pdf/Hello%20Again/HA_V10_(05)_May79.pdf. 22 April 2015. Hello Again. otrr.org. May 1979. 7 July 2017.
  98. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170110141547/http://www.foxnews.com/story/2007/11/21/munchkins-get-star-on-hollywood-walk-fame.html. 10 January 2017. Munchkins Get Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame. Fox News. 21 November 2007. 21 April 2017.
  99. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170421144204/http://articles.latimes.com/2011/nov/17/local/la-me-karl-slover-20111117. 21 April 2017. Karl Slover dies at 93; among the last of the Munchkins. Los Angeles Times. 17 November 2011. live. 27 February 2016.
  100. Web site: Elmer Spangler professes. Detroit Free Press. 1. 22 August 1933. 9 July 2017.
  101. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20151017054801/http://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-0508290065aug29-story.html. 17 October 2015. The Midget Club. Chicago Tribune. 29 August 2005 . 28 February 2016.
  102. News: Banta. Bob. Former Munchkin dies at 91. Austin-American Statesman. 26 February 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20140203074142/http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/austin/entries/2009/02/26/former_munchkin_dies_at_91.html/. 3 February 2014. 21 April 2017.
  103. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170421152409/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1992-05-10/news/9205100438_1_oz-fest-munchkins-emerald-city. 21 April 2017. 8 Munchkins Find There Is No Place Like Kansas. Orlando Sentinel. 10 May 1992. live. 2 March 2016.
  104. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170421152703/http://variety.com/1998/film/news/gus-wayne-77-1117468285/. 21 April 2017. Midget actor appeared in 'Wizard of Oz'. Variety. 2 March 1998. 27 February 2016.
  105. Web site: Harvey Williams with William and Dorothy Haverstraw, Rugby, N.D.. North Dakota State University. Digital Horizons. February 10, 2020.
  106. Book: Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 1999. Harris M. Lentz III. McFarland. 239. 24 October 2008. 978-0-7864-5204-0.
  107. Web site: Life Beyond the Yellow Brick Road. patch.com. Debbie L. Sklar. 11 May 2011. 26 February 2016.
  108. Web site: Child actors recall joining Munchkin ranks in 'Oz' . December 2, 2008. Stephen. Cox. . https://web.archive.org/web/20090304200859/http://articles.latimes.com/2008/dec/02/entertainment/et-munchkins2 . 4 March 2009 . 22 January 2014.
  109. Web site: One of last living Munchkins reflects from her home in Sonoma. Dianne Reber Hart. Sonoma News. October 24, 2019.
  110. Web site: ' – . All Things Oz Museum on Twitter . 31 July 2023.
  111. News: Former KTVU reporter Betty Ann Bruno dead at 91 . 31 July 2023 . KTVU . 30 July 2023.
  112. Web site: Meet Joan Kenmore who once danced on the yellow brick road. allvoices.com. 26 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141128140631/http://www.allvoices.com/article/100001141. 28 November 2014.
  113. Web site: 'The Wizard of Oz' 3D Screening in LA . 22 January 2014.
  114. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20170706153945/http://www.tributes.com/show/Donna-Stewart-Hardway-84538063. 6 July 2017. Memories & Candles. tributes.com. 6 July 2017.
  115. Web site: She was a child munchkin. Dee Dunheim. NWI Times. September 18, 2013. August 9, 2020.
  116. Web site: Local 'Wizard of Oz' Child Actress Remembers Munchkin, Karl Slover, 93, Who Died Tuesday. patch.com. Debbie L. Sklar. 17 November 2011. 26 February 2016.
  117. Web site: So long and R.I.P Joan Kenmore, whose death earlier this year on July 26, 2022, aged 90, was just announced by her daughter to Marcos @marcosinwonderland . Austin & Howard Mutti-Mewse on Instagram . 19 November 2022 . 18 November 2022.
  118. Web site: Eva Feldman. Las Vegas Review Journal. 2 March 2016.
  119. Web site: Farewell to a friend whose star never faded. Paul. Atreides. June 4, 2015. February 24, 2020. Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  120. Web site: Actress, former "munchkin." dead at 61. Great Falls Tribune. 8. August 20, 1991. August 9, 2020.
  121. Web site: Rae-Nell Laskey during the filming of Wizard of Oz. Ancestry.com. August 9, 2020.
  122. Web site: Elaine Merk. Lord Heath. Dave Lord Heath. May 19, 2021.
  123. Web site: Valerie Lee. Lord Heath. Dave Lord Heath. March 21, 2023.
  124. Web site: Ardith Mae Todd . Legacy . 24 July 2023.
  125. Web site: Shirley Ann Kennedy Vegors Obituary. legacy.com. 26 November 2014.
  126. Web site: Wizard of Oz (MUNY 1945). 14 January 2011. 2005. Tams–Witmark Music Library. https://web.archive.org/web/20130210114148/http://www.tams-witmark.com/musicals/wizard.html. 10 February 2013.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Munchkin".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.