The exact number of midgets that were in The Wizard of Oz is hard to determine based on existing evidence. The 1939 film featured a total of 42 actors and actresses who played munchkins, only four of whom were thought to be actual midgets.
Three of these were Jerry Maren (center amongst Lollipop Guild trio), Janet Gaynor (cried in beginning), and Mickey Carroll (Mayor of Munchkinland). However, the fourth midget remains unknown. As a result of this, we can surmise that there were likely only four midgets in The Wizard of Oz.
These midgets were among the 124 little people hired to act as Munchkins in the film.
Are any of the midgets from The Wizard of Oz still alive?
As of 2018, all of the actors who portrayed Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz (1939) have passed away. Jerry Maren, the last surviving Munchkin, died at the age of 98 in 2018. The other Munchkins included: Meinhardt Raabe (played the coroner), Clarence Swensen (played a soldier), Ruth Duccini (played an aerialist), Margaret Pellegrini (played a sleepyhead), Charles Peck (played a soldier), Danny Lamai (played a soldier), Nita Krebs (played a dancer), and Billy Curtis (played a half-man, half-monkey).
Additionally, there were 124 actors in total who circulated through the role as a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz.
The Munchkins were described as a “merry old souls”, and their jovial nature drew in millions each year consistently over the decades since The Wizard of Oz was released. Although they are no longer with us, their lively performances will never be forgotten.
How old was the last Munchkin that died?
The last known Munchkin of the Oz books, who was featured in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, was Jerry Maren. He passed away on May 24th, 2018, at the age of 98. He was the last surviving Munchkin from the original film, nick-named the “Lollipop Kid” for his role of handing out a lollipop to Dorothy in the movie.
As such, he was the oldest of the Munchkins who was involved in the making of the movie and the last munchkin to die.
Who is the last Munchkin living?
The identity of the last living Munchkin is not publicly known. It has been speculated that the last living Munchkin may have been Jerry Maren, who played the Lollipop Guild Munchkin in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.
He passed away in 2018 at the age of 98, making him the oldest living cast member of The Wizard of Oz. There are also rumors that there is at least one other surviving Munchkin from the film. However, many of the cast members involved in the film have died in recent years and the surviving Munchkins who still living are not publicly known due to their advanced age.
Through the years, several surviving Munchkins from the film have been identified and interviewed, including Ruth Duccini, the last known surviving female Munchkin, who passed away in 2014. The identity of the last living Munchkin is, unfortunately, a mystery.
Were the Munchkins played by children?
No, the Munchkins were not played by children in The Wizard of Oz. The adult Munchkins were actually members of the Singer Midgets group, a group of selected little people from all over the world who performed in various productions during the 1930s.
The greatest number of them came from Hollywood’s Little People’s Colony, and they were paid $50 a week, which was more than many of them had ever earned before. Some of the most recognizable Munchkins include Billy Curtis, Jerry Maren, and Margaret Pellegrini, all of whom were between three and four feet tall.
They created the iconic colorful costumes of the Munchkins and were able to perfectly capture all of the Wowsers’ wily characters. Not only did the members of the Singer Midgets group walk away from their experience in The Wizard of Oz with a pay raise, but they were also immortalized in film history.
What were Munchkins names?
The Munchkins from L. Frank Baum’s book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz did not have individual names. They referred to themselves as Munchkins, as that was their collective identity within the story. In the book, they are described as small, but friendly people who speak in high-pitched voices.
They wear costumes of various colors to signify their trades and occupations throughout the book, such as farming, metalworking, baking, and dancing. It’s unknown why none of the Munchkins had any distinct names, but this is quite common within fantasy stories, particularly those involving talking animals.
Other similar magical creatures from Baum’s series included the Sawhorse, the Hungry Tiger, and Jack Pumpkinhead.
Is Glinda Dorothy’s aunt?
No, Glinda is not Dorothy’s aunt. Glinda is a powerful witch who resides in the Land of Oz. Dorothy meets with Glinda when she arrives in Oz and Glinda helps guide Dorothy on her journey. Glinda is a wise and kind sorceress, who gives Dorothy advice and gifts to help her on her way.
Glinda is never actually related to Dorothy, though she does become a mentor and a good friend to her.
Who was the most famous Munchkin?
The most famous Munchkin is likely to be Jerry Maren (1920–2018), who portrayed the Lollipop Kid in the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz. His face was the first one to appear in the movie, beginning a performance he reprised in various subsequent stage and television appearances.
Of the cast of 124 little people, he was one of the very few to become a movie star. In 1998 Maren received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He continued making appearances throughout his life and was the last surviving adult Munchkin from the film.
How many original Munchkins are still alive?
At the time of this writing, the exact number of surviving original Munchkins from the classic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz is not known. It is believed that only a handful of the members of the original cast are still alive.
These include actors Jerry Maren, who portrayed the Lollipop Guild leader and believed to be the last surviving Munchkin, Karl Slover, Ruth Duccini, and Margaret Pellegrini. Only a handful of the 124 full-scale Munchkins cast are estimated to still be around today.
Statistically, this would be around three or four. There are also a handful of the over 100 midgets who worked as parts of the chorus line, so the number of original Munchkins still alive could be even lower.
Did Toto get paid more than Dorothy?
No, Dorothy was the one who ended up getting paid more than Toto in the 1939 classic film The Wizard of Oz. In fact, Toto was never actually paid for his role as Dorothy’s loyal companion. Instead, the dog who played Toto was given a year’s supply of dog food for his work.
Dorothy, on the other hand, was paid $500 a week, which was a sizable amount of money at the time. The combined salaries of the other seven main actors in the movie totaled only slightly more than Dorothy’s salary, and that was only because some of the cast members were playing multiple roles.
So, while Toto was an essential part of the movie, it was Dorothy who ended up earning the highest salary.
How many Munchkins were there?
The exact number of Munchkins is unknown, but estimates suggest that there were anywhere between 120 and 200 Munchkins living in the Munchkin Country in the world of Oz. The Munchkins were predominantly a farming community, made of up various small villages scattered throughout the region.
The Munchkins were a kind-hearted and helpful people, who welcomed Dorothy and her companions when they arrived in Oz. They even presented Dorothy with her signature ruby slippers, a gesture which she never forgot.
Were all the Munchkins little people?
No, not all the Munchkins were little people. In The Wizard of Oz, the Munchkins are a group of citizens of the fictional Munchkin Country of the Land of Oz. While the inhabitants were small in stature, the characters portrayed by the actors in the 1939 film were mostly of average size.
The lollipop guild characters were portrayed by actors who were only 3’11” tall; however, some of the Munchkins were played by regular-sized actors. The MGM studio supplemented the dwarf actors with even shorter costumes and larger sets to make them appear even smaller.
According to Judy Garland (who played Dorothy in the film), they were careful not to stand close to the little people so they didn’t appear taller than the Munchkins.
Why didn’t Dorothy leave in the balloon with Oz?
Dorothy had multiple reasons why she chose not to leave Oz in the balloon. Firstly, she had made a promise to the Scarecrow that she would help him find a brain, the Tin Man a heart, and the Cowardly Lion courage.
They were all too heavy to take a ride in the balloon, and Dorothy would have felt guilty leaving them behind.
Secondly, throughout their adventure, Dorothy had come to love Oz and the Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion had become like family to her. Leaving them together would have felt like abandoning her beloved family.
Lastly, Dorothy understood that she had the power to get home all along and chose to face her struggles in Oz, learn from them, and then eventually return home with something to show for her journey (namely the magical slippers from the magical land).
Even though she could have left with the balloon and returned home, she chose to stick it out and come out stronger and wiser in the end.
How old is Dorothy now?
Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz was played by Judy Garland who was born in 1922. She passed away in 1969 so in 2021 she would have been 99 years old.
Are any Munchkins alive?
Yes, there are some Munchkins still alive today. Munchkins are a breed of tiny cats that originated in Louisiana in the 1990s. These cats are typically 2-3 pounds and under 8 inches tall, making them one of the smallest domesticated cats in the world.
These cats are characterized by their short legs, large eyes, and pointed ears. They are often considered “dog-like” in their personality and their devotion to their owners.
Munchkins are still quite rare, though, and their numbers remain quite low. This is due in part to their short legs making them prone to injuries and bone deformities, as well as the fact that some cat registries and organizations do not recognize them as a distinct breed.
Despite these obstacles, some Munchkin fanciers have managed to find, purchase, and breed them, leading to their growing recognition and availability throughout the world.
