'Wizard of Oz' Munchkin Karl Slover dies at 93

Karl Slover, a Slovak-born American actor best known as one of the munchkin actors in 1939 cl(–foul word(s) removed–)ic fim ‘The Wizard of Oz’ has died at the age of 93.

Slover, a 4-foot-5 (1.3-meter) actor who is best known for playing the lead trumpeter in the Munchkins’ band died because of cardiopulmonary arrest last Tuesday afternoon in a central Georgia Hospital.

Long after he retired, Slover continued to appear around the country at festivals and events related to the movie. He was one of seven Munchkins at the 2007 unveiling of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame dedicated to the little people in the movie. Only three remain of the 124 diminutive actors who played the beloved Munchkins.

American film director Ron Fricke says “”Of the 124 little people, Slover is one of the handful who got to enjoy this latter-day fame, to have people know who he was and be able to pick him out of the crowd in the movie. He has a genuine immortality.”

Slover’s life not of an ordinary one; since he was the only child in his family to be dwarf sized, his father tried witch doctor treatments to make him grow, he was buried in the backyard, immersed in heated oil until his skin blistered and then attached to a stretching machine at a hospital, all in the attempt to make him become taller. Eventually he was sold by his father at age 9 to a traveling show in Europe.

He then changed his name when he moved to the United States and continued to perform in his late 2o’s appeared in circuses as part of a vaudeville group known as the Singer Midgets. The group’s 30 performers became the nucleus of the Munchkins.

“Karl didn’t know what stage fright meant,” Fricke said.

He was paid $50 a week for the movie and told friends that Garland’s dog in the movie, “Toto,” made more money.

“It wasn’t until the Munchkins started making their appearances in 1989 that they all came to realize how potent the film had become and remained,” Fricke said. “He was wonderfully articulate about his memories, he had anecdotes to share.”

May you rest in peace, Mr. Slover. God bless you! We will never forget how great you are!