Sign at the Entrance to Elk Banner's, North Carolina
"Oz" park. Picture taken by Dorene Strickland, October 2003.

It has recently been brought to my attention that there is a rumor around that many of the Munchkins are either dead or have suddenly disappeared.

I don't know how these things get started but I am here to set the record straight. There is a list of the surviving Munchkins on my website under the title of "Acknowledgements" but it seems it's too obscure for most people to realize that it is there. So I decided to do it this way.

Below are the pictures and information on the 16 people that I know are alive and where they are if that information is known and what they are doing-----

Little People from Munchkinland

Mickey Carroll--------www.munchkinmickeycarroll.com .
Fiddler & Violin Player. Very entertaining and talented artist.

Lewis "Idaho" Croft- Free Agent
Soldier

Ruth Robinson Duccini- Free Agent
Townswoman



Jerry Maren----------Under Contract to the agent Ralph Zellem
Center Lollipop Kid~ This guy is more fun than a good Lollipop.

Olga Nardone------Is alive, but never appears.
Lullaby League Member

Picture from the Wizardry of Oz, 2004.

Margaret Pellegrini- Free Agent
Sleepy Head/
Townswoman~ Margaret is so sharp of mind that she has never forgotten anything she has ever known. Miss Vim and Vitality. She can be a sassy lass and make you love her anyway. Munchkin Love is what she is all about.

Meinhardt Raabe----- Free Agent
Coroner/ Town-head
This older citizen can keep you entertained for hours of fun. If you ever get to see him, ask him about the difference between the Hot Dog and the Weiner? It's shades of Bud Abbot and Lou Costello's, "Who's on first".

Slover, Karl ----------- Under Contract to the agent Ralph Zellem
First Trumpeter/Sleepy head. This is the sweetest man I have ever Known.
His Oz stories are among the very best. Pure entertainment!

Swensen, Clarence-Free Agent
Soldier
When this film was made the soldiers were taught to do the German Goose Step in 1938 at MGM. Clarence can still strut a mean snappy marching step and when asked, will do it for you. Real sweet guy. What a pleasure to be a round.

Children from Munchkinland

Betty Ann Bruno Free Agent
Child Munchkin
Whereabouts known but inactive.

Donna Jean Johnson
AKA Donna Stewart-Hardway-Free Agent
Child Munchkin~ Active member. Entertainer and lecturer. Like all these good people my funny bone is well in tact. I am also the youngest cast member of this 1939 MGM film.

Joan Kenmore--------Free Agent
Child Munchkin
Whereabouts known but inactive. Joan is still living in California.

Shirley Ann Kennedy---Free Agent
Child Munchkin
Whereabouts known but inactive
No Picture available

Eva Lee Kuney---------
Child Munchkin
Whereabouts unknown
No Picture available

"Baby" Patsy Lee May ---------
Child Munchkin
Whereabouts unknown
No Picture Available

Priscilla Montgomery----
Child Munchkin
Whereabouts unknown
No picture available

Emerald City Players

Lois January --------Free agent
Hair Dresser for Judy Garland
Whereabouts known.

Stand-in for Judy Garland

Caren Marsh Doll-- Free Agent-Also author of "Hollywood's Child"
A new book release of 'Dancing through Oz'
Whereabouts known. A classy beautiful lady. Buy the book.

The available people listed above, except those whose whereabouts are unknown, are available for hire for your Oz event. These can be festivals, church gatherings, "Wizard of Oz Plays" or showings of the "Oz" film to sing-a-longs or lectures on either the MGM film or L. Frank Baum who wrote the original story in 1900. The talent and diversity of these people who are experts in this genre are almost endless. Regarding "Oz" there is a person available for every need. Authors, historians, artisans are available for most every faucet of this famous American Fairytale. They're very knowledgeable Oz collectors too that would be glad to speak to your club or your social function. But, if you want to hire a Munchkin then you're surely in the right place.

For the free agents call Jean Nelson at 219-926-9150 or call Donna Stewart-Hardway at 304-965-3634. For any comments or questions regarding this posting please write to Munchkin4U2hire@aol.com

Jean Nelson

Donna Stewart-Hardway

To reach the agent for Jerry Maren, Karl Slover or Mickey Carroll you can reach Ralph Zellem by going to http://www.Ozmunchkinland.com

The Official 50th Anniversary Pictorial History
THE WIZARD OF OZ
John Fricke
Jay Scarfone
William Stillman

JUDY GARLAND
World's Greatest Entertainer
by
John Fricke

100 Years of OZ
A century of Classic Images from
The Wizard of Oz
Willard Carroll
by
John Fricke

Judy Garland
A Portrait in Art and Anecdote
by
John Fricke

A Thumbnail Schetch on one of our historians that is available to entertain musically, vocally, and is the author of at least four wonderful “Oz” books. Arguably the foremost knowledgeable professional on Judy Garland’s life. John has a way, when talking to an audience, of making you feel like it’s only you he’s talking to.

He has also served as creative consultant for the award-winning PBS-TV special "Judy Garland: The Concert Years"

and as associate producer for the Emmy Award-nominated CBS-TV documentary "The Wonderful World of Oz: Fifty Years of Magic."

John Fricke also co produced the Emmy Award Winning A&E Biography, Judy: Beyond the Rainbow:

John Fricke can be reached at johnfricke@aol.com

“THAT OLD FEELING”:
CLASSIC BALLADS FROM “THE JUDY GARLAND SHOW”
----
SAVOY JAZZ DEBUTS NEW COMPACT DISC COLLECTION ON JUNE 14

For Immediate Release: Legendary music label Savoy Jazz is proud to
announce its premier association with perhaps the most legendary entertainer
of them all in a special musical celebration, “That Old Feeling”: Classic
Ballads From The Judy Garland Show. The 20 songs featured in this
June 14th compact disc release have been hand-picked from the soundtracks of
Garland’s 1963-64 CBS-TV series, during which she sang more than 150 solos --
many of them new to her repertoire.

Rather than compile again the standard numbers she introduced or popularized,
this Savoy Jazz collection provides instead a prime sampler of Garland's command
over the fresh and unfamiliar. It pairs the woman Tony Bennett has long since defined
as "the greatest singer of the twentieth century" with music and lyrics that
encompass six decades of the great popular songbook, from the 'teens through
the 'sixties. Whether originating in Broadway shows or Hollywood films, whether
drawn from Tin Pan Alley or American folk heritage, these numbers provide a
composite new view of the musical artistry of Judy Garland.

The songs featured on "That Old Feeling": Classic Ballads From "The Judy
Garland Show" have been selected by Emmy Award-winning producer and
Garland biographer, John Fricke, who also wrote the liner notes and programmed
the running order of the material. Says Fricke, "Judy did several concept albums
during her tenure with Capitol Records, but that was nearly 50 years ago. This
CD gives us a chance to revisit that kind of concept in an innovative way -- by using
songs that had never before been assembled in a single package. It was a
genuine pleasure, because Judy's own inherent ability to pace her repertoire
gave us such a variety of ballads from which to choose."

As a result, the spectrum of material and Garland performance featured on the
new compact disc is almost unfathomable...yet totally typical of her timelessness
and versatility. The selections range from the autobiographical ("Once In A Lifetime"
and "Through the Years") to the dramatic ("By Myself"), philosophical ("Lost in the
Stars"), gentle ("Here's That Rainy Day"), wistful ("I'm Always Chasing Rainbows"),
romantic ("The Last Dance"), to quintessential torch songs ("As Long As He
Needs Me," "When Your Lover Has Gone"). Adding to the range of the program,
Garland is accompanied on the different numbers by musical backgrounds that
alternate full orchestra, piano and rhythm section, vocal chorus, or solo
instrumentation.

“That Old Feeling” is also highlighted by Judy's spoken introductions to a couple
of numbers, several never-before-published photographs in the accompanying booklet,
and -- supremely -- by her duets with two of the best balladeers in the business,
Barbra Streisand and the aforementioned Tony Bennett.

Street date for Classic Ballads From "The Judy Garland Show" is June 14th --
just four days after the star's 83rd birthday anniversary.

----

Complete track listing is as follows: “Once in a Lifetime,” “I’m Always Chasing
Rainbows," "Too Late Now," “Ol’ Man River," “Shenandoah," "When Your
Lover Has Gone," “A Foggy Day," “As Long As He Needs Me," “What’ll I
Do?," “All Alone," “Lost In The Stars," “A Cottage For Sale," “That Old
Feeling," “By Myself," “Here’s That Rainy Day," “The Last Dance,"
“Battle Hymn of the Republic,“ "I Left My Heart in San Francisco”
(with Tony Bennett), “Medley: Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again”
(with Barbra Streisand), and “Through the Years.”

----
P.S. from Fricke: As a personal postscript, may I add that it was also a pleasure and a privilege to be asked to determine a concept for this album. For those who might question the selections, it's necessary to point out as well that I was completely limited to using ONLY tracks that were earlier included on the cd/vhs set that 32 Records put out a few years back. (I don't know any of the logistics, but that specific material now has passed on to Savoy Jazz, and they came to me a few months ago and asked for suggestions as to potential ways to "reuse" the various TV series songs. Rather than offer yet again another "Swanee," "San Francisco," or the Palace medley, etc., the ballad melange seemed workable...so that's what they decided to implement. Within these rather tight boundaries, I think [I hope!] it makes for a decent program; at very least, it's the chance to circulate a Garland CD where she's doing -- for the masses, anyway -- mostly unfamiliar songs, including some amazingly good ones.)

As ever, Steve Sanders and Ranse Ransone were of major help in collecting and preparing artwork for the release, and there are two or three previously unpublished TV series performance photographs amidst two or three other familiar ones. The booklet is only eight pages long, but it allows for a quick summation of the series, its history, and its residual reputation...with all due credit to the late Al DiOrio whose solicitation of comments from British critic Douglas McVay (for the introduction to LITTLE GIRL LOST thirty-plus years ago) yielded the "peg" on which the concept is explained in the text.

The finished product is a minor one, but I hope it's also "classy," as that's something most of us wish for Judy, regardless!

William Stillman, Co-author of three books on the MGM filming of the "Wizard of Oz". Lecturer of everything about Oz. Bill and Jay are also extensive Oz memorabilia collectors. Also Co author of a Children's Popup book. He is so good looking there should be a law against it.

The Official 50th Anniversary Pictorial History
THE WIZARD OF OZ
John Fricke
Jay Scarfone
William Stillman

The Wizardry of Oz
The artistry and Magic of the 1939 M-G-M Classic
Jay Scarfone
William Stillman

The Wizard of Oz
The Film Classic Comes to Life with
Music and Stunning Three-Dimension!

The Wizardry of Oz
The Artistry and Magic of the 1939
M-G-M Classic
Revised and Expanded Edition

Jay Scarfone, one of the Co Authors of three books about the filming of the Wizard of Oz. Collector and lecturer. Author in tandem with Bill Stillman of the Children's Popup book. Jay is certainly one of the most caring people I've ever run into.

Roger Baum, the great, great grandson of L. Frank Baum Author of the modern day stories about "Oz". Contact at At www.tototooinc.com or Sales@tototooinc.com
Roger's forte are groups of parents or grand parents who want their kids to love books and to grow strong and straight the way his grandfather did. An exciting children's author.

L-R~ Bill Stillman, Karl Slover, Jay Scarfone and
Donna Stewart-Hardway advertising Oz for the
International Wizard of Oz Club. What pros we are. <g>

Extended Family of Oz at Chesterton, Indiana September 2000

Back Row: Jay Scarfone, Donna Stewart-Hardway, William Stillman
Roger Baum, and Caren Marsh Doll.

Front row: Margaret Pellegrini, Mary Ellen StAubin, Karl Slover, Myrna Swensen, Clarence Swensen, Elizabeth Maren, Jerry Maren, and Meinhardt Raabe.

There will never be a finer time than now to engage these engaging people in the entertainment of you friends, families, business associates and for that special Social Occasion. We even arrange the perfect fairy tale "Wizard of Oz" Wedding. Tap your Ruby Slippers three times and follow that "Yellow Brick Road" to your own rainbow.


"Oz Wedding Planner"
Dorene Strickland




Michael Siewert 202-431-9084
Michael owns the worlds largest collection of Judy Garland memorabilia, including 15 gowns from Judy's movies, TV show and concerts. He is capable of traveling and exhibiting the gowns as he has mannequins and an audio/video of Judy performing in the gowns on display. He hails from Washington, DC. The costumes have been exhibited at various venues around the country and the collection is world renowned. It has been featured on Turner Classic Movies, PBS in Washington, DC and with various published Garland projects. Judy will come to life when you display, Judy Garland The Dressing Of A Legend.

SPECIAL NEWS RELEASE

Rare Collection of Judy Garland’s Gowns Comes to Wamego

A selection from the World’s Largest Private collection of Judy Garland gowns and costumes will open in the Swogger Gallery at the Columbian Theatre in Wamego on June 1. The collection, owned by Michael Siewert, of Washington, D.C., will feature over a dozen of Garland’s costumes. Along with the gowns, a full-length black mink coat and other accessories, will be film clips, photographs and video tape featuring Garland actually wearing the items in the exhibit, “Judy Garland – The Dressing of a Legend”.
Siewert began collecting Garland memorabilia as a child.
“I loved The Wizard of Oz and fell in love with Dorothy,” he said. “I thought Judy Garland was the most beautiful and talented woman in the world.”
Siewert began collecting Judy Garland post cards and records he found at flea markets. Later he branched out into videos, dolls, plates, movie posters, photographs and other items with Garland’s image on them.
“I never thought about collecting any of her costumes,” he said, figuring museums had already gathered all that might be available.

Then he found one of Garland’s dresses, then another, and another. Within three years he had collected over a dozen dresses and costumes.
“To see the gowns and costumes Judy actually wore next to clips from the movies and appearances of her wearing them is the next best thing to having her alive. It’s breathtaking even for someone who is not a Judy fan,” Siewert said.
And the collection is a natural fit for the Columbian Theatre. It was there that one of the world’s largest private collections of Wizard of Oz memorabilia was exhibited in 1995. According to Clark Balderson, Swogger Gallery Chairman for the Columbian Theatre, close to 20,000 people viewed the collection of Wamego native, Tod Machin, in its three-month stay there.
From that exhibit grew the Oz Museum, just a few doors south of the Columbian Theatre, which now houses Machin’s collection along with other Wizard of Oz memorabilia and gifts.
Jim Ginavan, curator of the Oz Museum, sees this as a perfect opportunity for people to take in both collections.
“You can visit the museum and see where Judy Garland’s career began, then go see her entire career through the exhibit of her gowns and costumes at the Columbian,” Ginavan said.
It was a visit to the Oz Museum, and Wamego, which prompted Siewert, who has never allowed his entire collection of gowns to be shown for this length of time before, to contact Ginavan about displaying one or two of Garland’s famous gowns.

“Wamego is an incredible place and I loved the Columbian Theatre. I’m glad I can bring Judy Garland to a place she should have been to during her life,” Siewert said.
Ginavan and Balderson agree that the appeal of this collection spans many age groups, as well as interests.
“It’s for people who are interested in movie nostalgia, those who are Judy Garland fans as well as for those who love The Wizard of Oz,” Ginavan said.
The collection, “Judy Garland – The Dressing of a Legend” will run through the end of October. The Swogger Gallery is located on the ground floor of the Columbian Theatre, Museum and Art Center, 521 Lincoln Ave., and can be contacted at (800) 899-1893. The Oz Museum, 511 Lincoln Ave., is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m, and can be contacted at (866) 458-8686.

HOMEPAGE