'Wizard of Oz' Munchkin Karl Slover Dies at 93

DUBLIN, Ga. - Karl Slover, among the last making it through stars who performed Munchkins within the 1939 classic film, The Wizard of Oz, has died. He was 93.our editor recommends'Wizard of Oz' Slip-ons Likely to Fetch a minimum of $two million at AuctionWarner Bros. Wins Key Legal Ruling Affecting All 'Wizard of Oz' Remakes (Exclusive)Can Warner Bros. Stop Others By Using 'Wizard of Oz' Figures?Related Subjects•Obituaries Some-feet-5 Slover died of cardiopulmonary arrest Tuesday mid-day inside a central Georgia hospital, stated Laurens County Deputy Coroner Nathan Stanley. Based on buddies, as lately as last week, Slover made an appearance at occasions within the suburban Chicago area. Slover was most widely known for taking part in charge trumpeter within the Munchkins' band but additionally had roles like a townsman and soldier within the film, stated John Fricke, author of a century of Oz and five other books around the movie and it is star, Judy Garland. Slover was among the tiniest male Munchkins within the movie. Lengthy after Slover upon the market, he ongoing to look round the country at festivals and occasions associated with the film. He was among seven Munchkins in the 2007 unveiling of the star around the Hollywood Walk of Fame devoted towards the little folks the film. Only three remain from the 124 diminutive stars who performed the beloved Munchkins. "He's an authentic growing old," Fricke stated. "From the 124 little people, he's among the handful who reached love this particular latter-day fame, to possess people know who he was and have the ability to pick him from the crowd within the movie." Slover may be the to begin the 3 trumpeters to herald the Munchkin mayor when he makes his entrance. Slover have been cast to experience the 2nd trumpeter but switched when another actor got stage fright throughout filming, stated longtime friend Allen Pease, the co-founding father of the first kind Munchkinland Market Days outdoors Chesterton, Ind. "Karl didn't understand what stage fright meant," he stated. Slover was created Karl Kosiczky with what has become the Czech Republic and that he was the only real child in the family to become dwarf sized. "In individuals naive days, his father attempted witch physician remedies to create him grow," Fricke stated. "Knowing Karl and the overcome his early existence, you are able to't help but celebrate the guy at any given time such as this.Inch He was hidden outside, submerged in heated oil until his skin blistered after which mounted on a stretching machine in a hospital, all within the make an effort to lead him to increase height. Eventually he was offered by his father at 9 to some traveling show in Europe, Fricke stated. Slover ongoing to do into his late 20s, when he gone to live in the U . s . States, transformed his title and made an appearance in circuses included in a vaudeville group referred to as Singer Midgets. The audience's 30 entertainers grew to become the nucleus from the Munchkins. He was compensated $50 per week for that movie and told buddies that Garland's dog within the movie, Toto, made more income. The making it through Munchkin stars found new decades of fans within the late eighties once they started making looks round the country. "It wasn't before the Munchkins began making their looks in 1989 they all found realize how potent the film became and continued to be," Fricke stated. "He was wonderfully articulate about his reminiscences, he'd anecdotes to talk about.Inch Related Subjects Obituaries The Wizard of Oz