Munchkin Reunion Video: Aging Cast Reunites To Celebrate Wizard Of Oz 70 Years After Its Release (VIDEO)

Seventy years after the Lollipop Guild first sang to Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz, the actors who portrayed the Munchkins reunited.

Newsweek caught up with the spry and nostalgic Octo- and Nona-generians as they met for what one former Munchkin believes is the last time. Half of the group was dressed in costumes and was seated in wheelchairs. One held a cane.

The Wizard Of Oz is was first released August 15, 1939.

A couple weeks ago, the Empire State Building was supposed to be lighted in green (color of "The Emerald City"), to celebrate the movie's release. But that never happened. Instead, the new york city landmark was bathed in red light.

Highlights from the video:

• Toto got paid more than the little people playing the munchkins. "He had a better agent than we did," said an 86-year-old Munchkin alum.

• Judy Garland was kind. The group recounts how the actress gave them a huge box of candy. Setting the box on the set's yellow brick road, Garland said, "Sweets for the sweets," according to a former Munchkin.

• 92 is old. Former Munchkin Meinhardt Raabe, 92, dozes off during the interview. Raabe's former cast members and the Newsweek crew wake him up.

Comments

[burmajoe1]

instead of honoring

[ESerafina42]

Way to show respect for these actors, HuffPo. Start out your link with "CUTE!" I guess that means they're in the same league as the baby pygmy hippos from a few days ago.

[rf dude]

Factiods: pay rates (per week) for stars in TWOO:

Terry (the dog who played Toto) - $125

Judy Garland - $500

Charley Grapewin adn Clara Blandick (Uncle Henry and Auntie Em ) - $750 each
.
Billie Burke (Glinda, the good witch) 766.67 (go figure...)

Margaret Hamilton (Wicked Witch of the West) $1000.

Buddy Ebsen (original Tin Man): $1,500 (replaced by Jack Haley @ $3000)

Bert Lahr (Lion) & Frank Morgan (The Wizard): $2,500 each

Ray Bolger (Scarecrow): $3,000

(According to " The Making of the Wizard of Oz" by Aljean Harmetz)

[Okieborn]

The munchkins were a big part of the success of this remarkable movie !!

[YLS2007]

Obviously Toto was more talented...

[napasonoma]

Why do you consistently post such nasty remarks.
Maybe you need a stool softener.

[Okieborn]

A bad statement !!

[v eyepete]

I used to live a few blocks from the old MGM (now Sony Studios) and the hotel in Culver City were the Munchins all stayed in 1939. I never failed to remember them when I passed. Sometime in the late 90's I saw a remastered print of the Wizard of OZ in a movie theater across the street from what is now Sony Studios in Culver City. I was one of three adults at this matinée screening. I will still watch the DVD on occasion and be transported to the Emerald City and that Technicolor dream I love so much.

[USADownUnder]

This video really brighten up my evening.

[kooosh]

This video is awesome on so many levels. I'm glad I got to see it.

[textynn]

Wow they still look healthy and clear of mind. That is wonderful.

[qthedancer]

Truly heartwarming.

[Soulmentor]

I first saw the Wizard of Oz as a very young child when my mother took me to the no longer existing movie theater in the small Minnesota town near where we had a farm. I don't know what age I was, but must have been very young cause I got so frightened by the "lions and tigers and bears" scene my mother had to take me out. I think I didn't see it again til high school age. Now it brings tears to my eyes every time I see it or even bits of it like this video. Something about the movie touches the human spirit in apparently unique ways never to be repeated in quite the same way. The Yellow Brick Road represents the road we each much travel thru life with it's trials and tribulations, it's evils and goodness, sadness and joy, fear and hope.....and love. The movie encompasses all the great themes of human life, even war ( the flying monkeys). The author was surely one of those creative geniuses among humanity specially touched by God. The Wizard of Oz is truly a blessing upon humanity.

[truthmatterstoo]

What did she dep.osit eggs in there to create a devil ?

[Grannysue]

I'm sorry I thought this was a photo of the Republican Convention!

[JSDKoeln]

ahahah! Incredible!

[ancientmarinader]

We represent the lollipop guild, the lollipop guild, the lollipop guild.

[TruthJusticeForAll]

Thank you Munchkins for being a wonderful part of my youth!!