From the jsonline: Meinhardt Raabe, who portrayed the Munchkin coroner in the "Wizard of Oz," will be buried Tuesday morning near his hometown in Jefferson County.
The public is welcome to attend the visitation for Raabe, starting at 10 a.m., in Immanuel Lutheran Church in Farmington, on County Highway B, three miles east of Johnson Creek. A funeral service will begin at 11.
Small in stature, at 4 feet 7 inches tall, Raabe parlayed his role in the 1939 film into a lifelong adventure. He appeared at Wizard of Oz festivals around the country and joined the remaining Munchkins when they were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in Los Angeles.
Raabe was believed to be the last surviving Munchkin, the group of little people who gathered to celebrate the death of the Wicked Witch. In his role, Raabe made the official declaration: "As coroner, I thoroughly examined her. And she's not only merely dead, she's really most sincerely dead."
The movie, however, was just one part of his life. Raabe worked for 30 years as a spokesman for the Oscar Mayer Co., became a licensed pilot and served in the Civil Air Patrol http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/91555974.html
The public is welcome to attend the visitation for Raabe, starting at 10 a.m., in Immanuel Lutheran Church in Farmington, on County Highway B, three miles east of Johnson Creek. A funeral service will begin at 11.
Small in stature, at 4 feet 7 inches tall, Raabe parlayed his role in the 1939 film into a lifelong adventure. He appeared at Wizard of Oz festivals around the country and joined the remaining Munchkins when they were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in Los Angeles.
Raabe was believed to be the last surviving Munchkin, the group of little people who gathered to celebrate the death of the Wicked Witch. In his role, Raabe made the official declaration: "As coroner, I thoroughly examined her. And she's not only merely dead, she's really most sincerely dead."
The movie, however, was just one part of his life. Raabe worked for 30 years as a spokesman for the Oscar Mayer Co., became a licensed pilot and served in the Civil Air Patrol http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/91555974.html
One piece of triva: Where was the primire of the "Wizard of OZ"? Answer: Oconomowoc, WI.
Seventy years after "The Wizard of Oz" first premiered at the old Strand Theatre in downtown Oconomowoc, that milestone will be honored with a special showing of the perennial favorite...According to information from Warner Brothers, the movie premiered here on Aug. 12, 1939, which is considered the official anniversary date. The movie had a Hollywood premiere three days later, on Aug. 15, at Grauman's Chinese Theater. http://www.livinglakecountry.com/oconomowocfocus/news/48775462.html
One more piece of worthless trivia: When I was in middle school, I was in a Wizard of Oz play. We played at the local elementary school in Wauwatosa and I played the part of a flying monkey. Apparently, they didn't like my singing abilities because when the troupe sang some of the songs, I was told to be quiet.
The first time I saw The Wizard of Oz, was in the early 50's. It was still playing in the theaters! I remember many years later, seeing Ray Bolger on a TV talk show. Today we own the 3-disc set, so we get to see all about the movie, or the movie itself, whenever we want. Through the magic of Hollywood, none of these performers will ever be gone forever. My wife and I will love and cherish this movie, and all the characters forever.
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