Eva Lee Kuney

Eva Lee Kuney Grover Feldman (April 24, 1934 – May 24, 2015) was an American child actress, dancer, and draftswoman. She appeared in her first film at the age of 18 months and performed in numerous uncredited film roles.

Eva Lee Kuney
Kuney in Penny Serenade
Born(1934-04-24)April 24, 1934
Hollywood, California, U.S.
DiedMay 24, 2015(2015-05-24) (aged 81)
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Other namesEva Feldman
Lee Feldman
Occupation(s)Child actress, dancer, draftswoman
Years active1935–1950s
Spouse(s)Arthur "Buddy" Grover (m. 1955-19??); 2 children
Kenneth Feldman
​
(m. 1972)​

Kuney's best known role and only screen credit was as six-year-old Trina, the adopted daughter of Cary Grant's and Irene Dunne's characters in Penny Serenade (1941). Turning to dance, Kuney worked as a contract player for film studios until the age of 18, when she accepted a temporary job in a stage show in Las Vegas and continued performing there. Kuney later worked as a draftswoman for the Clark County Transportation Department and volunteered her services to many community theater groups in the city.

Career

Eva Lee Kuney, known as "Lee", was born on April 24, 1934, in Hollywood, California, to parents Leon and Edna Kuney.[1][2] Her father worked in the Hollywood film industry.[3] At the age of 18 months she appeared in her first film, Little Papa, one of the Our Gang comedies, act when she was 18 months old as Spanky's baby sister.[1][3] She was one of about a dozen small children used to fill out the background of Munchkin scenes in The Wizard of Oz (1939), as there were not enough little people to populate the set.[3][4][5]

In 1940, after a two-year drought with no film roles, Kuney's mother saw a casting notice for the role of the six-year-old girl in Penny Serenade. Kuney was selected over 500 other applicants.[6] She received her first screen credit playing Trina in the film.[1][3] In 1942, she appeared as herself in a comedy play titled "Camera Angles", which featured many young Hollywood actors and actresses playing themselves in a benefit performance for the Anne Lehr Milk Fund.[7]

Turning to dance, Kuney became a contract player for film studios; among her performances were the films Holiday Inn (1942) and White Christmas (1954).[3]

Kuney graduated from North Hollywood High School.[8] At age 18 she accepted a dancing job in San Francisco from choreographer Donn Arden, who then offered her a temporary gig in his new stage show at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas.[3] She went on to dance in Las Vegas stage shows starring Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Patti Page.[3]

After retiring from the stage, Kuney worked as a draftswoman for the Clark County Transportation Department.[3] She later volunteered her time and advice to many community theater groups in Las Vegas.[1][3]

Personal life and death

Kuney married her first husband, Arthur "Buddy" Grover, a musician, in 1955. The couple had a son and daughter, Brad and Andrea. In 1972, Kuney married Kenneth Feldman, a speech pathologist who later was active as a community theater actor and director in Las Vegas.[1][9]

Eva Kuney Feldman died in Las Vegas on May 24, 2015, at the age of 81.[1]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1935 Little Papa Marvel Uncredited[10]
1938 The Sisters Uncredited[6]
Five of a Kind Uncredited
1939 The Wizard of Oz Background extra in Munchkin scenes Uncredited[3]
1941 Penny Serenade Trina (age 6) [11]
Lydia Little Blind Girl Uncredited[12]
1944 Hi, Beautiful Girl Uncredited [13]
1945 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Girl Uncredited[14]
1947 Driftwood A child of McDougal Uncredited[15]
1948 So Dear to My Heart Honey Girl Uncredited[16]

References
  1. "Obituary". Legacy.com. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  2. "Leon F. Kuney in the 1940 Census". Archives.com. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  3. Atreides, Paul (June 4, 2015). "Farewell to a friend whose star never faded". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  4. Cox, Stephen (1989). The Munchkins Remember: 'The Wizard of Oz' and Beyond. E.P. Dutton. p. 65. ISBN 9780525484868. The studio decided to audition and cast nearly a dozen small children to play the background Munchkins, so areas of the set wouldn't appear sparse.
  5. Scarfone, Jay; Stillman, William (2004). The Wizardry of Oz: The Artistry and Magic of the 1939 M-G-M Classic. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 239. ISBN 9781617748431.
  6. UP (February 12, 1941). "Eva Makes Comeback At Age of Six Years". Amarillo Daily News. p. 25 – via Newspaper Archive.open access
  7. "Junior Actors to Present Play". Los Angeles Times. March 15, 1942. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  8. "Vegas Locale For Arthur B. Grover Rite". The Valley Times. May 24, 1955. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  9. "Theater to Hold Feldman Service". Las Vegas Review-Journal. October 30, 2007. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  10. "The Little Rascals (1935) - Gus Meins | Cast and Crew". AllMovie.
  11. "Penny Serenade (1941)". American Film Institute Catalog. 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  12. "Lydia 1941 DVD - Merle Oberon / Edna May Oliver". Old Rare Films.
  13. "Hi, Beautiful (1944)". American Film Institute Catalog. 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  14. "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945)". American Film Institute Catalog. 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  15. "Driftwood (1947)". American Film Institute Catalog. 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  16. "So Dear to My Heart (1948)". American Film Institute Catalog. 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
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