Jerry Maren

Jerry Maren (born Gerard Marenghi; January 24, 1920 – May 24, 2018) was an American actor who played a Munchkin member of the Lollipop Guild in the 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film The Wizard of Oz. He became the last surviving adult Munchkin[lower-alpha 1] following the death of Ruth Duccini in 2014, and was also the last surviving cast member with a specifically identifiable speaking or singing role.[2][3]

Jerry Maren
Maren attending the premiere of Dahmer vs. Gacy in 2010
Born
Gerard Marenghi

(1920-01-24)January 24, 1920
DiedMay 24, 2018(2018-05-24) (aged 98)
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills
OccupationActor
Years active1938–2016
Known forLast surviving Adult Munchkin from 1939 film The Wizard of Oz
Height4 ft 6 in (137 cm)
Spouse
Elizabeth Barrington
(m. 1975; died 2011)

Early life

Gerard Marenghi, eventually known as Jerry Maren, was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, the youngest of eleven or twelve children.[1][4] His father, Emil Marenghi, worked at a shoe factory. His four brothers were six feet (182.88 cm) or taller by 1939.[5]

At the age of 12, Maren started taking dancing lessons with his sister. He toured around New England with his dance instructor with an act called Three Steps and a Hop and was noticed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer scouts who were looking for three little people who could sing and dance.

Career

Maren received a telegram, just after graduating from high school, asking him to come to California to work on a film. He was offered nearly $100 per week plus expenses.[6]

In The Wizard of Oz, he played the green-garbed member of the Lollipop Guild (between Jakob "Jackie" Gerlich and Harry Earles), handing a lollipop to Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland). Maren was 18 or 19 years old when he shot his scenes for The Wizard of Oz in the latter part of 1938 and early 1939. At that time he stood just 3 ft 6 in (107 cm). (Hormone treatments allowed Maren to reach a height of 4 ft 6 in (137 cm) later in life.)[1]

Maren began to cultivate his performance talents by creating a persona as a thirteen-year-old during school vacations. He began attending singing and dancing lessons in his early teens, and enjoyed them so much that he opted to team up with his teacher in an act known as "Three Steps and a Hop." The idea was a success on stage, and the group toured the New England circuit for a considerable length of time. In the same year as The Wizard of Oz, Maren appeared in an Our Gang short Tiny Troubles as the criminal "Light-Fingered Lester", and was an extra in the Western film The Terror of Tiny Town.

After The Wizard of Oz, Maren had roles in several movies and television shows, including a circus performer in the Marx Brothers film At The Circus (1939) and as an ape in Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973). He is also featured, along with fellow Munchkin Billy Curtis, in American International Pictures' release Little Cigars (1973), about a gang of "midgets" on a crime spree.

In the 1950s, Maren worked as Little Oscar for the Oscar Mayer Company and as Buster Brown in television and radio commercials. He later joined his friend Billy Barty in organizing Little People of America. He also portrayed Mayor McCheese and The Hamburglar in commercials for McDonald's.[1] Maren was a stuntman on the 1975 film The Apple Dumpling Gang and said he "nearly got killed" filming a scene where a buckboard went out of control.[7]

From 1969 until 1971, Maren appeared on The Andy Williams Show on a regular basis as the Little General. In the late 1970s, Maren was the dapper little man in top hat and tuxedo on The Gong Show, heralding each show's big finish with an onslaught of confetti as Milton DeLugg's band played "Hoop Dee Doo". He made a notable appearance in the episode "Felix the Horseplayer" of The Odd Couple as Harry Tallman, a racehorse exerciser who gives Oscar tips on winning horses. In 1982 he played Morris the bellboy, a regular character in the ABC sitcom No Soap, Radio.

Maren had a walk-on role in an episode of Seinfeld ("The Yada Yada") and played a mime in the 2010-released comedy horror movie Dahmer vs. Gacy. He also starred in the Eric Swelstad-directed horror movie Frankenstein Rising (2009).[8] In February 2009, Maren performed in Project Lodestar Sagas as Thaddeus, opposite former MGM child actress Margaret O'Brien in the lead role of Livia Wells.

Promotional appearances

Maren (far left), Karl Slover, Clarence Swensen and Margaret Pellegrini in 1998

On November 21, 2007, Maren appeared with six other Munchkin actors at the unveiling of a Hollywood Star for the Wizard of Oz Munchkins on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The other actors were Mickey Carroll, Ruth Duccini, Margaret Pellegrini, Meinhardt Raabe, Karl Slover, and Clarence Swensen.[9]

On June 3, 2010, Maren appeared at Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York, to promote a new Wizard of Oz slot machine.[10]

After 2011, Maren stopped traveling or appearing at any of the Oz Festivals held throughout the country, but he did appear for a handprint and footprint ceremony at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on September 18, 2013.[11]

Personal life

Maren was married to Elizabeth Barrington from 1975 until her death at age 69 on January 27, 2011. He lived in southern California.[12]

On February 29, 2016, it was reported that Maren had died of pancreatic cancer, but these reports were false.[13] He posted a video on Instagram to say that he was alive and well, and according to friend Steve Cox, he didn't have cancer.[14]

When The Hollywood Reporter attempted to contact Maren for a story on little people in Hollywood in August 2016, Maren's caretakers informed the reporter that he was too frail to make further appearances or conduct interviews.[15]

Death

Maren died at a nursing facility center in La Jolla, California on May 24, 2018, aged 98, from a combination of old age-related diseases including cachexia, heart failure and senile dementia. He outlived all the major cast members as well as the original Tin Man Buddy Ebsen.[16][1][17][18][19] Maren left no immediate survivors.[1] He was the last surviving member of The Wizard of Oz's adult Munchkin cast, the only Munchkin alive when extra Shep Houghton died in 2016,[lower-alpha 1] as well as the last surviving actor to have co-starred in a film starring the Marx Brothers.[1]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1938The Terror of Tiny TownTownspersonUncredited
1939Tiny TroublesLight Fingered LesterShort
The Wizard of OzGreen Member of the Lollipop GuildUncredited
At the CircusLittle Professor AtomAs Jerry Marenghi
1940The Golden FleecingMidget in Phone BoothUncredited
1941Maisie Was a LadyMidgetUncredited
1942True to the ArmyCol. DelaroyUncredited
Fingers at the WindowSmall BoyUncredited
Beyond the Blue HorizonNativeUncredited
Here We Go AgainBody Double for Charlie McCarthy in MotionAlso stand-in for Charlie McCarthy
1943Flesh and FantasyMidgetUncredited
1944Silent PartnerMessengerUncredited
Johnny Doesn't Live Here AnymoreGremlin
1945Bring on the GirlsMidget in Fireman SkitUncredited
The Great John L.Midget
That's the SpiritMidgetUncredited
Duffy's TavernMidgetUncredited
An Angel Comes to BrooklynMidget BabyUncredited
1946Three Wise FoolsSir BoulderUncredited
1948Are You with It?MidgetUncredited
When My Baby Smiles at MeMidgetUncredited
1949Samson and DelilahJesterUncredited
1951Superman and the Mole MenMole-ManUncredited
1968Planet of the ApesChild ApeUncredited
1969Hello, Dolly!MidgetUncredited
1970BigfootBaby Creature
1971Outlaw RidersBartender
Dirty HarryStuntsUncredited
1973Little CigarsCadillac
1978The Amazing Captain NemoTV movie
The Bad News Bears Go to JapanPage Boy
The Lord of the RingsCharacter ActorVoice
1979AmericathonAct
ProphecyStunts
The Making of The Wizard of OzHimself
1980Where the Buffalo RoamBell Man
1981Side ShowTom TinyTV movie
Under the RainbowHotel Rainbow Guest
1982TronUncredited
1983Something Wicked This Way ComesDemon MidgetUncredited
High School U.S.A.RobotTV movie
The BeingMonsterAs Jerry Marin
1984Hot MovesArcade Vendor
It Came Upon the Midnight ClearElf #3TV movie
1985PetronellaGeorgeTV movie
HouseLittle Critter
GraffitiCitizenShort
1987SpaceballsUncredited
1988The Great OutdoorsThe Old Man StrangerUncredited
1990The Dreamer of OzMr. MunchkinTV movie
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of MagicHimself
1993We're Off to See the Munchkins
1994The Bible According to HollywoodHimself
In Search of OzHimself
I Married a MunchkinHimself
1998Glorious TechnicolorHimself
1999A Tribute to The Wizard of OzHimself
2000Bit PlayersOompa LoompaShort
2001Memories of OzHimself
2004Todd Browning's 'Freaks': The Sideshow CinemaHimselfAlso "Special Thanks" credit
2005Best Ever Family FilmsHimself
The 100 Greatest Family FilmsHimself
2009The Yellow Brick Road and BeyondActor / MunchkinAlso "Special Thanks" credit, credited as Jerry Marin
Hollywood Celebrates Its Biggest Little Stars!Himself
The 78th Annual Hollywood Christmas ParadeHimself
To Oz! The Making of a ClassicHimself(Archive footage)
2010Frankenstein RisingManlon
Dahmer vs. GacyMime
Heroic AmbitionHimself
2011Best in Film: The Greatest Movies of Our TimeHimself
2016The Hollywood ShortiesHimself(Archive footage)

Television

Title Year Role Notes
1953Adventures of SupermanMole-Man #32 episodes, archive footage
1954Smilin' Ed's Gang1 episode
1955Andy's GangBuster BrownVoice
1956Producers' Showcase1 episode
1960This Is Your LifeHimself1 episode
1965Bob Hope Christmas ShowSketch PerformerUncredited
1966The Beverly HillbilliesSpaceman #21 episode
1967BewitchedGremlin1 episode
The Wild Wild WestCoco1 episode
1968The Bob Hope SpecialSanta's Elf1 episode
1969-1971The Andy Williams ShowThe Little General
1970JuliaLittle Green Man1 episode
Get SmartLower Gemini1 episode
1971Here's LucyMilton1 episode
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InHimself1 episode
1971-1972LidsvilleBoris/Rah-Rah17 episodes
1975The Odd CoupleHarry Tallman1 episode
When Things Were RottenArcher1 episode
1976The Gong ShowConfetti Thrower
Van Dyke and CompanyMidget Basketball Player1 episode
1977SwitchShoe Shiner1 episode
Mary Hartman, Mary HartmanDash5 episodes
Charlie's AngelsCircus Worker1 episode
1978Hollywood GreatsHimself1 episode
1982Lou GrantMan on Street1 episode
No Soap, RadioMorris5 episodes
1983Wizards and WarriorsFloyd the Feather1 episode
1986The Twilight ZoneCreature1 episode, segment: "Personal Demons"
1989Short Ribbs1 episode
1992MGM: When the Lion RoarsHimself1 episode
1997SeinfeldDad1 episode
BiographyHimself1 episode
1998E! Mysteries & ScandalsHimself1 episode
1999-2000The Daily ShowHimself2 episodes
2007TV Land: Myths and LegendsHimself1 episode

Notes

  1. A small number of female extras who portrayed Munchkins are known to survive, but they were children, rather than adults with dwarfism.[1] Two stunt doubles, Ambrose Schindler (who died seven months after Maren) and Caren Marsh, also outlasted Maren at the time of his death.

References

  1. Barnes, Brooks (June 6, 2018). "Jerry Maren, Who Sang and Danced as a Munchkin in Oz, Dies at 98". NYTimes.com.
  2. Potempa, Philip (January 16, 2014). "Final female 'Oz' Munchkin Ruth Duccini dead at 95". nwitimes.com.
  3. Cox, Stephen (December 2, 2008). "Trouble in 'Oz': the Munchkins' dirty secret". Hollywoodland. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  4. "Motherly Women Big Pain To Jerry, A Midget Actor". The Pittsburgh Press. June 21, 1939. p. 15. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  5. "Pays to Be a Midget". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. December 10, 1939. p. 34. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  6. Harmetz, Aljean (2013). The Making of The Wizard of Oz (illustrated, reprint ed.). Chicago Review Press. p. 196. ISBN 978-1613748329.
  7. Cox, Stephen; Marhanka, Kevin (2008). The Incredible Mr. Don Knotts. Cumberland House. p. 128. ISBN 9781581826586.
  8. Gore Filled Trailer: Frankenstein Rising, dreadcentral.com; accessed June 6, 2018.
  9. Munchkin Star on the Walk of Fame, usatoday.com; accessed June 6, 2018.
  10. "Munchkin Lollipop Guild Member visits Turning Stone during Oz-Stravaganza". Wktv.com. June 4, 2010. Archived from the original on March 21, 2012. Retrieved September 18, 2012.
  11. "Jerry Maren places hands in wet cement at TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles - Photos". UPI. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  12. Potempa, Philip (January 31, 2011). "'Wizard of Oz' Munchkin's wife, Elizabeth Maren, dead at 69". nwi.com. Retrieved February 2, 2011.
  13. "Last 'Wizard of Oz' Munchkin: Jerry Maren NOT Dead ... Just Laying Low". TMZ. March 1, 2016.
  14. Orfanides, Effie (March 2, 2016). "Munchkin Actor Jerry Maren Dead? 'Oz' Star Sets Record Straight At 96". inquisitr.com. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  15. Abramovitch, Seth (August 25, 2016). "Little People, Big Woes in Hollywood: Low Pay, Degrading Jobs and a Tragic Death". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  16. "Oldest 'Wizard of Oz' Munchkin Jerry Maren's Heart Gave Out". TMZ. June 7, 2018.
  17. Saunders, Emmeline (June 6, 2018). "Wizard Of Oz star Jerry Maren dies aged 98". mirror.co.uk. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  18. "Last 'Wizard of Oz' Munchkin Jerry Maren Dead at 98". tmz.com. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  19. Sundby, Alex; Brito, Christopher (June 6, 2018). "Jerry Maren, last surviving "Wizard of Oz" munchkin, dead at 98". CBS News. Retrieved June 6, 2018.

Further reading

  • Stephen Cox, "The Munchkins of Oz" Cumberland House ISBN 1-58182-269-3
  • Short and Sweet: The Life and Times of the Lollipop Munchkin (Paperback) by Jerry Maren (Author) Pub. Date: June 2007ISBN 978-1-58182-543-5
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