USA: The original Munchkins, stars of the historical "Wizard of Oz" film, are honored with a star along the Hollywood walk of fame

The Munchkins from "The Wizard of Oz" received the 2,352nd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Tuesday (November 20), thanks to the persistent efforts of a movie theater owner. Seven Munchkins arrived at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, site of "The Wizard of Oz's" 1939 premiere, in a horse-drawn carriage led by the Hollywood High School Marching Band. The Munchkins attending the ceremony were Jerry Maren, part of the Lollipop Guild; Mickey Carroll, the Town Crier; Margaret Pellegrini, one of the Sleepy Heads; Karl Slover, the Main Trumpeter; Meinhardt Raabe, the coroner; Ruth Duccini, a Munchkin villager; and Clarence Swensen, a Munchkin soldier. "Thank you very much everybody, if I ever run for president it's going to start from here," Carroll joked during the ceremony."What an audience. God bless you. You've made our hearts grow bigger. Thank you. We all love you." Maren sang the Lollipop Guild song, with the crowd along Hollywood Boulevard joining in. The star was the result of a campaign led by Ted Bulthaup, a movie theater owner in Woodridge, Ill., a Chicago suburb. He became acquainted with the Munchkins while at his Indianapolis theater location. The word Munchkin originated in the 1900 book by L. Frank Baum, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," on which the movie is based. It is derived from their being the diminutive natives of the fictional Munchkin Country.

ITN Source | November 21, 2007

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