Jerry Maren
Encyclopedia
Jerry Maren is an American
actor and one of only three confirmed surviving dwarf munchkin
s from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz
. The other two surviving munchkin cast members are Margaret Williams Pellegrini
and Ruth Robinson Duccini
, making Maren the last surviving male Munchkin from the film.
playing a member of the Lollipop Guild (center in green), handing the lollipop to Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland
). When Maren acted in The Wizard of Oz he stood three foot four inches (100 cm). As a young man he appeared in a local act known as "Three Steps and One Half."
The same year as The Wizard of Oz, Maren also appeared in an Our Gang feature, 'Tiny Troubles', playing criminal 'Light-Fingered Lester'.
After The Wizard of Oz Maren continued acting and appeared in many movies and television shows. Some of these appearances were in the Our Gang comedy shorts, the Marx Brothers
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 a Little Oscar for the Oscar Mayer Company and as Buster Brown in television and radio commercials. Later he joined his friend Billy Barty in organizing Little People of America
. Maren has also portrayed Mayor McCheese and The Hamburglar in commercials for McDonald's
.
In the late 1970s he was the dapper little man on The Gong Show
, heralding each show's big finish with an onslaught of confetti as Milton Delugg's band played "Hoop Dee Doo".
Maren also made a notable appearance in The Odd Couple episode 'Felix the Horseplayer' as Harry Tallman, a racehorse exerciser who was giving Oscar tips on winning horses.
Maren continues to occasionally act in movies and television shows as well as traveling around America appearing at Wizard of Oz
festivals and autograph signings. Maren had a walk-on role in an episode of Seinfeld
"The Yada Yada
" and plays a mime
in the 2010 released comedy horror
movie Dahmer Vs. Gacy
. Maren stars also in the Eric Swelstad
directed horror flick Frankenstein Rising (2009).
On November 21, 2007, Maren appeared with six other surviving Munchkin actors including Meinhardt Raabe
(who died on April 9, 2010) at the unveiling of a Hollywood Star for the Wizard of Oz Munchkins on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
.
On June 3. 2010, Maren appeared at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona,NY. He was there to promote a new Wizard of Oz slot machine.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor and one of only three confirmed surviving dwarf munchkin
Munchkin
The Munchkins are the natives of the fictional Munchkin Country in the Oz books by L. Frank Baum. They first appeared in the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, in which they are described as being somewhat short of stature, and wear only blue...
s from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
. The other two surviving munchkin cast members are Margaret Williams Pellegrini
Margaret Pellegrini
Margaret Pellegrini is an American actress and one of three surviving munchkins from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz., the other two being Jerry Maren and Ruth Robinson Duccini. She was born as Margaret Williams in Tuscumbia, Alabama...
and Ruth Robinson Duccini
Ruth Duccini
Ruth Duccini is an American actress and one of the last three surviving Munchkins from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, the other two being Jerry Maren and Margaret Williams Pellegrini. Her role in the film as a Munchkin villager was uncredited...
, making Maren the last surviving male Munchkin from the film.
Life and career
Maren was born Gerard Marenghi in Boston. He acted in The Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
playing a member of the Lollipop Guild (center in green), handing the lollipop to Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
). When Maren acted in The Wizard of Oz he stood three foot four inches (100 cm). As a young man he appeared in a local act known as "Three Steps and One Half."
The same year as The Wizard of Oz, Maren also appeared in an Our Gang feature, 'Tiny Troubles', playing criminal 'Light-Fingered Lester'.
After The Wizard of Oz Maren continued acting and appeared in many movies and television shows. Some of these appearances were in the Our Gang comedy shorts, the Marx Brothers
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
At The Circus
At the Circus
At the Circus is a 1939 Marx Brothers comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in which they save a circus from bankruptcy...
(1939) and as an ape in Battle for the Planet of the Apes
Battle for the Planet of the Apes
Battle for the Planet of the Apes is a 1973 science fiction film directed by J. Lee Thompson. It is the fifth and last entry in the original Planet of the Apes series produced by Arthur P...
(1973). He is also featured, along with fellow munchkin Billy Curtis
Billy Curtis
Billy Curtis was an American film and television actor. He was a dwarf who had a 50-year career in a variety of roles...
, in American International Pictures
American International Pictures
American International Pictures was a film production company formed in April 1956 from American Releasing Corporation by James H. Nicholson, former Sales Manager of Realart Pictures, and Samuel Z. Arkoff, an entertainment lawyer...
' release Little Cigars (1973), about a gang of "midgets" on a crime spree.
In the 1950s Maren worked as a Little Oscar for the Oscar Mayer Company and as Buster Brown in television and radio commercials. Later he joined his friend Billy Barty in organizing Little People of America
Little People of America
Little People of America is a non-profit organization which provides support, resources and information to individuals with dwarfism and their families...
. Maren has also portrayed Mayor McCheese and The Hamburglar in commercials for McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
.
In the late 1970s he was the dapper little man on The Gong Show
The Gong Show
The Gong Show is an amateur talent contest franchised by Sony Pictures Television to many countries. It was broadcast on NBC's daytime schedule from June 14, 1976 through July 21, 1978, and in first-run syndication from 1976–1980 and 1988–1989. The show was produced by Chuck Barris, who also served...
, heralding each show's big finish with an onslaught of confetti as Milton Delugg's band played "Hoop Dee Doo".
Maren also made a notable appearance in The Odd Couple episode 'Felix the Horseplayer' as Harry Tallman, a racehorse exerciser who was giving Oscar tips on winning horses.
Maren continues to occasionally act in movies and television shows as well as traveling around America appearing at Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
festivals and autograph signings. Maren had a walk-on role in an episode of Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
"The Yada Yada
The Yada Yada
"The Yada Yada" is the 153rd episode of the American NBC sitcom Seinfeld. The 19th episode of the 8th season, it aired on April 24, 1997 and was nominated for an Emmy.-Plot:...
" and plays a mime
Mime artist
A mime artist is someone who uses mime as a theatrical medium or as a performance art, involving miming, or the acting out a story through body motions, without use of speech. In earlier times, in English, such a performer was referred to as a mummer...
in the 2010 released comedy horror
Comedy horror
Comedy horror, also known as horror comedy, is a literary and film genre, combining elements of comedy and horror fiction. The comedy horror genre almost always inevitably crosses over with the black comedy genre; and in some respects could be considered a subset of it.The short story "The Legend...
movie Dahmer Vs. Gacy
Dahmer Vs. Gacy
Dahmer Vs. Gacy is a 2010 American direct-to-video comedy-horror film directed by Ford Austin and written by Andrew J. Rausch. The film won the Audience Award at the 2010 Bare Bones International Film Festival.-Plot:A secret government lab run by Dr...
. Maren stars also in the Eric Swelstad
Eric Swelstad
Eric Swelstad is a writer/director of independent films.Eric Swelstad is currently teaching at Los Angeles Valley College.-Credits:* Frankenstein Rising * Lucky 13 * Scooter Kidz...
directed horror flick Frankenstein Rising (2009).
Personal appearances
Maren has made many personal appearances along with the other surviving members of the Munchkins. He has appeared at county and state fairs and at film festivals and memorabilia shows.On November 21, 2007, Maren appeared with six other surviving Munchkin actors including Meinhardt Raabe
Meinhardt Raabe
Meinhardt Frank Raabe was an American actor. He was one of the last surviving Munchkin-actors in The Wizard of Oz, and was also the last surviving cast member with any dialogue in the film...
(who died on April 9, 2010) at the unveiling of a Hollywood Star for the Wizard of Oz Munchkins on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
.
On June 3. 2010, Maren appeared at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona,NY. He was there to promote a new Wizard of Oz slot machine.
Personal life
Maren was married to Elizabeth Barrington from 1975, until her death at age 69, on January 27, 2011. He continues to reside in southern California.Further reading
- Stephen CoxStephen Cox (writer)Stephen L. Cox is a freelance writer and author of more than twenty books specializing in popular culture, film and television...
, "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 2008 ISBN 9781581825435