The little people (then called “midgets”) who played Munchkins in the 1939 Hollywood classic The Wizard of Oz ranged in age from 20 to 40. They included several married couples, twin brothers, and four members of the Doll Family: Daisy, Gracie, Harry, and Tiny. MGM was determined to use real midgets, not children. The studio advertised all over the country, visited circuses, and sent out talent scouts. As word got out, every little person in the country arrived in Hollywood by bus and train to audition. MGM eventually hired 122 little adult performers to populate Munchkinland, supplemented by ten child actors. Read more about the Munchkins and the movie in A Brain. A Heart. The Nerve. (see NOVELS).
