Short Info

Date Of BirthJanuary 24, 1920
SpouseElizabeth Barrington
FactIn addition to the Lollipop Guild member (a part he was given because he had a singing and dancing background) in The Wizard of Oz (1939), he played a number of munchkin filler parts throughout the movie.
PaymentsEarned $50 per week from The Wizard of Oz (1939)


Jerry Maren (born January 24, 1920) is an American actor and the last surviving Munchkin from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. He is also the last surviving cast member of that film.

Maren was born Gerard Marenghi in Boston, Massachusetts, the son of Italian immigrants. His father died when he was three, and his mother remarried. He has two sisters and a brother. His early education was in the Boston public schools.

Maren began his career as a child actor in vaudeville. He first appeared on stage at the age of four. He later appeared in burlesque, stock, and night clubs. He also worked as a clown in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

In 1939, Maren auditioned for the role of a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz. He was one of 124 actors who were hired for the film. He played the role of the Lollipop Guild Member who presented Dorothy Gale (played by Judy Garland) with a lollipop.

Maren appeared in several other films, including The Three Stooges in Society (1945), The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), and It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963). He also appeared on television shows such as The Love Boat and Fantasy Island.

In the 1980s, Maren retired from acting and opened a collectibles shop in San Diego, California. He later worked as a tour guide at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Maren married Elizabeth Barrington-Ward in 2006. He has no children.

Maren is 5 feet 2 inches (157 cm) tall and weighs 100 pounds (45 kg). He has blue eyes and gray hair.

General Info

Full NameJerry Maren
Date Of BirthJanuary 24, 1920
Height1.29 m
ProfessionActor
NationalityAmerican

Family

SpouseElizabeth Barrington

Accomplishments

MoviesDahmer vs. Gacy, Where the Buffalo Roam, Little Cigars, The Terror of Tiny Town
TV ShowsLidsville, Andy's Gang, No Soap, Radio

Social profile links

Salary

TitleSalary
The Wizard of Oz (1939)$50 per week

Quotes

#Quote
1For me, it was meeting all the little people from all over the world. Not only the United States but from all over. A few of them came from Texas. You'd never believe that. I always thought only big tall men came from Texas and there they had about 10 little guys from Texas--I couldn't believe it. I met other little people from Germany, France, Italy--they were from all over. There were over 120! -- JM, describing the "Munchkins" experience while filming The Wizard of Oz.
2We represent the Lollipop Guild, the Lollipop Guild, the Lollipop Guild and in the name of the Lollipop Guild we welcome you to Munchkin Land.

Facts

#Fact
1With the death of Ruth Duccini on January 16, 2014, Maren is the only surviving actor to have played a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz (1939).
2In addition to the Lollipop Guild member (a part he was given because he had a singing and dancing background) in The Wizard of Oz (1939), he played a number of munchkin filler parts throughout the movie.
3Claims that the Munchkins got paid only $50 a week while the dog Toto received $200 a week during the filming of The Wizard of Oz (1939).
4The location of the Munchkins' star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is 6915 Hollywood Blvd.
5Played "Boko" the comedy assistant to Ms. Geraldine Larsen's "Magic Lady" on "The Magic Lady TV Show" on The ABC TV network in the early 1950s.
6Works as a stand in for child actors.
7He was Little Oscar.
8He played Buster Brown on television and radio during the 1950s and 1960s and did McDonald's commercials under the heavy costume of Mayor McCheese or the Hamburglar for several years.

Movies

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Dahmer vs. Gacy2010Mime
Frankenstein Rising2010Manlon
Bit Players2000ShortOompa Loompa
Seinfeld1997TV SeriesDad
The Dreamer of Oz1990TV MovieMr. Munchkin
Short Ribbs1989TV Series
The Great Outdoors1988uncredited
Spaceballs1987uncredited
The Twilight Zone1986TV SeriesCreature (segment "Personal Demons")
House1986Little Critter
Petronella1985TV MovieGeorge
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear1984TV MovieElf 3
Hot Moves1984Arcade Vendor
The Being1983Monster (as Jerry Marin)
High School U.S.A.1983TV MovieRobot
Wizards and Warriors1983TV SeriesFloyd the Feather
Something Wicked This Way Comes1983uncredited
TRON1982uncredited
No Soap, Radio1982TV SeriesMorris
Under the Rainbow1981Hotel Rainbow Guest
Side Show1981TV MovieTom Tiny
Where the Buffalo Roam1980Bell Man
Americathon1979
The Lord of the Rings1978
The Bad News Bears Go to Japan1978Page Boy
The Amazing Captain Nemo1978TV Movie
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman1977TV SeriesDash
Switch1977TV SeriesShoe Shiner
The Odd Couple1975TV SeriesHarry Tallman
Little Cigars1973Cadillac
Outlaw Riders1971Bartender
Lidsville1971TV SeriesBoris / Rah-Rah
Here's Lucy1970TV SeriesMilton
Bigfoot1970Baby Creature
Get Smart1970TV SeriesLower Gemini
Julia1970TV SeriesLittle Green Man
Hello, Dolly!1969Midget (uncredited)
Planet of the Apes1968Child Ape (uncredited)
The Wild Wild West1967TV SeriesCoco
Bewitched1967TV SeriesGremlin
The Beverly Hillbillies1966TV SeriesSpaceman #2
Producers' Showcase1956TV Series
Andy's Gang1955TV SeriesBuster Brown (voice)
Smilin' Ed's Gang1954TV Series
Superman and the Mole-Men1951Mole-Man (uncredited)
Samson and Delilah1949uncredited
When My Baby Smiles at Me1948Midget (uncredited)
Are You with It?1948Midget (uncredited)
Three Wise Fools1946Sir Boulder (uncredited)
An Angel Comes to Brooklyn1945Midget Baby (uncredited)
Duffy's Tavern1945Midget (uncredited)
That's the Spirit1945Midget (uncredited)
The Great John L.1945Midget (scenes deleted)
Bring on the Girls1945Midget in Fireman Skit (uncredited)
Johnny Doesn't Live Here Anymore1944Gremlin
Silent Partner1944Messenger (uncredited)
Flesh and Fantasy1943Midget (uncredited)
Beyond the Blue Horizon1942Native (uncredited)
Fingers at the Window1942Small Boy (uncredited)
True to the Army1942Col. Delaroy (uncredited)
Maisie Was a Lady1941Midget (uncredited)
At the Circus1939Little Professor Atom (as Jerry Marenghi)
The Wizard of Oz1939Lollipop Guild Member (uncredited)
Tiny Troubles1939ShortLight Fingered Lester
The Terror of Tiny Town1938Townsperson (uncredited)

Stunts

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Prophecy1979stunts
Dirty Harry1971stunts - uncredited

Miscellaneous

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Here We Go Again1942body double: Charlie McCarthy in motion - uncredited / stand-in: Charlie McCarthy - uncredited

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Yellow Brick Road and Beyond2009Video documentary special thanks - as Jerry Marin
Tod Browning's 'Freaks': The Sideshow Cinema2004Video documentary special thanks

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Best in Film: The Greatest Movies of Our Time2011TV Movie documentaryHimself
Heroic Ambition2010DocumentaryHimself / Superman and the Mole-Men
78th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade2009TV MovieHimself
Hollywood Celebrates Its Biggest Little Stars!2009Video shortHimself
The Yellow Brick Road and Beyond2009Video documentaryActor / Munchkin (as Jerry Marin)
TV Land: Myths and Legends2007TV Series documentaryHimself
The 100 Greatest Family Films2005TV Movie documentaryHimself
Best Ever Family Films2005TV Movie documentaryHimself
Tod Browning's 'Freaks': The Sideshow Cinema2004Video documentaryHimself - Actor
Memories of Oz2001TV Special short documentaryHimself
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart1999-2000TV SeriesHimself
A Tribute to the Wizard of Oz1999Video shortHimself
Glorious Technicolor1998TV Movie documentaryHimself
E! Mysteries & Scandals1998TV SeriesHimself
Biography1997TV Series documentaryHimself
I Married a Munchkin1994Documentary shortHimself (uncredited)
In Search of Oz1994TV Movie documentaryHimself
The Bible According to Hollywood1994Video documentaryHimself
We're Off to See the Munchkins1993Video documentary
MGM: When the Lion Roars1992TV Mini-Series documentaryHimself
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic1990TV Movie documentaryHimself
The Making of 'The Wizard of Oz'1979TV Movie documentaryHimself
Hollywood Greats1978TV Series documentaryHimself
Charlie's Angels1977TV SeriesHimself
Van Dyke and Company1976TV SeriesMidget Basketball Player
The Gong Show1976TV SeriesConfetti Thrower (1976)
The Andy Williams Show1969TV SeriesHimself
This Is Your Life1960TV SeriesHimself

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Hollywood Shorties2015Documentary post-productionHimself
To Oz! The Making of a Classic2009Video documentary shortHimself
Adventures of Superman1953TV SeriesMole-Man #3

Awards

Won Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2011Action on Film AwardAction on Film International Film Festival, USAOutstanding Cast PerformanceDahmer vs. Gacy (2010)

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia

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