Munchkins Receive Star in Walk of Fame

Hollywood Blvd Cinema has hosted an annual Wizard of Oz Festival for many years and as part of those festivities we always have the remaining actors who actually portrayed Munchkins to host the screenings and meet the public. We now have the most attended screenings of that film in the United States every November over Veteran's Day Weekend and Munchkins are always in attendance.

Six of the remaining Munchkins, now ranging in age from 86 to 92, became very dear friends of mine and I discovered much to my surprise that they did not have their own Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Not to take anything away from the Olsen Twins, Eric Estrada, Ryan Seacrest, P. Diddy, Donald Trump, Rin Tin Tin, Woody Woodpecker, The Rugrats and Godzilla (the big lizard actually has two stars), but the Munchkins should have a Star. Upon investigation, I found that there is an extensive nominating process including a fee of $25,000. I nominated the Munchkins in 2005 and even more to my surprise they were passed over. Of the 624 people who were nominated that year, only 22 were selected. While the Munchkins are great, the odds of success weren't.

There is a traveling movie projector showing "The Wizard of Oz" on huge screens to audiences of 30,000 to 60,000 in refugee camps the world over. These camps provide enough food, shelter and medical care; but those trapped inside mentally stagnate in these awful places and "The Wizard of Oz" on the big screen crosses all language and cultural barriers to entertain, bring light and inspire those in some very desperate circumstances. Nothing speaks more forcefully about the power and timelessness of this great American classic film, it touches the heart and spirit of people the world over, it always has and it always will. Who doesn't know the Wicked Witch, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion and Toto too? Is there a more famous pair of shoes anywhere on the planet than the Ruby Slippers? Everyone knows you ride up in a tornado to get to Munchkinland and who doesn't know that the Emerald City is at the end of the Yellow Brick Road? What is Kansas more known for? Who can't recognize the classic songs of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "We're Off to See the Wizard" on hearing the first three bars? Where did we all learn that there is no place like home? Who has never heard of a Munchkin? They needed a star!

Never one to be easily defeated, we redoubled the effort by contacting the many Wizard of Oz Festivals across the land; distributing large banners and petition books, enlisting the help of the International Wizard of Oz Fan Club to make sure they were signed as well as setting up a display in my theater lobby. Almost 50,000 signatures were acquired. We asked long time friends Jane Russell, Mickey Rooney & Tippi Hedren who all have stars (Mickey has four) to personally approach the Mayor of Hollywood. Calls were made from Disney and Paramount.

Warner Bros., who now owns the rights to the film, agreed to be our co-nominator. We know the heads of some of the other major studios; usually fierce competitors and certainly not conditioned to endorse films of rival companies. Happily all but one agreed with the righteousness of the cause and cheerfully wrote endorsements, including Universal, MGM, Sony and the Weinstein Company. I also started approaching some of the major figures in the industry, some whom I had met before and others who are friends of friends, seeking additional support. Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ted Turner, Hugh Hefner, Leonard Maltin, among many others wrote personal letters; Roger Ebert even writing from his hospital bed. Organizations like the Hollywood Heritage Museum, the Nederlander Organization (producers of the play "Wicked"), the National Association of Theater Owners, the American Film Institute and even the Little People of America stepped up to the plate and called or wrote letters. Even Roger Baum, the grandson of the Oz author, L. Frank Baum who back in 1910 opened one of the first movie production companies in Hollywood also wrote the committee.

Our first involvement with California's version of "Hollywood Blvd." has a happy ending. With the overwhelming help of the film community this important piece of Americana was finally recognized when, on June 22, 2007, the committee unanimously voted to honor the Munchkins, now represented by Margaret Pellegrini, Karl Slover, Meinhardt Raabe, Mickey Carroll, Jerry Maren, Clarence Swensen, Ruth Duccini, Olga Nardone, Lewis Croft, Joan Kenmore, Betty Ann Bruno & Priscilla Montgomery with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Their was a special screening of "The Wizard of Oz" at Grauman's Chinese Theater on Monday evening November 21, 2007 as a benefit for Hollywood Heritage and the Hollywood Historic Preservation Trust, "The Wizard of Oz" first premiered at the theater in August 1939. The star was unveiled at a ceremony the next morning, Tuesday November 22, 2007 and is located right outside Grauman's at Hollywood Boulevard. A luncheon was held immedialetly thereafter at the world famous Roosevelt Hotel in the Blossom Room where the first Academy Awards presentation took place back in 1929.

Ted Bulthaup
Owner, Hollywood Blvd Cinema

Special thanks to the Honorary Mayor of Hollywood, Johnny Grant and Ana Martinez-Holler of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce for all their help !

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