‘Wizard of Oz’ munchkin useless at 91: Betty Ann Bruno was Emmy-winning TV reporter

Betty Ann Bruno, a former baby actress who performed a munchkin within the 1939 traditional “The Wizard Of Ouncesbefore changing into a profitable investigative reporter, has died.

She was 91 years previous.

The 5-foot-2-inch California resident was reportedly one of many final residing actors to painting one of many diminutive lollipop-licking inhabitants of the fictional realm of Munchkinland that Dorothy (Judy Garland) visits after arriving in Oz.

In reality, Bruno balked after fellow actor Jerry Maren passed away at age 98 in 2018 — and the media reported that the the world misplaced its “final residing ‘Wizard of Oz’ munchkin” (he was the final munchkin performed by just a little particular person).

“I mentioned, ‘Wait a minute, I’m a munchkin and I’m nonetheless alive!’” she advised The Submit after listening to the information.

Bruno’s husband Craig Sheiner confirmed the star’s passing this week in a Fb publish, writing: “I’m so sorry to need to let you know Betty Ann’s coronary heart left us right now.”

In keeping with the publish, she had simply completed dancing the hula at an occasion in her hometown of Sonoma, California, whereupon she “developed a sudden, splitting headache.” Bruno’s husband subsequently drove her to the hospital, the place she made it to the entrance desk earlier than collapsing on the ground with a “large coronary heart assault,” per the assertion.

“We have been collectively 46 years. I’m devastated,” Sheiner lamented within the Fb publish.

Born Betty Ann Ka’ihilani on October 1, 1931, in Wahiawa, Hawaii, the ex-thespian grew up in Los Angeles throughout the road from the twentieth Century Fox studio lot, Deadline reported.

She made her huge display debut as an uncredited further in John Ford’s 1937 movie “The Hurricane.”

Bruno hit the “huge time” (figuratively talking) after she was forged in Victor Fleming’s iconic movie “Wizard of Oz,” wherein she portrayed a Munchkin alongside 12 different kids of common peak in addition to 100 grownup little individuals.

“Once we walked onto the set, I had the identical response that Dorothy has within the film,” mentioned Bruno whereas describing the beginning of her three-week gig.

On the time, “It was the Melancholy. There was no Disneyland then, so to stroll out onto the set and see these vivid colours was like being transported to heaven.”

Sadly, Bruno and the opposite Munchkins have been reportedly given brief shrift on set with the Hawaiian describing: “We have been all the time within the background. They didn’t wish to see kids’s faces however they needed our little our bodies.”

An enormous fan of Judy Garland, the Lollipop Guild member recalled knocking on the star’s trailer daily, hoping to get a signed photograph.

Every time, Garland would inform her fan that she didn’t have any images however to return again the following day. Ultimately, she needed to accept an autograph with out the image.

Bruno detailed her and the opposite munchkins’ experiences on set in her 2020 ebook “The Munchkin Diary.”

The aspiring star’s Tinseltown profession received reduce brief quickly after when her household left Los Angeles and moved to the countryside.

After leaving Hollywood behind, Bruno finally grew to become a political speak present producer earlier than becoming a member of KTVU in 1971 as an investigative journalist, reporting on political and social points, KTVU reported.

The journo was maybe most noteworthy for her five-part sequence on native prostitution issues in addition to her protection of the 1991 Oakland Hills fireplace, a catastrophe wherein she misplaced her own residence.

She additionally earned a number of accolades for her reporting, most notably three Information Emmys from the San Francisco/Northern California Chapter of the Nationwide Academy of Tv Arts & Sciences, in addition to the adulation of fellow journalists.

“Different reporters would attempt to get those self same individuals they might say ‘no, no, no manner.’ Betty Ann was all the time capable of get the interview,” mentioned retired reporter Rob Roth in an interview describing her storied profession. “She actually did care in regards to the neighborhood, cared about reporting, she was only a actual treasure, a pleasure to know.”

After 20 years on the TV station, the adorned reporter retired and moved to Sonoma, the place she taught hula dancing, incomes the moniker “The Hula Girl.”

Bruno is survived by her husband Craig, an ex-KTVU cameraman, in addition to her three sons.