Elaine Merk Binder obit

Elaine Merk Binder, One of the Last Surviving Munchkins from ‘The Wizard of Oz’, Dies at 94

 

She was not on the list.

Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last surviving actors who played a Munchkin in the 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz,” has died, according to her daughter Annette Phillips. She was 94.

Binder auditioned for “The Wizard of Oz” in 1938 and was selected as one of the eight children who would dance and sing as part of the Munchkin ensemble.

“I tried out for the ‘Wizard of Oz’ Munchkins. For me it was scary. It was my first big call for girls from a major studio,” Binder recalled of the experience. “I was relieved when Bud told the dance director, ‘She’s O.K.’ I did not have to perform like the others did. And they selected me as one of the eight who would both dance and sing. We learned later that they had added girls to the Little People because they had the mistaken impression that the Little People were not athletic.”

During the song “Come Out, Come Out,” Binder was staged in the second little house up the steps. Just before they go into “Off to See the Wizard,” Binder can be seen as one of the eight dancers in a pavilion at the rear, wearing a dark green dress and hat. She was just 8 years old while filming on the MGM lot.

Before “The Wizard of Oz,” she performed in the “Our Gang” shorts.

The 2024 documentary “Mysteries of Oz” featured an interview with Binder about her memories of filming the historic movie.

Binder’s last film was “Nothing Sacred” with Carole Lombard and Frederic March. Although Paramount would later offer her a contract as a teen, she declined and went to study at Occidental College. She graduated in 1951 and later completed her master’s at Cal State Los Angeles in 1953 with degrees in music and education. She went on to study computer science and theology, and worked as a computer consultant for USC and First Interstate Bank.

Binder is survived by her son, George, her daughter, Phillips and six grandchildren.

Actress

Mary Lee in Barnyard Follies (1940)

Barnyard Follies

6.2

Orphan (uncredited)

1940

 

Bing Crosby in The Star Maker (1939)

The Star Maker

6.2

Merry Oldsmobile Performer (uncredited)

1939

 

Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, and Frank Morgan in The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The Wizard of Oz

8.1

Munchkin (uncredited)

1939

 

Bette Davis and Errol Flynn in The Sisters (1938)

The Sisters

6.8

Minor Role (uncredited)

1938

 

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938)

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

7.1

Schoolgirl (uncredited)

1938

 

Carole Lombard and Fredric March in Nothing Sacred (1937)

Nothing Sacred

6.8

Singer (uncredited)

1937

 

Darla Hood, Eugene 'Porky' Lee, George 'Spanky' McFarland, Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer, and Billie 'Buckwheat' Thomas in Rushin' Ballet (1937)

Rushin' Ballet

7.5

Short

Dancer

1937

 

Darla Hood and Eugene 'Porky' Lee in Reunion in Rhythm (1937)

Reunion in Rhythm

6.7

Short

Our Gang Member

1937

 

Self

Mysteries of Oz: 85 Questions Answered (2024)

Mysteries of Oz: 85 Questions Answered

TV Series

Self

2024

 

Archive Footage

The Our Gang Story (1994)

The Our Gang Story

7.2

Video

'Gay White Way' Dancer (archive footage)

1994