Actor Jerry Maren, who portrayed a Munchkin in the hit film ‘The Wizard Of Oz’, has died, at the age of 98.
Jerry had been the oldest surviving member of the group known in the musical as the Lollipop Guild. He died last week at a nursing facility in San Diego.
His cause of death has not been disclosed, but he had been living with dementia in the years leading up to his death.
The late actor is best known for starring opposite Judy Garland in the scene where Dorothy first arrives in Oz, and is greeted by the Munchkins, one of whom - Jerry’s character - hands her a welcoming lollipop.
After ‘The Wizard Of Oz’, Jerry took a break from the silver screen for three decades, before appearing in a string of varying film roles, including the 1968 ‘Planet Of The Apes’ film, the sci-fi parody ‘Spaceballs’ and the comedy ‘Under The Rainbow’.
He also appeared in bit parts in a number of TV shows over the years, including ‘The Odd Couple’, ‘Seinfeld’, ‘The Twilight Zone’ and ‘Bewitched’.
Jerry’s final credit was in the 2010 serial killer film, ‘Dahmer vs. Gacy’.
For 36 years, Jerry was married to his wife, Elizabeth Barrington, an actress and fellow member of the LPA (Little People Of America), until her death in 2011, a romance he said had made him feel “the luckiest guy in the world”.
Jerry’s funeral is set to be held at Forest Lawn in Hollywood over the weekend.
Watch his most iconic scene from ‘The Wizard Of Oz’ below:
