Karl Slover
| Karl Slover | |
|---|---|
Karl Slover in June 2006
|
|
| Born |
Karl Kosiczky September 21, 1918 Prakfalva, Hungary, Austria-Hungary |
| Died | November 15, 2011 (aged 93) Dublin, Georgia |
| Cause of death | Cardiac Arrest |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1937–2011 |
Karl Slover (September 21, 1918 – November 15, 2011) was a Slovak-born American actor best known as one of the Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz (1939). Only three other munchkin performers remained alive at the time of Slover's death.
Slover was born as Karl Kosiczky on September 21, 1918 in Prakovce, Slovakia (then Prakfalva, Kingdom of Hungary). Diagnosed at an early age with pituitary dwarfism, Slover was barely two feet tall by his eighth birthday. Dwarfism was not a family trait; his father stood six feet six inches, and his mother was just a few inches shorter. Slover's father went to great lengths to make Slover taller, including making and taking him to Hungary, where doctors fixed stretchers to his arms and legs.
When Slover was just nine years old, his father sent him to work for a traveling show based out of Berlin, Germany. After working with the show for several years, Slover moved to the United States where he joined another traveling show. It wasn't long before Slover began appearing in films like The Terror of Tiny Town, Block-Heads, Bringing Up Baby, and They Gave Him a Gun.
Slover was working in Hawaii when his circus manager sent him to Hollywood, where little people were needed for an upcoming film called The Wizard of Oz. At the age of 21 and standing just 4 feet 4 inches, Slover played the parts of four Munchkins in the movie; the first trumpeter, a soldier, one of the sleepy heads, and was among those who sang "Follow the Yellow Brick Road".
His "Oz" co-stars, The Matina Triplets whose names were Bela "Ike", Lajos "Leo", and Matjus "Mike" were originally from Budapest. They also appeared in the film as Munchkins.
...
Wikipedia