Introduction
Manhard Rabbee Munchkin : Among classic film icons, few onscreen lines are as indelibly etched in the minds of viewers as does the character of the Munchkin coroner in The Wizard of Oz. “As coroner, I must aver I thoroughly examined her. And she’s not only merely dead, She’s really most sincerely dead.” These words, crooned by Meinhardt Raabe in his first and only Hollywood film appearance, have cemented him in cinematic history. But beyond his uncredited 13-second role in the movie, Raabe’s life has been a series of fascinating experiences that shaped him into a pop culture figure.es that shaped him into a pop culture figure.
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Raabe was born on September 2, 1915, in Watertown, Wisconsin, and attained the height of 4 feet 7 inches at his tallest. Growing into manhood, he had no idea what the terms “dwarf” or “midget” meant. He did not encounter others with this particular condition until he visited the Midget Village at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1933. That was the defining moment that had him start working at that fair as a barker and never left, thus having completely changed his life.
Life was full of contrasts and achievements: starting with his graduation from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1937, earning a bachelor’s degree in accounting, he later went on to get an MBA from Drexel University in 1970. But when he graduated, Raabe found it was not that easy to get a job. It wasn’t until after many rejections that he ended up at Oscar Mayer, where he was employed as a salesman. He would go on to become “Little Oscar,” the company’s mascot, traveling the nation in the now-iconic Oscar Mayer Wienermobile as “the World’s Smallest Chef.” Raabe loved the job, and played the character for nearly thirty years.
The Munchkin Coroner: A Legacy
When it came to his foray into Hollywood, success almost overlooked Raabe completely. In late 1938, he learned that MGM was casting little people for a new film. He took some time off from his job at Oscar Mayer and headed west. His polished diction, the result of years of addressing groups, won him the part of the Munchkin coroner in The Wizard of Oz. Though his appearance onscreen was brief, his lines, reprised with an essence of authority, would go on to define his life for the next seven decades.
Although Raabe believed that his dialogue, like the rest of the Munchkins, was dubbed over in the final version of the film, his performance nonetheless enchanted moviegoers. His character, dressed in indigo and sporting a brimmed hat, is forever a part of movie history as he announced the Wicked Witch of the East’s official death, courtesy of a Kansas farmhouse fallen from the sky.
Life Beyond Oz : Manhard Rabbee Munchkin
Though Raabe became most famous for his brief role in The Wizard of Oz, his life was filled with other claims to notoriety: he was an accomplished aviator, serving stateside with the Civil Air Patrol in World War II, and believed to be the smallest pilot in uniform. He had also always remained connected with the film by attending school programs, Rotary Club meetings, and Wizard of Oz conventions, speaking about his on-set experiences and how the film had affected his life.
In 2005, Raabe co-authored his autobiography, entitled Memories of a Munchkin, providing a firsthand account of his experiences before, during, and after The Wizard of Oz. The book gives further insight into Raabe’s life and some of the difficulties he encountered, such as finding work because of his height and the delight he felt while performing as Little Oscar.
Honoring the Munchkins : Manhard Rabbee Munchkin
Until his death on April 9, 2010, in Orange Park, Florida Meinhardt Raabe / Manhard Rabbee was one of the few still-living Munchkins. He was 94 years old when he died, apparently from a heart attack. Raabe may have been very small, physically, as well as in on-screen time; however, his impact has been enormous. In 2007, he attended another milestone event: the dedication of a collective star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for the Munchkins of The Wizard of Oz. This brought him on site with other surviving actors who played Munchkins in that film-a celebration of their contribution to one of the most beloved movies in history.
The Enduring Legacy of the Munchkin Coroner
Raabe’s proclamation of the death of the Wicked Witch of the East has, to generations of moviegoers, become synonymous with the magic and wonder of The Wizard of Oz. He also regularly appeared at conventions for Wizard of Oz fans and school functions, further cementing his status as a pop culture icon.. His life is also a lesson in the ways that a brief film role and a series of personal and professional accomplishments could put together a legacy.
Raabe’s is a story of perseverance, embracing opportunity, and turning adversity to success. He lived a full life as Little Oscar, the aviator, and the Munchkin coroner. As his character in The Wizard of Oz declared the Wicked Witch dead, Raabe himself lives on very much alive in the hearts of those who continue to cherish the film and its lot of magical characters.
Conclusion
Though short, the contribution of Meinhardt Raabe/ Manhard Rabbee Munchkin to cinema was colossal. Beyond Hollywood, his life-as an aviator or Oscar Mayer’s Little Oscar-was a further tribute to his resilience, skill, and ‘stroke of luck’ in seizing opportunity after opportunity. He is remembered fondly today not just for his role in The Wizard of Oz, but for the fullness of his life. See More…
