The recent death of cabaret actress, Kimberly Tripp – known as 'Mini Kim Kardashian' – reveals the uncomfortable pace of evolving showbiz attitudes in Oz's debut
Author of the article:
Amy McNeill
Published Aug 30, 2016 • 1 minute read
For their presence in what is likely the most iconic American film in the history of cinema, the citizens of Munchkinlandwere paid less than Dorothy’s dog, Toto.
In the years followingThe Wizard of Oz, little people have made many strides forwardin Hollywood, but the recent death of cabaret actress, Kimberly Tripp – known as ‘Mini Kim Kardashian’ – reveals the uncomfortable pace of evolvingshowbiz attitudes.
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Stephen Cox, author of The Munchkins of Oz, wrote in his 1989 book that in 1938, the Munchkinswere paid US$50 per week, about US$900 in 2016. Meanwhile,Toto and her trainer earned US$125 per week, which would now equate to about US$2,100 per week. The Munchkin castnever even saw their names in the credits.
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Leo Singer, a business man and leader of a little person theatrical troupe, bought little people outright from parents, who were typically poor farmers, to perform in top vaudeville theatres in the 1930s. He used the same method to hire the Munchkin cast aftersigning a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to provide 124 little people to play Munchkins in 1939 film,The Wizard of Oz.
Since Oz, the founding of the nonprofit organization Little People of America in 1957 has worked towards proper rights and compensation for little people in Hollywood.
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