Elaine Merk Binder, Last Surviving Munchkin From The Wizard of Oz, Dies at 94
One of eight child performers in the 1939 film, she later earned degrees and worked as a computer consultant
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last surviving actors who played a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz, has died at 94, her daughter Annette Phillips confirmed. No cause of death was disclosed. Merk Binder was eight years old when the 1939 film was shot, and she was part of the eight-child Munchkin ensemble that danced and sang on screen. She can be seen during the performances of Come Out, Come Out and Off to See the Wizard as one of the dancers in a pavilion.
Speaking about her 1938 MGM audition, Merk Binder recalled that it was a daunting moment in a child actor’s life. “For me it was scary. It was my first big call for girls from a major studio,” she said. She noted that Bud (likely a reference to a studio executive or director) told the dance director, “She’s OK,” and that she did not have to perform with the others. Merk Binder was selected as one of the eight who would both dance and sing.
Merk Binder’s life after Oz was notably diverse. As a teenager she was offered a contract from Paramount Studios but declined it. She pursued higher education, earning degrees in music and education. Her interests later expanded into computer science and theology, and she worked as a computer consultant for USC and First Interstate Bank. In tributes posted by fans on social media, some described Merk Binder as part of a timeless Hollywood chapter, a reminder of the enduring legacy of The Wizard of Oz.
The Wizard of Oz, adapted from L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, premiered in 1939 and has remained a cornerstone of popular culture. The film’s visual style and musical numbers helped cement its place in cinema history, and Merk Binder was among the many young performers who contributed to its enduring charm. Betty Ann Bruno, another performer who played a Munchkin, died in 2023 at age 91, highlighting how few of the original cast remain today. MGM’s production required as many as 350 performers to portray the Little People in the Munchkin sequence, alongside Merk Binder and the other children.
Merk Binder’s late-life reflections underscore the era’s complex realities for child performers. The Munchkin casting drew participants from varied backgrounds, including a number who had endured difficult early lives. Some came from Germany and fled Nazism, while others arrived from New York and other places in the United States during the Great Depression. The wartime and economic backdrop shaped the experiences of many members of the ensemble, even as they contributed to a film that would become a landmark of American culture.
In the wake of Merk Binder’s passing, tributes circulated online from fans and colleagues who emphasized the lasting impact of The Wizard of Oz. One message read, “A piece of Hollywood history fades away. Elaine Merk Binder reminded us how timeless ‘The Wizard of Oz’ truly is. Rest in peace.” The star’s family has asked for privacy as they acknowledge her long life and the significance of her early performances on screen.
The Wizard of Oz’s mythology has persisted through decades of re-releases, adaptations, and anniversaries. Merk Binder’s role as a Munchkin—though brief in screen time—belongs to a broader story about Hollywood’s mid-20th-century talent and the studio system that brought together dozens of young performers for a single, groundbreaking project. The film’s legacy continues to attract new generations of fans, scholars, and artists who study its production history, including the experiences of the young actors who became inadvertent ambassadors for a classic tale about courage, heart, and the power of imagination.