Elaine Merk Binder, Wizard of Oz Munchkin, dies at 94

Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last surviving actors to play a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz, has died at age 94. The death was confirmed by her daughter, Annette Phillips, who did not disclose a cause. Binder was eight years old when the 1939 film was shot. She was part of the eight-member Munchkin ensemble that danced and sang on set, appearing in the performances Come Out, Come Out and Off to See the Wizard as one of eight dancers in a pavilion.

In a retelling of her early days with MGM, Binder recalled the 1938 audition as scary, her first big call for girls from a major studio. She was nervous about the opportunity, but she was ultimately selected as one of the eight who would both dance and sing for the film. She was told she was OK to proceed, a moment she described as pivotal in her path toward a film career, even though she did not pursue acting as a lifelong profession. We learned later that the Little People segment had been expanded with additional performers because there was a mistaken belief that the group lacked athleticism. As a teenager, Binder declined a contract from Paramount, choosing instead to pursue higher education. She earned degrees in music and education and later studied computer science and theology, eventually working as a computer consultant for the University of Southern California and First Interstate Bank.

Fan tributes poured in after the news, with commenters recalling the enduring appeal of the film and Binder's role within it. One message on social media called The Wizard of Oz timeless, and noted that Binder helped keep that legacy alive for generations of viewers who first encountered the movie as children. The Wizard of Oz, adapted from L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, premiered in 1939 and remains among the most popular films of all time. In 2023 Betty Ann Bruno, another performer who played a Munchkin, died at age 91. Baum described the Munchkins in his novel as shorter in stature and clad in blue, a portrayal MGM transformed into a sizable and diverse cast of performers.

MGM decided to cast little people in the roles and needed as many as 350 performers to act in the movie, alongside Elaine and the seven other children who filled the Munchkin ensemble. The eight child stars, including Binder, were part of a broader casting approach that brought together actors from varied backgrounds. Binder’s experience reflects the broader context of the era: many Munchkin actors came from difficult circumstances, including families displaced by the Great Depression and, in some cases, those who had fled Nazi persecution in Europe. In Baum’s world, the Munchkins were described as diminutive in stature and dressed in blue, but Hollywood’s adaptation expanded that idea into a large, diverse on-screen presence. Some 170 Munchkin performers came from New York, while others hailed from Germany and other places, illustrating the global reach of a production that remains a cultural touchstone for fans around the world.

Elaine Merk Binder’s passing adds to the legacy of a film that continues to resonate in culture and entertainment reporting. Her daughter’s confirmation of the death closes a chapter on a life that began in a moment of cinematic history and extended into a life beyond the screen. As additional tributes and remembrances continue to circulate, Binder’s role as part of The Wizard of Oz’ enduring mythology is likely to be honored by fans and historians alike, ensuring that the memory of the Munchkin performers remains a recognized part of Hollywood lore.