Clarence Swensen
Clarence Swensen | |
|---|---|
Swenson (1998) | |
| Born | August Clarence Swensen December 29, 1917 |
| Died | February 25, 2009 (aged 91) |
| Resting place | Cook Walden Capital Parks Cemetery, Austin |
| Years active | 1938–2005; 2007 |
| Spouse | Myrna Swensen |
August Clarence Swensen (December 29, 1917 – February 25, 2009) was an American actor and was one of the Munchkins in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.
Early life
[edit]Swensen was born in 1917 and grew up in Austin, Texas. He was not allowed to attend a public school until he was nine because of his size. Swensen face a lot of prejudice while growing up in Austin, and was nicknamed "shorty".[1][2]
Wizard of Oz
[edit]In the late 1930s, he joined a troupe called the Stanley R. Graham All Midget Circus, which performed in Dallas. His job with the circus led him to join a network of little people who were in demand for character roles in Hollywood.[3] Eventually, Swensen answered a call from MGM casting officers to play a Munchkin for a salary of $700.[3][4]
At 4ft 6in, he played one of the 25 Munchkin soldiers in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.[5] He said he had to work from 7am to 7pm on most days, but filming was fun.[3]
He also appeared in The Terror of Tiny Town as a preacher. Many of his Oz co-stars were cast members of this Western musical film. He wore a chimp suit for Tarzan Finds a Son! with Johnny Weissmuller.[6]
His future wife Myrna, who was twelve at the time[7] while Clarence was twenty two,[1] was also up for a part in The Wizard of Oz, but an inflamed appendix forced her to miss the opportunity.[6]
After experiencing a stroke in 2005,[3] he was unable to walk and ended up in a wheelchair as a result. He experienced poor health then after but still attended many events with the other surviving Munchkins, including the presentation of the Munchkins' star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007.
Personal life
[edit]Not long after the Wizard of Oz was released in theatres, the second world war broke out, and Swensen worked as a civilian radar installation and repair specialist during the war.[3] When the war ended, Clarence later took up a job at the University of Texas, working as an electronics technician for 27 years.[1][3][4] He later worked in mail delivery before he retired in 1980.[3]
Swensen's wife, Myrna (born February 25, 1926, Austin, Texas), was also a dwarf, whose father (also a little person) had travelled the United States from 1917 to 1925 as Buster Brown, and Myrna had tap danced and sang at a traveling Midget Village that stopped at the Dallas World's Fair in 1936.[1] They were married from June 29, 1945 until Clarence's death.[7]
Myrna Swensen died on November 23, 2020, aged 94.[7]
Death
[edit]Swensen died on February 25, 2009, at the age of 91. He outlived every major cast member of The Wizard of Oz.[8] He was survived by his wife and three daughters.[7] Clarence was married to his wife for 65 years.[1]
He was the eight–to–last surviving munchkin actor with dwarfism: Mickey Carroll died less than three months later in May 2009, Meinhardt Raabe and Olga C. Nardone both died the following the year in 2010, Karl Slover in 2011, Margaret Pellegrini in 2013, Ruth Duccini in 2014, and Jerry Maren in 2018.
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | The Terror of Tiny Town | Preacher | Uncredited |
| 1939 | The Wizard of Oz | Munchkin Soldier | Uncredited |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e O'Connell, Joe (March 13, 2009). "We Thank You Very Sweetly". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-12-01.
- ^ Gifford, Aaron (2009-02-27). "'Munchkin' actor Clarence Swensen dies; was regular at Chittenango Oz celebrations". syracuse. Retrieved 2024-12-01.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Clarence Swensen Obituary (2009) - Pflugerville, TX - Austin American-Statesman". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2024-12-01.
- ^ a b Times, Los Angeles (2009-03-04). "Clarence Swensen". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2024-12-01.
- ^ Obituary for Clarence Swensen Lasting Tribute Archived March 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "Clarence Swensen remembered". March 13, 2009.
- ^ a b c d "Myrna Swensen Obituary - Pflugerville, TX". Dignity Memorial. Retrieved 2024-12-01.
- ^ Banta, Bob (2009-02-26). "Former Munchkin dies at 91". Austin-American Statesman. Retrieved 2009-02-26.