Munchkin Statistics

Statistical research on the 124 actors who played the Munchkins in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz shows that little people live longer. Through Wikipedia we were able to calculate projected life expectancy and actual date of death of 77 actors, both male and female and of various ages. Of the other actors information was incomplete or unknown. Of those 77 actors, 50 died older than was to be expected based on their life expectancy in 1939 for their age group. 23 died younger and 4 died as predicted. If we add up all the years the actors lived 300 years longer than was expected, and this number will rise as 3 actors are still alive today, Ruth Duccini, Jerry Maren and Margaret Pellegrini.

It is safe to say they’ve well outperformed some of the movie’s ‘bigger’ stars like Judy Garland and Frank Morgan.