Ruth Duccini

Ruth Duccini
Born Ruth L. Robinson
(1918-07-23)July 23, 1918
Rush City, Minnesota, U.S.
Died January 16, 2014(2014-01-16) (aged 95)
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Cause of death Natural causes
Resting place Mountain View Cemetery in Prescott, Arizona, U.S.[1]
Occupation Actress
Years active 1939, 1981
Known for Last surviving female Munchkin; penultimate surviving Munchkin; last surviving female cast member; penultimate surviving cast member (The Wizard of Oz)
Spouse(s) Fred Duccini (1943–1994; his death); 2 children

Ruth Duccini (July 23, 1918 – January 16, 2014) was an American actress and the penultimate surviving Munchkin from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. Duccini was the last surviving female performer from the film. Her role in the film as a Munchkin villager was not credited. Her most recent appearances were when she and the other surviving Munchkins were presented with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 21, 2007,[2] and attending the premiere of the film's 75th anniversary at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre.[3] She also was seen in Under the Rainbow (1981) and Memories of Oz (2001).

While Duccini could not recall in 2013 what she earned filming Oz,[4] the Munchkin village actors were paid $125 a week during filming ($2101 adjusted for inflation).[5]

She said of her World War II work: "The one thing that I'm most proud of, during the Second World War, I worked on airplanes in a defense plant. I was a Rosie the Riveter. I'm really proud of that."[4]

Death

Duccini died of natural causes in Las Vegas, aged 95, on January 16, 2014.[6] As of Duccini's death, only one munchkin actor remains alive from Oz: Jerry Maren.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=134210844
  2. ↑ "Duccini and other surviving Munchkins receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame". USA Today. November 21, 2007. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  3. ↑ "She's off to see the wizard... again! Original Munchkin Ruth Duccini, 95, is guest of honour at Wizard Of Oz 3D premiere". Daily Mail. September 16, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  4. 1 2 Ramin, Setoodeh (August 3, 2013). "Meet Ruth Duccini, a Munchkin From ‘The Wizard of Oz’". The Daily Beast. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Mickey Carroll, A Munchkin From The 1939 Classic Film ‘The Wizard Of Oz’, Dies At 89". Access Hollywood. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
  6. ↑ Potempa, Philip (January 16, 2014). "Final female 'Oz' Munchkin Ruth Duccini dead at 95". Chesterton News. Retrieved January 17, 2014.

External links

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