Hey folks, Harry here. There is a 48 hour period of time that I'm currently in the midst of, that is... to put it mildly. Mind numbing.
Earlier today I met the man who played the Lollipop Guild Munchkin that handed the lollipop to Judy Garland in THE WIZARD OF OZ.
Never in my wildest dreams have I thought I'd meet a denizen of Oz. On the way down I was near tears I was so excited. The Lollipop Kid was going to be... within my gaze. Not upon a screen, not behind the glass of our ol cathode ray tube devices. Oh no. I was going to meet him.
On the drive down I was singing the Lollipop Guild song in my best munchkin voice and Father Geek was smiling like crazy. I've met a lot of famous people... but this guy... he presented Dorothy with the lollipop. How is it possible to actually meet him? I mean, don't you have to send up a hot air balloon to pick him up or something?
However, Tim managed to do it, they were there. 'They'? Well, also in attendence was Clarence Swenson, one of the Munchkin Army guys, apparently a general according to the two of them. Wow. Too cool.
We parked about a block away, I had my digital camera with me, Dad had a pair of ruby slippers to get signed and a most excellent book entitled THE MUNCHKINS OF OZ by Stephen Cox which is exclusively about the munchkins that lived in munchkinland.
As we walked up the stairs of the Alamo Drafthouse I began to get that butterfly in the stomach queeziness that I get around legends. As I rounded the corner I saw them...
And there against that wall was Clarence Swenson in his Munchkin Militia uniform and Jerry Maren "The Lollipop Kid". As soon as I aproached the crest of the stairway, I saw Jerry shoot his hand up as if he knew me and cracked a smile that would just kill.
I was in shock. Literally. I get this terrible sense of shyness once in a very blue moon. The last time it struck me was about 8 years ago at a DALLAS COMIC CON when I first locked eyes on Forrest J Ackerman. But as I stared at these two men, all I could see and think about was munchkinland. The ultra technicolor world they existed in. Their hairstyles, the music, the songs, the puff of red smoke into which Magaret Hamilton disappeared into. I couldn't get out of my mind the voice of a munchkin in the very merry land of Oz. While I stood there just staring, Father Geek headed over. Not at all terrified of the Munchkins.
First he began talking to Clarence Swenson about the filmwork that he had done. First he learned that Clarence, unlike Jerry, had had only a very brief film career figuring into a mere 3 films. The first was THE TERROR OF TINY TOWN, and as I got closer to the table, I could hear this as well as see stills from this all little people Western. I love this movie. I've seen it ever since I can remember. My favorite scene is as they enter the saloon they reach over their heads to hit the swinging doors. The movie is a camp classic and a pure joy to behold. Then we found out he played Cheetah in some sequences of TARZAN FINDS A SON. Another of my favorite films. After TARZAN AND HIS MATE, this was my favorite Weismuller Tarzan movie. And... My god, I can't believe that wasn't Cheetah in every scene. Must rewatch that one. Then Clarence's last film was THE WIZARD OF OZ in which he played one of the munchkin soldiers.
Then Father Geek, who was doing all the talking as I seem to have developed lockjaw, began talking with Jerry Maren. Maren was chewing on a cigar and reminding me of his character in LITTLE CIGARS, but as I began listening to Dad and Jerry talk... I was amazed. Jerry Maren did it all. With very few rivals, Jerry was quite honestly a huge talent. He played the 'come to life' version of Charlie McCarthy in HERE WE GO AGAIN. He was one of the Mole Men in the George Reeves' SUPERMAN AND THE MOLEMEN. He played in BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES as one of the infant apes. In AT THE CIRCUS, he played opposite Groucho Marx as Professor Atom, complete with moustache and stogie. He was in SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES, TRON, SPACEBALLS, SAMSON AND DELILAH, FLESH AND FANTASY, THE BAD NEWS BEARS GO TO JAPAN. On television he ended every episode of THE GONG SHOW by throwing confetti at the audience. He played Buster Brown in TV ads. He drove the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile all around California and the American West. In MacDonald's ads he played The Hamburglar as well as Mayor McCheese. You may remember an episode of The Little Rascals where Spanky had to fight a cigar smoking baby, who was really a gangster stealing people's wallets.
BUT, first and foremost he's the Lollipop Kid. The one that handed Dorothy the lollipop and forever entered pop-culture history.
Other folks began to arrive and wanted to talk with these two, so Father Geek and I headed into the Drafthouse's screening room to await our presentation of THE WIZARD OF OZ by two of it's star munchkins. While waiting we began to notice kids entering the theater in costume... And one particular girl, dressed as Dorothy took the stage and began singing 'SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW' all on her own.
Then Tim League, grand poobah of the Alamo Drafthouse and chief archetect of the relocation of Munchkinland to the Drafthouse this lovely August day, punted the little girl off stage and announced Jerry and Clarence.
And as these two magical people took the stage the audience erupted into applause.
Jerry began by taking the microphone from Tim and getting the audience Q&A started. I just stared. I saw the entire beautiful event through tear obstructed eyes. I could not believe this. Munchkins. They still are with us. Questions about height and age came and went with answers like, 4foot 1 and four foot three, if memory serves. As well as Jerry being 79 and Clarence being 83. They love the film, and have nothing but fond memories of the filming. Yes, Toto was a good dog, but... They kinda held a grudge since Toto got $150 a week and they received $50 a week. Jerry and Clarence were stumped by one child that wanted to know how many bricks were in the Yellow Brick Road.
For the briefest of moments, it looked as if Jerry was going to give a real answer amongst all the giggles from adults and Clarence. When suddenly he said, "Ya know pal, you've got some crazy questions. I mean, If I would have thought sixty years ago that I'd be standing on this stage and would be asked by a kid as bright as yourself that very question, then ya know... I would've gone around the set and counted them all up."
So, I sat there and smiled. I love these guys. There seemed to be a lot of questions, but not many of interest. Then one fella asked about the Lollipop Guild song and if that was their voices.
Jerry countered with, "What was that, you want me to sing the Lollipop Song?"
To which the audience boomed a "YES!!!!!!"
