_http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-karl-slover-20111117,0,1214232
.story_
(http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-karl-slover-20111117,0,1214232.story)
Karl Slover R.I.P.
Thought I'd share this obituary about the passing of one of the last
surviving Muchkins from The Wizard of Oz. Interesting side note: When I was
in my teens growing up in Phoenix, one of my closest friend's neighbor was
Margaret Pellegrini, now one of only 3 surviving Munchkins (she still lives
in the same house to this day). She appeared in The Wizard of Oz as one of
the Sleepyheads. Back then in the 60's at the Arizona State Fair, I
remember there being an actual old style sideshow---with a bearded lady, a
sword
swallower, a fat lady and many more "human oddities". The biggest
attraction was "Ronnie and Donnie, the Siamese Twins", who stayed at Mrs.
Pellegrini's house whenever they were in town for their appearance at the
Fair. As
a teenager, I met Mrs. Pellegrini and Ronnie and Donnie as well. She was a
very sweet, gracious lady and I'm sure she still is. My memories of Ronnie
and Donnie are a bit more vague because I believe I only met them onceas
they walked up her driveway and entered her house.
Those were definitely different times back then. I'm fairly certain that
genuine sideshows like I went to at the State Fair growing up no longer
exist...and rightfully so, I believe. Years later, the movie "Freaks" was
re-released after having been banned for over 40 years. I've always had a deep,
strange fascination with that film. I'm sure I'm not alone. Perhaps my
contact with Ronnie and Donnie as well as Mrs Pellegrini in my early teens had
something to do with it...but then, I'll never know for sure...
Rick
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