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, Prescott, Arizona, U.S.[1]
Occupation Actress; riveter
Years active 1939, 1981
Known for Last surviving female Munchkin; penultimate surviving Munchkin
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 ($2105 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]

Duccini made the news again when Baroness Thatcher died and critics of the former British premier tried to propel "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead" onto the radio charts to celebrate her passing. Duccini and Jerry Maren (who would become the last surviving Munchkin) said it was "'terrible' that the song had been hijacked", insisting the song was never to be used in such a way.[6][7]

Death

Duccini died of natural causes in Las Vegas, aged 95, on January 16, 2014.[8] As of Duccini's death, only Jerry Maren and at least one female child actress remain alive from the film.

References

  1. ↑ Profile, findagrave.com; accessed October 22, 2016.
  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. ↑ Mcdermott, Kerry (2013-04-13). "Margaret Thatcher dead: Wizard of Oz munchkins slam protestors for using film song Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead to mock Thatcher's death". Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-10-22.
  7. ↑ https://www.thesun.co.uk/archives/news/663260/munchkin-fury-at-maggie-ding-dong-the-witch-is-dead-song/
  8. ↑ 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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