Karl Slover

Infobox actor
name = Karl Slover


imagesize = 150px
caption = Karl Slover in June 2006
birthname = Karl Kosiczky
birthdate = birth date and age|1918|9|21
birthplace = Prakendorf, Germany
deathdate =
deathplace =
othername =
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homepage =
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Karl Slover (born September 21, 1918) is a German born American actor and one of the last surviving munchkins from the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz".

Biography

Early years

Slover was born Karl Kosiczky on September 21, 1918 in Prakendorf, Germany. Diagnosed at an early age with pituitary dwarfism, Slover was barely two feet tall by this eighth birthday. Dwarfism was not a family trait; his father stood six feet six inches, and his mother was just a few inches shorter. Slover's father went to great lengths to make Slover taller including taking him to Hungary where doctors fixed stretchers to his arms and legs.

Career

When Slover was just nine years old, his father sent him to work for traveling midget show based out of Berlin, Germany. After working with the show for several years, Slover moved to the United States where he joined another traveling show. [http://www.sptimes.com/News/070201/Floridian/After_the_rainbow.shtml Floridian: After the rainbow ] ] It wasn't long before Slover began appearing as midgets in films like "The Terror of Tiny Town", "Block-Heads", "Bringing Up Baby", and "They Gave Him a Gun". [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0467071/ Karl 'Karchy' Kosiczky ] ]

Slover was working in Hawaii when his circus manager sent him to Hollywood where 'little people' were needed for an upcoming film called "The Wizard of Oz". At the age of 21 and standing just 4 feet 4 inches, Slover had four parts in the movie; he was the first trumpeter, a soldier, one of the sleepy heads, and was among those who sang 'Follow the Yellow Brick Road'. [ [http://youtube.com/watch?v=-96HKXK-JJI YouTube - Karl Slover interviewed by Studio Kaiju ] ]

After filming 'Oz', Slover began working for the 'Original World Famous Singers Midget Show' where he sang and danced throughout the United States. When the show ended in 1942, Slover joined the 'Royal American Carnival' in Tampa, Florida. It was at this time that Slover took the last name, Slover; the last name of his stage manager. [ [http://www.kansasoz.com/infomunchkinbios.htm The Wizard of Oz Munchkin Biographies ] ]

Later years

Slover has remained very active in his later years and has participated in several Wizard of Oz-themed celebrations. Every June, Slover attends festivities celebrating Judy Garlands birthday at the Judy Garland Museum & Birthplace in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. [ [http://judygarlandmuseum.com/ Judy Garland Museum] ] In November 2007, Slover joined seven other surviving munchkins in Hollywood where honorary mayor Johnny Grant unveiled a star dedicated to the munchkins on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. [ [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,312413,00.html FOXNews.com - Munchkins Get Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment ] ]

A lifelong bachelor, Slover resides in Tampa, Florida.

References