Karl Becker (November 24, 1887 â€" December 28, 1968), billed as
Charlie Becker, was a German American actor. He was 3'9" in height,
and is probably best known for appearing as the Munchkinland Mayor in
The Wizard of Oz (1939). Billy Bletcher dubbed the Mayor's vocals in
the film.Becker was born near Frankfurt, Germany in the town of
Muschenheim. As a teenager, he worked as a butcher, but often
struggled to use the knives and other equipment, and was ridiculed by
his fellow workers. When he was about 19, he began performing in
travelling "midget shows", and eventually joined the Singer Midgets, a
famous troupe led by Leo Singer of Austria. The Singer Midgets moved
to the United States during World War I, and became popular on the
vaudeville circuits. Becker became friends with George Burns, Will
Rogers, and other stars of the time.Becker appeared in a few films
during the 1920s and 1930s. These included Spangles (1926), The Terror
of Tiny Town (1938), and, most notably, The Wizard of Oz (1939), in
which he played the Mayor of Munchkinland. He was chosen for the role
because of his large belly, round face, and facial hair, which were
thought to be mayoral features. Because of his thick German accent,
however, his voice had to be dubbed. On the set of The Wizard of Oz,
Becker met his future wife, Jessie Kelley, who played another
Munchkin. She was originally from Mahaska, Kansas. The two married in
1940, moved to Washington, Kansas for a short time and later settled
in California, where they sometimes worked as stand-ins for child
actors. Later in his life, Becker opened his own sausage
business.Becker died of a stroke in California at the end of 1968. His
interment (and his wife's) was in Lone Tree Cemetery in Fairview, near
Hayward. Some controversy emerged in 1984 when obituaries for the
actor Prince Denis stated that he had played the Mayor of
Munchkinland. In reality, Denis had played the Sergeant-at-Arms.
Charlie Becker, was a German American actor. He was 3'9" in height,
and is probably best known for appearing as the Munchkinland Mayor in
The Wizard of Oz (1939). Billy Bletcher dubbed the Mayor's vocals in
the film.Becker was born near Frankfurt, Germany in the town of
Muschenheim. As a teenager, he worked as a butcher, but often
struggled to use the knives and other equipment, and was ridiculed by
his fellow workers. When he was about 19, he began performing in
travelling "midget shows", and eventually joined the Singer Midgets, a
famous troupe led by Leo Singer of Austria. The Singer Midgets moved
to the United States during World War I, and became popular on the
vaudeville circuits. Becker became friends with George Burns, Will
Rogers, and other stars of the time.Becker appeared in a few films
during the 1920s and 1930s. These included Spangles (1926), The Terror
of Tiny Town (1938), and, most notably, The Wizard of Oz (1939), in
which he played the Mayor of Munchkinland. He was chosen for the role
because of his large belly, round face, and facial hair, which were
thought to be mayoral features. Because of his thick German accent,
however, his voice had to be dubbed. On the set of The Wizard of Oz,
Becker met his future wife, Jessie Kelley, who played another
Munchkin. She was originally from Mahaska, Kansas. The two married in
1940, moved to Washington, Kansas for a short time and later settled
in California, where they sometimes worked as stand-ins for child
actors. Later in his life, Becker opened his own sausage
business.Becker died of a stroke in California at the end of 1968. His
interment (and his wife's) was in Lone Tree Cemetery in Fairview, near
Hayward. Some controversy emerged in 1984 when obituaries for the
actor Prince Denis stated that he had played the Mayor of
Munchkinland. In reality, Denis had played the Sergeant-at-Arms.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.