Elaine Merk Binder, 'Wizard of Oz' munchkin, dies aged 94

Binder was among the last surviving cast members of the 1939 classic film which she starred in as a child.

Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last surviving munchkins from the classic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, has died at the age of 94, her daughter Annette Phillips confirmed to TMZ. No cause of death was disclosed.

Binder auditioned for the MGM production in 1938 and was selected as one of eight children who joined the Little People of the Munchkin cast for both singing and dancing roles. She was just eight years old at the time of filming at the Culver City studios in California.

Reflecting on her audition, Binder once said, "I tried out for the 'Wizard of Oz' Munchkins. For me it was scary. It was my first big call for girls from a major studio. I was relieved when Bud told the dance director, 'She's O.K.' I did not have to perform like the others did. And they selected me as one of the eight who would both dance and sing."

She appeared in several key moments of the film. In the "Come Out, Come Out" sequence, she was positioned in the second small house ascending the stairs. Moments later, she featured in the pavilion ensemble during "Off to See the Wizard," wearing a dark green frock and matching hat.

The Wizard of Oz remains one of the most celebrated films in Hollywood history, starring Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale and Frank Morgan as the Wizard. Binder’s contribution as part of the Munchkin cast added to the enduring legacy of the movie, which continues to captivate audiences more than eight decades after its release.

Binder is survived by her son George, daughter Annette, and six grandchildren.