Hayward's Munchkin

Charlie Becker, a German American actor, is best known for his role as the Mayor of Munchkinland in the classic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. Becker was born in 1887 near Frankfurt and at the age of nineteen decided to abandon a planned career as a butcher to join more lucrative travelling “midget shows”. The three foot nine performer signed on with the Singer Midgets during the first World War and moved to the United States where the popular troupe traveled vaudeville circuits throughout the country.

Hollywood entrepreneur and opportunist Leo Singer was hired as MGM’s liaison with a contract to supply little people to populate the fantasy village of Munchkinland in their upcoming film featuring Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, and Jack Haley. Singer’s contract was to provide one hundred twenty-four little people from his own troupe, supplemented by others from the Los Angeles area and from across the country. Because of his stereotype “mayoral” features of a large belly, round face and facial hair, Becker was cast to play the Mayor of Munchkinland; however, because of his strong German accent the studio decided to dub his voice.

Becker and fellow little person performer Jessie Kelly met on the set of Oz and were married the following year. The couple settled on the west coast with plans on getting work in Hollywood and “stand in’” assignments for child actors; however, because of the scarcity of movie roles for little people, Charlie returned to his original business career of a butcher and the Becker’s owned and operated their own successful German Sausage company.

Charlie Becker, The Mayor of Munchkinland, passed in 1968 and is interned on the hillside at the Lone Tree Cemetery in Hayward, posthumous recipient of a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a character actor in one of the most watched films of all time.