Meinhardt Raabe was a pilot in the Civil Air Patrol during World War II, a carnival barker, and a spokesman for Oscar Mayer. He earned a bachelors degree in accounting in 1937 and a masters degree in 1970. But he was best known for his role as the Munchkin coroner in the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, where he delivered the immortal lines
Raabe, only 23 years old when the movie was made, spent the rest of his life repeating those lines as a motivational speaker for schools and civic groups. He was also Little Oscar, “the World’s Smallest Chef,” and drove the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile for 30 years. Raabe passed away yesterday at his home in Orange Park, Florida. He was 94. Link -via Stinque
See a 2007 video interview with Raabe.
As coroner, I must aver
I thoroughly examined her.
And she’s not only merely dead,
She’s really most sincerely dead.
Raabe, only 23 years old when the movie was made, spent the rest of his life repeating those lines as a motivational speaker for schools and civic groups. He was also Little Oscar, “the World’s Smallest Chef,” and drove the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile for 30 years. Raabe passed away yesterday at his home in Orange Park, Florida. He was 94. Link -via Stinque
See a 2007 video interview with Raabe.
Hers would have to be, "Ding Dong the witch is dead"...which might be, in fact, distasteful.
Some folks might find it distasteful, but I like to think that, like Margaret Hamilton, he would have loved to be eulogized thus:
"And he’s not only merely dead,
He’s really most sincerely dead."
RIP, Mr. Raabe.