Portrait of the Singer Midgets

Before they endeared themselves to film audiences in "The Wizard of Oz," the Singer Midgets were stars on Broadway. Organized and managed by Viennese-born Leo Singer, all were from Austria or Hungary. The troupe averaged about 20 members, although many more were added along with a number of young girls aged 7-9 for the making of the class "Oz" in 1939. The Singer Midgets disbanded in the mid-1940s, though some including Billy Curtis and Jerry Maren enjoyed extended Hollywood careers. In this photograph, several members of the troupe are gathered presumably pre-performance and are ornately dressed with various props and instruments in hand.