Raabe was born in Watertown, Wisconsin, in 1915. In 1934, he was a member of the Midget City cast at the Chicago World's Fair. The money from his appearances at the fair and other places was how he paid for his bachelor's in accounting and master's in business administration. His wife, Marie Hartline, worked for a vaudeville show called Rose's ...
Worked for many decades as a spokesman for Oscar Mayer, where he was known as "Little Oscar, World's Smallest Chef". He traveled in the first Wienermobile, produced in 1936.
3
He is survived by his sister, Marion Raabe Ziegelmann of Watertown, Wisconsin.
4
He served in the United States Civil Air Patrol in World War II as an aviator.
5
He was one of nine Munchkins to have had a speaking part in the Wizard of Oz.
6
When the Hollywood Walk Of Fame star dedicated to the 124 Munchkin actors's was unveiled in 2007, Raabe attended the ceremony, dressed in a huge hat with a rolled brim, as seen in the film. He also spoke his famous line from the movie to the fans present. At the time he was one of only seven of the group left. He delighted fans by reciting his most famous line: "As coroner I must aver, I thoroughly examined her. And she's not only merely dead. She's really most sincerely dead.".
7
He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison in 1937 with a Bachelor's Degree in accounting and earned an Masters of Business Administration degree from Drexel University in 1970.
8
He was only 3 foot 6 aged 21 in 1937 but grew another 1 foot 1 inches over the next few years to reach a maximum height of 4 foot 7 .
9
The location of the Munchkins' star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is 6915 Hollywood Blvd.
10
Resides at Penny Farms Retirement Community outside of Jacksonville, Florida.
11
A graduate of the University of Wisconsin.
12
The Raabes' station wagon crashed into a van that had stopped for a turn near their home at the Penney Farms retirement community. Marie died of injuries sustained in the accident, and Meinhardt and a van passenger were injured. [October 1997]
13
The first MGM Munchkin to become a card carrying member of the The International Wizard of Oz Club, Inc.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Wizard of Oz
1939
Munchkin Coroner (uncredited)
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Yellow Brick Road and Beyond
2009
Video documentary special thanks - as Meinhardt Rabbe
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Hollywood Celebrates Its Biggest Little Stars!
2009
Video short
Himself
The Yellow Brick Road and Beyond
2009
Video documentary
Himself (as Meinhardt Rabbe)
Because of the Wonderful Things It Does: The Legacy of Oz
2005
Video documentary short
Himself
Entertainment Tonight
2005
TV Series
Himself
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2005
TV Series
Himself
Memories of Oz
2001
TV Special short documentary
Himself
The Daily Show
1999
TV Series
Himself
Biography
1997
TV Series documentary
Himself
I Married a Munchkin
1994
Documentary short
Himself (uncredited)
We're Off to See the Munchkins
1993
Video documentary
Himself
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic
1990
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Little People
1982
Documentary
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Underground Entertainment: The Movie
2011
Documentary
Meinhardt
To Oz! The Making of a Classic
2009
Video documentary short
Himself
Known for movies
Memories of Oz (2001) as Himself
Hollywood Celebrates Its Biggest Little Stars! (2009) as Himself
We're Off to See the Munchkins (1993) as Himself
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic (1990) as Himself
$900,000
