Betty Ann Bruno – who played a Munchkin in The Wizard Of Oz before becoming an Emmy-winning TV reporter – has passed away at 91
- Bruno was just seven years old when she was cast as one of the children Munchkin along several adult little people in The Wizard Of Oz
- She didn’t pursue an acting career, graduating from Stanford and going on to work as a secretary in the CIA before moving to Northern California
- She had a successful 20-year career as a TV reporter, winning three Emmy’s for her work before retiring in 1991
The acting and journalism worlds are in mourning on Monday, with the news of Betty Ann Bruno’s death aged 91.
She had an uncredited role in director John Ford’s 1937 film The Hurricane before playing a Munchkin in director Victor Fleming’s 1939 classic The Wizard Of Oz.
Bruno never pursued acting as she got older, transitioning to a television reporter, with her old station, KTVU in the Bay Area, confirming her death on Monday.
The Santa Rosa, California publication The Press Democrat revealed that Bruno was dancing at the Sonoma Women’s Club on Sunday, when she developed a ‘sudden splitting headache.’
Her longtime husband Craig Scheiner drove her to the hospital, though when they reached the front desk, ‘she had a massive heart attack and collapsed on the floor.’
Mourning: The acting and journalism worlds are in mourning on Monday, with the news of Betty Ann Bruno’s passing at 91 years of age
Munchkin: She had an uncredited role in director John Ford’s 1937 film The Hurricane before playing a Munchkin in director Victor Fleming’s 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz
Sudden headache: The Santa Rosa, California publication The Press Democrat revealed that Bruno was dancing at the Sonoma Women’s Club on Sunday, when she developed a, ‘sudden splitting headache’ – she was taken to the hospital where she suffered a heart attack
Scheiner told the publication that she was still very active in the weeks leading up to her passing, teaching hula classes and socializing with friends.
‘She had no major health issues. Her heart just wore out. She died of old age,’ her husband confirmed.
She was born Betty Ann Ka’ihilani on October 1, 1931, in Wahiawa, Hawai’i, though she grew up in Hollywood.
The actress was cast among a handful of child actors to play Munchkins alongside several adult little people in the film.
It is said she was among only four other child actors from The Wizard of Oz who are still alive.
After graduating from Stanford University in 1953, she worked as a secretary for the CIA, meeting her first husband, Russell Bruno, at the spy agency.
They moved to Berkeley, California in 1966, where they raised three sons, and Betty started her career as a broadcast journalist.
After joining the Oakland League of Women Voters, KTVU hired her in 1971 to write for the 10 O’clock News program, which started a 20-year career.
She met her second husband, Scheiner, at KTVU, where he worked as a cameraman, producer and editor for the station.
Active: Betty Ann was still very active in the weeks leading up to her passing, teaching hula classes and socializing with friends
Munchkin: The actress was cast among a handful of child actors to play Munchkins alongside several adult little people in the film
Pictured: Betty Ann (seen in 2008, left, with Priscilla Clark and Ardith Todd) was among only four other child actors from The Wizard of Oz who were still alive
Journalist: After joining the Oakland League of Women Voters, KTVU hired her in 1971 to write for the 10 O’clock News program, which started a 20-year career
Emmys: Bruno won three Emmy Awards during her two decades at KTVU, for breaking news, news-feature series and investigative series, and she became known for covering the Oakland Hills Fire in October 1991… while that same fire was destroying her own home
Hula: Bruno retired from television news in 1992 and moved to Sonoma, where she opened Hula Mai in 2009, teaching residents how to hula dance
Bruno won three Emmy Awards during her two decades at KTVU, for breaking news, news-feature series and investigative series, and she became known for covering the Oakland Hills Fire in October 1991… while that same fire was destroying her own home.
Bruno retired from television news in 1992 and moved to Sonoma, where she opened Hula Mai in 2009, teaching residents how to hula dance.
She also published a memoir in 2020 entitled The Munchkin Diary: My Personal Yellow Brick Road.
Bruno is survived by her husband Scheiner and her three sons with her first husband.
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