Karl Slover

Karl was barely a teenager in the Czech Republic when he was spotted by Leo Singer who wanted to sign him up to be a part of his traveling troupe called "Singer's Midgets." At that time, Karl was the worlds shortest man at about 3 1/2 feet tall.

A few years later, in 1939, he and the other 118 midgets (most of the midgets who inhabited the planet at that time) were summoned to Culver City near Hollywood to inhabit Muchkinland for the all-time great screen spectacular "Wizard of Oz,"

He was paid $100 per week for his services as a munchkin but the greedy Singer kept $50 of it. After he finished his trek along the yellow brick road, Karl did comedies and movies with Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, and Laurel and Hardy among others.

In the late 40's, he joined a traveling carnival. At one time, the Ringling Circus family tried to hire him away from Singer but now he was on his own. Eventually, he ended up working for Southern Amusement Enterprises, where owner Bob Slover adopted him and put him to work in his shows.

Karl, now 83, spends most of his time on airplanes...making his way to personal appearances on television talk shows and at Wizard of Oz conventions. He always has a big smile and lots of Wizard stories to tell if you've got time to listen.

He now lives with relatives in the Hyde Park area of Tampa and can often be seen walking along the Howard Avenue business district as part of a doctor-ordered exercise program.

He has been featured in many national magazines, including People, Life and Newsweek, and on numerous television shows and documentaries.