Michael Finocchiaro
July 8, 1919 - May 7, 2009
The son of immigrants, he grew up in an Italian St. Louis neighborhood on the city's north side with a twin sister and four older siblings. A pituitary condition caused Mickey’s short stature, who was 4-foot-3 when he stopped growing in his 40s.
Mickey:
· Danced at the Muny Theater in St. Louis when he was in grade school.
· Worked in Chicago clubs in the 1920’s and on the Orpheum Theater vaudeville circuit.
· Warmed up crowds for President Franklin Roosevelt while campaigning in New York City.
· Served as a crowd-getter in President Harry Truman's whistlestop campaign.
· Did Phillip Morris live radio ads and appeared in shows with Mae West. He later did radio shows with George Burns, Gracie Allen, Jack Benny and Al Jolson.
· Played the part of the Munchkinland "Town Crier," marched as a "Munchkin Soldier" and was the candy-striped "Fiddler" who escorted Dorothy Gale, played by Judy Garland, down the yellow brick road toward Emerald City.
· Returned to St. Louis in the 1940’s to run the family business making cemetery monuments.
· Gave generously to many charities and never turned down a fan’s request for an autographed picture.
· November 2007, Carroll and six other surviving Munchkins received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
· Has 8 nieces and nephews (and 5 great nieces/nephews) who live all over the country and Stephen Cox who was a good friend of Mickey's, is the author of a book “The Munchkins of Oz”. Mickey's nephew, Frank has been living in his own apartment with 24 hour care since 2009 and is doing good.
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