Leo Singer
Encyclopedia
Leopold von Singer was the manager of the Singer Midgets, a popular vaudeville
group in the first half of the twentieth century.
Singer was born to a prominent family in Vienna, Austria. He was reportedly inspired to form the Singer Midgets in 1912 or 1913, after he and his daughter Trudy were entertained by a troupe of little people at the Vienna Prater
. With his wife, Walberga, Singer recruited little people for his own troupe, and began building the Liliputstadt, a "midget city" at the Venice in Vienna amusement park, where they could perform. Singer mainly sought out little people with proportionately-sized body parts, so that they could move and dance with ease.
The Liliputstadt was a major success, and Singer began taking his performers throughout Europe, recruiting new members along the way. After World War I
broke out, the troupe traveled to the United States, and remained there for the rest of their existence, performing in vaudeville theaters. During the 1930s, some of Singer's Midgets began appearing in films, such as They Gave Him a Gun
(1937), Block-Heads
(1938), and The Terror of Tiny Town
, a 1938 Western with an all-dwarf cast. Also in 1938, Singer signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
to provide 124 proportionately-sized little people to play Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz
(1939). Some of the members of his troupe formed a portion of the group, and he traveled throughout the United States to recruit others.
Singer was a somewhat controversial figure in his day. The actor Billy Curtis
once noted that Singer "had a reputation for cheating his midgets". During the filming of The Wizard of Oz, Singer reportedly kept half of his performers' weekly pay. Nevertheless, his troupe members often spoke positively of him. Nita Krebs said that he "always treated his people fine", and Grace Williams said, "He had private tutors to give them an education. He treated them fine and gave them beautiful hotel suites." Fern Formica recalled, "He was like a father. He was a good man." A number of Singer's Midgets affectionately referred to their manager as "Papa".
The Singer Midgets disbanded in the mid-1940s after many members had returned home to Europe, and Singer retired to New York City
. He died there on March 5, 1951.
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
group in the first half of the twentieth century.
Singer was born to a prominent family in Vienna, Austria. He was reportedly inspired to form the Singer Midgets in 1912 or 1913, after he and his daughter Trudy were entertained by a troupe of little people at the Vienna Prater
Prater
The Wiener Prater is a large public park in Vienna's 2nd district . The amusement park, often simply called "Prater", stands in one corner of the Wiener Prater and includes the .-Name:...
. With his wife, Walberga, Singer recruited little people for his own troupe, and began building the Liliputstadt, a "midget city" at the Venice in Vienna amusement park, where they could perform. Singer mainly sought out little people with proportionately-sized body parts, so that they could move and dance with ease.
The Liliputstadt was a major success, and Singer began taking his performers throughout Europe, recruiting new members along the way. After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
broke out, the troupe traveled to the United States, and remained there for the rest of their existence, performing in vaudeville theaters. During the 1930s, some of Singer's Midgets began appearing in films, such as They Gave Him a Gun
They Gave Him a Gun
They Gave Him a Gun is a 1937 American drama film directed by W. S. Van Dyke- Cast :* Spencer Tracy: Fred P. Willis* Gladys George: Rose Duffy* Franchot Tone: James 'Jimmy' Davis* Edgar Dearing: Sgt. Meadowlark* Mary Treen: Saxe...
(1937), Block-Heads
Block-Heads
Block-Heads is a 1938 comedy film starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, produced by Hal Roach Studios for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film, a reworking of elements from the Laurel and Hardy shorts We Faw Down and Unaccustomed As We Are , was Roach's final film for MGM, and is remembered as one of...
(1938), and The Terror of Tiny Town
The Terror of Tiny Town
The Terror of Tiny Town is a 1938 American film produced by Jed Buell, directed by Sam Newfield, and starring Billy Curtis. It is the world's only musical Western with an all-midget cast....
, a 1938 Western with an all-dwarf cast. Also in 1938, Singer signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
to provide 124 proportionately-sized little people to play Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
(1939). Some of the members of his troupe formed a portion of the group, and he traveled throughout the United States to recruit others.
Singer was a somewhat controversial figure in his day. The actor Billy Curtis
Billy Curtis
Billy Curtis was an American film and television actor. He was a dwarf who had a 50-year career in a variety of roles...
once noted that Singer "had a reputation for cheating his midgets". During the filming of The Wizard of Oz, Singer reportedly kept half of his performers' weekly pay. Nevertheless, his troupe members often spoke positively of him. Nita Krebs said that he "always treated his people fine", and Grace Williams said, "He had private tutors to give them an education. He treated them fine and gave them beautiful hotel suites." Fern Formica recalled, "He was like a father. He was a good man." A number of Singer's Midgets affectionately referred to their manager as "Papa".
The Singer Midgets disbanded in the mid-1940s after many members had returned home to Europe, and Singer retired to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He died there on March 5, 1951.