Munchkin Swensen passes away at 91

London, Mar 1 (ANI): Clarence Swensen, who played a Munchkin soldier in the 1939 classic "The Wizard of Oz," has died at the age of 91.

The actor, who died on Wednesday, had been in poor health since suffering a stroke in 2005.

He was one of nine surviving members of the 125 Munchkins from the 1939 movie classic, reports The Daily Express.

Swensen had regularly attended Wizard of Oz festivals. He was among seven of the surviving actors who played the inhabitants of Munchkinland present when the Munchkins received a collective star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007.

He grew up in Austin, Texas.

He was not allowed to attend public schools until he was nine - because of his size.

Swensen became a movie star, contracted to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, in the late 1930s after he was discovered as part of The Stanley R. Graham All Midget Circus. (ANI)