Betty Ann Bruno – who played a munchkin in Wizard of Oz – dies, aged 91

Bruno was just seven years old when she was cast as one of the residents of the magical world of Oz, with Victor Fleming's film having gone on to be remembered as a landmark moment in the history of cinema – frequently featuring among lists of the greatest movies of all time.

She had also previously appeared in an uncredited role in the film Hurricane, which was directed by legendary filmmaker John Ford.

In her adulthood, Bruno did not pursue acting full-time but instead embarked on a career as a journalist, which also brought her a great deal of success.

She worked as a TV reporter for the station KTVU in the San Francisco Bay area from 1971 until her retirement in 1991 and won three Emmys for her work – awarded for breaking news, news-feature series, and investigative series respectively.

In 2020, she published a memoir titled The Munchkin Diary: My Personal Yellow Brick Road, which detailed her experiences both as a child actor and journalist.

Former colleague Rob Roth explained in a statement to KTVU that "Betty Ann was always able to get the interview", and that "she really did care about the community, cared about reporting, she was just a real treasure, a joy to know".

Bruno is survived by her long-term husband Craig Scheiner, who told The Press Democrat that she had been active until the very end of her life, explaining: "She had no major health issues. Her heart just wore out. She died of old age."

The Press Democrat report also reveals that in June she was able to take part in Oz-Stravaganza, a festival dedicated to The Wizard of Oz, along with her friend Becky Zyskowski.

"It was really great to be able to experience the Oz-Stravaganza with her and see how everyone there loved her just as much as we do," Zyskowski said.