Before hobbits, before oompa loompas and before knife-wielding Venetian dwarves in red raincoats, there were munchkins. Tiny people with hearts of gold, they were made famous by MGM's musical version of The Wizard Of Oz, in which they   sang and laughed most joyously. Never mind the fact that the event they celebrated was the crushing of a person under a house, or that in reality many of them were alcoholics and drug addicts. These happy little people influenced generations of children with their merry demeanour and timeless suggestion that Dorothy follow the yellow brick road. Munchkins: we salute you. BW

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