DAILY MAIL STAFF
Lester Raines III saw the sign outside a Myrtle Beach sports shoptwo months ago.
'Munchkins here,' it read.
A lifelong fan of 'The Wizard of Oz,' Raines hurried inside thestore. There, he met Mickey Carroll, who was one of the originalMunchkins in the movie.
'I have always had a thing for the Munchkins,' Raines said. 'Ilove the movie as a whole. But there is something about them that isunique. I think that is why I like them so much.'
Raines and Carroll talked for about 15 minutes.
'He shared some stories about the movie and his life,' Rainessaid. 'It was incredible.'
So much so, in fact, Raines wanted others to hear Carroll'sstories.
That is one reason Carroll will be signing autographs this weekendat Lester Raines Imports, the South Charleston car lot where Raineshas his Honda, Mazda and Mitsubishi dealerships.
Carroll will be there from noon to 6 p.m. on Friday, from 10 a.m.to 6 p.m. on Saturday and from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday.
'This isn't an advertising ploy,' Raines said. 'I want people tohave the same experience I had.'
Carroll is one of only five of the original 124 munchkins whostill are alive, according to www.ozmunchkinland.com. Most werebetween the ages of 14 and 18 when the movie was made, according tothe Web site.
Carroll provided the voices for the mayor, the coroner and thelollipop kid because most of the Munchkins spoke with heavy Germanaccents.
In the movie, Carroll is seen carrying a violin as the Munchkinslead Dorothy (actress Judy Garland) to the Yellow Brick Road, wherehe tells her to 'follow the Yellow Brick Road.'
'It's something to hear him talk,' said Raines, who has met twoother Munchkins and talked to another one on the telephone. 'It'slike you're watching the movie again.'
A collector for more than 20 years, Raines said he has picturesand scripts signed by Munchkins and actors who played, among others,the Tin Man, the Lion, the Scarecrow, Dorothy and Auntie Em. He saidhis collection is worth thousands of dollars.
He plans to have Carroll sign his 'The Wizard of Oz' DVD and his'Munchkins of Oz' book.
'I'm ready for him,' Raines said.
Writer Jacob Messer can be reached at 348-7939 or by e-mail atjacobmesser@dailymail.com.
