SONOMA, CALIFORNIA: Betty Ann Bruno, who as a young child played a munchkin in the 1939 classic 'The Wizard of Oz,' later found success as a TV producer and a seasoned reporter for KTVU in the San Francisco Bay area, died on Sunday, July 30 in Sonoma, California, as announced by her family. The Emmy-winning TV journalist was 91 at the time of her death. Bruno is survived by her husband, Craig Scheiner, a former KTVU photographer, and their three sons, according to Deadline.
How did Betty Ann Bruno die?
On Sunday, the Emmy-winning TV reporter experienced a "sudden, splitting headache" while dancing at the Sonoma Women's Club, as reported by The Press Democrat. Her husband immediately took her to the hospital, where she had "a heart attack and collapsed on the floor" before they made it to the front desk. "She had no major health issues," her husband claimed, adding, "Her heart just wore out. She died of old age." Scheiner described how his wife had been extremely active in the weeks leading up to her death, stating that she had been occupied with catching up with her friends and offering hula classes.
In June, Bruno took a trip to Chittenango, New York, to be a part of 'Oz Stravaganza', the longest-running event of the L Frank Baum's novel and "all things Oz." The celebration commemorated Bruno, who was believed to be one of the few Munchkins still alive. She rode in the parade, signed autographs, taught hula dances, and was made a lifetime member of the International L Frank Baum and All Things Oz Historical Foundation.
'She had an energy that was infectious'
As soon as Bruno's family announced her death, 'The Wizard of Oz' fans took to social media, particularly Twitter, to pay her tribute. One wrote, "????? ??? ??`??????? ????? ???? -???? We are saddened to share that our dearest "munchkid" friend, Betty Ann Bruno has passed away. Betty Ann was light, joy, and kindness. She had an energy that was infectious. She made us all want to do the hula." "The Bay Area has lost a heritage reporter. Longtime @KTVU correspondent, Betty Ann Bruno, has passed. RIP," tweeted one more. 'Your History Your Story Podcast' shared a heartfelt homage post, writing, "The world lost a true legend yesterday (7/30/23). Our dear friend Betty Ann Bruno passed away and we will miss our conversations with her. We had the honor of interviewing her about two years ago and have stayed in touch ever since. She was an amazing woman who was a child actor and played a munchkin on the Wizard of Oz. She went on to be a news reporter and up until the day she passed, Betty Ann was doing what she loved, and that was teaching hula dancing. We will miss you, but never forget the impact you’ve had on our lives."
'The Munchkin Diary'
Bruno was born Betty Ann Ka’ihilani in Wahiawa, Hawaii, and spent her early years in Hollywood, where she made her acting debut in 'The Hurricane', directed by John Ford, as per Deadline. After appearing alongside Judy Garland in 'The Wizard of Oz', the Stanford University graduate's subsequent achievements were described in her 2020 memoir, 'The Munchkin Diary: My Personal Yellow Brick Road.' An overview of Bruno's book states, "At 12, she was the full-time organist in a Catholic church, where she was mentored by an ex-seminarian who tried repeatedly to molest her. As an adult, she worked for the CIA. She then became Oakland's first female, Asian-American television reporter."
Bruno met Craig Scheiner, her second husband, at KTVU, where he worked for the news station as a cameraman, producer, and editor. Even after retiring from journalism, Bruno kept broadening her horizons, starting a Polynesian dance group in Sonoma. In a 2022 interview, she said, "I am ‘the hula lady,’ that’s what the people in the grocery store call me when they see me. I sought my Hawaiian identity through the hula... It's a beautiful culture and I'm so proud of it and that is a core of my life," to KITV-4. Bruno was one of the few surviving stars of Victor Fleming's Oscar-winning movie, 'The Wizard of Oz'.
