Olive Brasno on AllMovie

Dancer/actress Olive Brasno Wayne spent the bulk of her career performing on stage, but she also occasionally appeared in feature films. Brasno, who suffered from dwafism from birth, was born in Old Bridge, New Jersey. She launched her professional career dancing and singing in vaudeville along with her brother George. The act was called "Buster Shaver, Olive and George" and it toured nationally. She and George appeared in Little Miss Broadway (1938), opposite Shirley Temple. Other film credits include The Mighty Barnum (1934) and Sitting Pretty (1936). She was offered a part as a "Munchkin" in The Wizard of Oz (1939) but turned it down because she and her brother were making more money in vaudeville. (Of course, neither had any idea that the film would become a classic). Brasno was married to midget actor Gus Wayne (who did appear in the Wizard of Oz). They were together 37 years. In early 1998, Wayne passed away from heart failure; two days later, Brasno did the same.