Caren Marsh Doll, who celebrates her 107th birthday at present, additionally had a minor position in Gone with the Wind.
Judy Garland’s ‘Wizard of Oz’ costume fetches $1.5 million (USD) at public sale
The final surviving actors of the Golden Age of Hollywood are nearly fully gone, with centenarian stars like Kirk Douglas and Olivia de Havilland having shuffled off this mortal coil in the previous few years.
Now the oldest dwelling star of basic Tinseltown has turned 107 at present and is the final actress nonetheless alive who featured in each 1939’s Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz.
Caren Marsh Doll was born on April 6, 1919, in Los Angeles, California, a 12 months after the tip of World Conflict I.
After graduating from Hollywood Excessive College in 1937, she set her sights on changing into an actress of stage and display.
A 12 months later, she had her massive break, being solid as Judy Garland’s Dorothy stand-in for The Wizard of Ouncesand even being gifted her personal pair of ruby slippers.
Learn extra: Inside Judy Garland’s tragic remaining days as Wizard of Ouncesstar died penniless
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Judy Garland along with her Dorothy stand-in Caren (Picture: MGM)
Actress Caren Marsh Doll turned 106 in 2025. She was Judy Garland’s stand-in in The Wizard of Oz, acted in Gone with the Wind, and survived a airplane crash in 1949. pic.twitter.com/68dxlKavpX
— Historical past Outlined (@historydefined) Could 19, 2025
Regardless of her position in The Wizard of Ouncesbeing uncredited, Marsh does characteristic prominently in a single key scene of the film. It was her toes within the shot the place Dorothy faucets her ruby slippers collectively whereas saying, “There’s no place like dwelling”.
When she wasn’t filling in for Garland, Marsh could be over at Selznick Worldwide Photos working as a background additional on Gone with the Wind. The 106-year-old had two small roles within the interval basic as a BBQ Visitor throughout the Twelve Oaks barbecue scene and Lady at Bazaar within the scene on the Atlanta charity bazaar.
Two years later, Marsh was standing in for Garland as soon as once more in The Ziegfeld Lady earlier than bigger roles in different motion pictures throughout World Conflict 2 and changing into a dancer. In 1947, she was named Miss Sky Woman, showing in an air present and withdrawing classes. Then, on July 12 1949, aged 30, Marsh was flying from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Burbank, California, when catastrophe struck.
Do you know that Dorothy’s toes within the Wizard of Ouncesare nonetheless alive?
Caren Marsh Doll was Dorothy’s stand in and the toes we see when Dorothy clicks her heels collectively remains to be alive at 105 years outdated. pic.twitter.com/hW3iSep8o6
— LepsLair is making content material (@lepslair) March 29, 2025
Caren Marsh recovering from the airplane crash in hospital (Picture: LA TIMES)
Because the twin-engine airplane got here into land, it was flying too low, and the suitable wingtip struck the hillside earlier than the plane crashed in Chatsworth, California. Marsh was simply one in every of 13 of the 48 passengers and crew on board who survived. She spent a number of weeks in hospital and nearly had her left foot amputated.
Informed by medical doctors she would unlikely ever dance once more, the actress defied the chances and returned to her profession earlier than later changing into an teacher. She now lives in Palm Springs the place on Mondays she would volunteer as a dance remedy teacher on the native Stroke Exercise Heart.
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