Myrna Swenson

In 1997, during an interview, actor Clarence Swensen was asked, “What is your most prized possession?” He simply, and quickly, answered “A very sweet wife.” He beamed when he was in the presence of Myrna who accompanied him to almost every Oz Festival held in Porter County since 1989. They loved being a part of the events every year and the kind-hearted couple endeared themselves to many in Chesterton and placed scores of area people on their list of friends. Clarence passed away in February of this year and the entire Oz community was saddened It is only fitting that the Duneland Initiative Group would extend an invitation to Myrna to attend the 2009 Chesterton Wizard of Oz Festival. She graciously accepted the invitation as an honor to her late husband. Clarence played a Munchkin Soldier in the MGM classic “The Wizard of Oz.” Though he appeared in only two other films, “The Terry of Tiny Town” and “Tarzan Finds a Son,” he had fond memories of his brief Hollywood career,especially of the eight weeks he spent filming the Munchkinland scene opposite Judy Garland and Margaret Hamilton. Shots of the Munchkin Soldiers are interspersed throughout the nearly 15 minute long Munchkinland segment. When the soldiers march in formation, Clarence can clearly be seen. The lead soldier is followed by six rows of four soldiers each. As they march from left to right across the screen, Clarence is the soldier at the end of the fourth row. The couple married in 1945 and had three daughters, five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. After Hollywood, Clarence had a long career as an electronic technician at the University of Texas and Myrna was a homemaker. She also became quite well known for her craft work, especially beading. They shared their love of everything Oz and the love of meeting people from coast to coast at various Oz-related special events. Both Swenson’s felt that the classic film taught themselves, as well as people around the world, real lessons about life and love. “Everybody has courage if they use it," Myrna told Austin Chronicle reporter Joe O’Connell in 2004. "Everybody has a head. Everybody has a heart if they use it." We are honored to have Myrna Swensen as a special quest at the 2009 Chesterton Wizard of Oz Festival. Biography by Allen Pease

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