“Wizard of Oz” actress and former KTVU reporter Betty Ann Bruno has died, her family confirmed with Fox News Digital. She was 91.
“There’s a lot I can say about my mom. … Growing up, she was certainly one of the most socially aware and caring … active people that I’ve certainly ever come across,” Steve Bruno, Betty Ann’s youngest son, said.
Betty Ann’s son revealed his mother’s sudden death came as a “shock” since she was “very healthy.”
She tragically fell at the hospital after performing one of her Hawaiian dances. He noted that she was a passionate hula instructor and created the dance organization Hula Mai in Sonoma, California.
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Betty Ann Bruno played a munchkin in “The Wizard of Oz.” (Getty Images/Craig Scheiner)
“She did this beautiful finale dance. She got a headache. My stepdad drove her to the emergency room. She collapsed in the lobby and died,” Steve shared.
Betty Ann Bruno was a passionate hula instructor and created the dance organization Hula Mai in Sonoma, Calif. (Craig Scheiner)
“She never had any heart problems … aside from the utter shock of a woman who is … vibrant and, by all appearances, very healthy and everything, the shock of her sudden death. My mom lived a pretty amazing life.”
Betty Ann was also known for her role as a munchkin in “The Wizard of Oz” when she was 7.
Betty Ann Bruno played a munchkin in “The Wizard of Oz” when she was 7. (Craig Scheiner)
She detailed her experience in the 2020 book “The Munchkin Diary: My Personal Yellow Brick Road.”
Betty Ann Bruno detailed her experience in the 2020 book, “The Munchkin Diary: My Personal Yellow Brick Road.” (Craig Scheiner)
Betty Ann later spent more than two decades as an investigative reporter. One of her most notable stories was about the 1991 fire in Oakland Hills, where she also lost her home.
One of Betty Ann’s most notable stories was when she covered the 1991 fire in Oakland Hills, where she also lost her home. (Craig Scheiner)
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“Not only was she an Emmy Award-winning investigative journalist, but she was a human interest reporter. … That was her thing … (She) spent years in community affairs. She ran for city council,” Steve added.
“After our house burned down in ’91, she championed the Homeowners Bill of Rights. … She does have these accolades.”
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Betty Ann is survived by her husband Craig, a former KTVU cameraman, and her three sons. (Craig Scheiner)
Betty Ann is survived by her husband Craig, a former KTVU cameraman, and her three sons.
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“She was the love of my life. She’s my honeybunch. And she still is … she will be forever,” her husband Craig Scheiner told Fox News Digital.