These included Spangles (1926), The Terror of Tiny Town (1938), and, most notably, The Wizard of Oz (1939), in which he played the Mayor of Munchkinland.

[3] He was chosen for the role because of his large belly, round face, and facial hair, which were thought to be mayoral features.

[5] On the set of The Wizard of Oz, Becker met his future wife, Jessie Kelley, who played another Munchkin.

The two married in 1940, moved to Washington, Kansas for a short time and later settled in California, where they sometimes worked as stand-ins for child actors.

Seven surviving Munchkin actors attended the ceremony: Mickey Carroll, Ruth Duccini, Jerry Maren, Margaret Pellegrini, Meinhardt Raabe, Karl Slover and Clarence Swensen.