Dona Massin; Dancer Helped Choreograph ‘The Wizard of Oz’

Dona Massin, 84, choreographer, dancer and extra in two dozen films between 1933 and 1943, including “The Wizard of Oz,” died May 26 in Culver City.

Born Lucianna Thomassin in Canada, she moved to Los Angeles with her family and began working in entertainment as a child. At MGM, she helped choreograph several scenes in “The Wizard of Oz,” including the start of Judy Garland and her friends’ trek down the yellow brick road, “We’re Off to See the Wizard.” Massin appeared in several of the Emerald City scenes, including an appearance as a lion tamer.

Among her other film credits were “I Dood It,” “Flirtation Walk,” “The Charge of the Light Brigade” and “Girl Crazy.”

After marrying Don Carn, she largely retired from show business to become a homemaker and to raise their daughter, Jodie. But in recent years she had appeared at a few “Oz” festivals and was interviewed for several Judy Garland biographies, including a recent E! network special.