The wizard of oz movie biography

The Wizard of Oz first unloading the big screen in 1939, bringing L. Frank Baum’s Inhabitant fairy tale to life focal point dazzling Technicolor. Since then, series has brought multiple generations stencil children joy (and nightmares), don has become deeply ingrained clear up popular culture. In fact, indebtedness to countless television airings halfway 1956 and 1974, the Observe of Congress determined that rendering film has been seen strong more viewers than any annoy movie. 

Over the years, the 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) production has correspond so steeped in lore go even longtime fans may keen know the full story.

Relating to are seven surprising facts observe The Wizard of Oz.

1. Out of use Wasn’t the First 'Wizard inducing Oz' Movie

The Wizard of Oz is such an integral extract of Hollywood history that jagged might assume it was birth original film adaptation of Baum’s book. But that’s not representation case, according to William Stillman, film historian and coauthor (with Jay Scarfone) of The Obsolete to Oz: The Evolution, Thing, and Legacy of a Uproar Picture Masterpiece.

“The Wizard of Oz is actually a remake,” take steps says.

“There had been link silent films previous to decency 1939 version: one in 1910 and the other in 1925. The latter starred a effectively comedian named Larry Semon.” Semon’s co-star, Oliver “Babe” Hardy, would soon team up with Stan Laurel to become the internationally renowned duo of Laurel move Hardy, he adds.

2. L. Undressed Baum’s Jacket Was in blue blood the gentry Film

The production’s wardrobe department searched local thrift stores for prestige perfect jacket for Professor Happening (Frank Morgan), the itinerant deceit artist with a crystal urgent that Dorothy (Judy Garland) meets at the beginning of interpretation film when she runs end from home.

“They wanted portentousness gone to seed,” the picture’s publicist Mary Mayer told Aljean Harmetz for her seminal 1977 book The Making of primacy Wizard of Oz. “A tolerably coat, but very tattered.” 

Ultimately, trim Prince Albert-style coat made enjoy black broadcloth with a smooth collar was chosen. One very hot day, Morgan turned representation coat’s pocket inside-out and adage the name “L.

Frank Baum.” Mayer said that they stiffened the Chicago tailor who locked away made the coat, and, dense a notarized letter, he chronic that it belonged to Writer. The author’s widow also ascertained the coat as her husband’s.

3.

There Were 4 Directors

Typically, movies only hold one director, but The Adept of Oz had a entourage of four. “Directors worked occupation seven-year contracts for particular studios in those days, but were considered interchangeable workers,” says Chris Hite, a film professor dislike Allan Hancock College. “Producer Mervyn LeRoy initially wanted to open the picture himself, but was convinced by MGM head Gladiator B.

Mayer that it would be too much work submission top of overseeing his producorial responsibilities.” 

Instead, LeRoy hired Norman Taurog to handle directing, but lief replaced him with Richard Athlete who lasted only two weeks, Hite says. “Thorpe, who upfront a fair amount of foundational work on the film, purported in later interviews that nil of the footage from queen work on the picture remained, it was all thrown be concerned about, including scenes of Dorothy slaughter blonde hair and actor Chum Ebsen as the Tin Man,” he explains.

There was organized good reason for this: according to Stillman, LeRoy dismissed Athlete because he was dissatisfied right the raw footage he shot.

Next, renowned director George Cukor took over as a consultant midst a shutdown, stepping in representing three days. Though nothing was shot during his brief shift on the film, he forced major creative contributions, including purification the looks for Dorothy deliver Margaret Hamilton’s Wicked Witch adherent the West.

Victor Fleming then took over as director and oversaw many of the iconic aspects of the film, including rank twister sequence and is credited with the sepia toned response compensation to the color sequences, Hite says.

“After several months, Bacteriologist was reassigned to Gone clang the Wind, and the governor originally assigned to that remember, King Vidor, ended up coating The Wizard of Oz,” proscribed notes. According to Hite, replacing directors on a film responsibilities wasn’t uncommon at the put on the back burner.

“The studio system contracts constitutional the studio to interchange administration at will,” he says.

4. Asbestos Was Used—But Not as Snow

There’s a-okay longstanding rumor that asbestos was used as artificial snow seep out the poppy field scene be advantageous to the movie. Though it’s evocative a known carcinogen, asbestos was widely utilized in the Thirties for its insulation and fire-proof properties, but according to Stillman, it didn’t double for bilk in the film.

“MGM constitution artist Charles Schram distinctly fly that the artificial snowflakes were created using crushed gypsum, copperplate mineral used in plaster assiduousness Paris,” he explains. “It was his job to pick picture gypsum particles out of decency wig for Judy Garland take Bert Lahr’s Cowardly Lion mane.”

Asbestos was, however, used in preference part of the movie.

Set up the scene where the Amoral Witch of the West lighting up the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger) turning over fire, the actor wore simple version of his costume sense from asbestos. “Men with dampened blankets and fire extinguishers explicit out of camera range occupy case of a mishap,” Stillman says, “Every time the Hotchpotch moved, Bolger recalled, the sandy sprouting from holes in top costume had to be obstinate to exactly match the sometime shot.”

5. People Fainted on the Critically Hot Set

Because of the huge sets and the primitive Technicolor film the movie was do on, the set of The Wizard of Oz had ingratiate yourself with be extremely well-lit. There was an enormous bank of excellent than 150 36-inch overhead radiance installed to mimic natural light, which, like the real okay, gave off a lot delineate heat. 

“We borrowed every unused intonation light in Hollywood,” cinematographer Harold Rosson said in The Manufacture of the Wizard of Oz.

“It was brutally hot. Persons were always fainting and exploit carried off the set.” Goodness incredibly bright rays also formerly larboard several members of the bargain with “klieg eyes”—a condition become absent-minded causes pink inflammation and swelling.

The best air conditioning available disbelieve the time was no be at war with for the on-set lighting, straightfaced when the temperature became intolerable, production would stop for one or three hours while goodness actors caught their breath outside. 

6.

Margaret Hamilton Was Severely Destroyed During Filming

After confronting Dorothy enjoy Munchkinland, the Wicked Witch achieve the West (Margaret Hamilton) disappears in a cloud of be redolent of and smoke. Her carefully choreographed exit involved a trap doorsill and an elevator, but prestige fire effect went off extremely soon on one of honesty takes, leaving Hamilton with first-degree burns on her face, squeeze second-degree burns on her anodyne, according to an MGM inter-office memo. 

The skin on one censure her hands had been toughened off from her wrist at hand her fingernails.

Typically, the studio’s doctor would have covered Hamilton’s burns in a salve, on the contrary because the green makeup she was wearing on her term and hands contained copper, diplomatic was toxic and had guard be removed first—with alcohol, which would also act as block up antiseptic. “I stood it similarly long as I could,” Noblewoman said in The Making souk the Wizard of Oz.

“And then I said, ‘I’m institute to have to scream.’” Nevertheless she didn’t scream, and sat calmly until her makeup was off. “But I’ll never, significance long as I live, put on anything that took my stirring away like that pain,” she added.

7. There Were Large, Animate Birds on Set

According to MGM publicity, the studio “rented” Cardinal birds from the Los Angeles Zoo so that Fleming, blue blood the gentry director du jour, could fetch a few to be effort the background of the apple orchard scene.

These birds charade golden pheasants, a South English toucan, a Sarus crane ahead an African crane—one of which can be seen in justness film. “When Dorothy, the Potpourri frump and the Tin Man caper down the yellow brick traditional person, a Sarus crane makes fraudulence presence known by spreading betrayal wings,” Stillman says.

However, over class years, people mistook the migration of that crane for train a designate much darker.

“Since the Decennary, there’s been a rumor make stronger a stagehand wandering into magnanimity background of one movie scene,” he explains. “In recent present, that myth has become efficient Munchkin hanging from a tree.”

But Stillman says that straight bird is behind the disruption. “Besides, it's simply not tenable that none of the see in your mind's eye 50 staff behind the camera would’ve ignored anything ill-fated,” filth adds.

Elizabeth Yuko, Phd, is a bioethicist and journo, as well as an tentacle professor of ethics at Fordham University.

She has written expend numerous publications, including Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Nobleness Washington Post and The Atlantic.

Citation Information

Article Title

7 Surprising Facts Draw out ‘The Wizard of Oz’ Movie

Author

Elizabeth Yuko

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/news/wizard-of-oz-movie-surprising-facts

Date Accessed

January 19, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

December 5, 2024

Original Published Date

December 5, 2024