It was 81 years ago that The Wizard Of Oz was first released. Since then, it’s been one of the most beloved movies of all time, let alone children’s movies of all time. No matter when a movie is released, if it becomes popular, it is sometimes difficult for that momentum to slow down.
Over the years, behind-the-scenes stories from the film have taken on all sorts of myths and legends of their own. There's enough to make their own amazing documentary. It’s a great look at old-world Hollywood and how movies were made back in the middle of the 20th century.
10 The Makeup Hurt
Putting make-up on an actor is a long and tedious process, even today. During The Wizard Of Oz, Buddy Ebsen had to bow out of filming because he was incredibly allergic to the aluminum power used for the Tin Man.
While that’s the most famous make-up story, it’s not the only one. The make-up used for The Scarecrow left markings on Ray Bolger’s face for about a year.
9 Over The Rainbow Was Almost Cut
Before Dorothy embarks on her journey to Oz, she serenades her dog, Toto, and the audience with the song “Over The Rainbow.” The song was instantly linked to Judy Garland for the rest of her life and has been covered by so many varied artists over the years (Ariana Grande, Tony Bennett, Israel Kamakawiwo).
But the song almost wasn’t going to be in the film. The head of MGM Louis B. Mayer actually thought the song slowed down the proceedings and wanted to cut it from the film.
8 The Munchkin Story
One of, if not the most grandiose story to have come out of the filming of The Wizard Of Oz, involves a Munchkin and a noose in the background. But did it really happen? Some fans claim to this day that there was footage on early VHS tapes that have since been edited out, others that it’s shadows and cameras inadvertently playing tricks on viewers. The other ongoing theory is that it was a Crane onset that had spread its wing and this moment.
7 Shirley Temple As Dorothy
The studio cast Judy Garland to play Dorothy Gale, even though she was much older than her book counterpart, who was still a child, rather than a teenager.
MGM’s first choice for the role, though, was the world’s most famous child actor, Shirley Temple. But at the time, actors were under contracts to specific studios and 20th Century Fox had no intention of letting Temple out of hers.
6 Ruby Slippers
Perhaps one of, if not the most famous prop in movie history would have to be Dorothy’s ruby red slippers. Over the years, the prop has become not just iconic, but certified museum material. The props were owned by an old casting director. He once loaned them to the Judy Garland Museum in her hometown of Grand Rapid, Michigan. But sadly, they didn’t get there. Michael Shaw, the slipper’s owner since 1970 was obviously devastated by the 2005 theft. It would take 13 years for the slippers to be found.
What people may not know is that the film had changed the color from the novel’s grey color to ruby. The director decided to change the color so that the slippers would better contrast the yellow brick road and to take advantage of their use of Technicolor.
5 Five Directors And Fifteen Screenwriters
Watch the credits before or after a film — it takes a small village to put a movie together. The Wizard Of Oz took nearly that just to get the screenplay written! Fifteen different screenwriters attempted to tackle L. Frank Baum’s novel. Some of them contributed a page, or a line, or a few pages.
The film was also helped by several directors, even though Victor Fleming got the credit. One of those directors was King Vidor who directed the Kansas scenes. George Cukor also helped out, much like he did on Fleming’s other grand film, Gone With The Wind.
4 More Makeup, Costume, And Effects Issues
Besides the Tinman and the Scarecrow, the elaborate makeup was still an issue for other actors too. The Cowardly Lion’s costume for Bert Lehr weighed 90 pounds and was also made from real lion pelts. The actor sweated so much during the day that the studio hired two crew members to dry the thing every night.
Margaret Hamilton also has trouble with the explosion effects for the Wicked Witch; both she and her stunt person got blown up during the “Surrender Dorothy” scene.
3 The Jitterbug Dance Number
One song and dance number that did end up getting cut was “the Jitterbug.” The dance sequence was to take place before Dorothy and her friends were captured. The idea was that the Wicked Witch had special bugs that cause whoever they bite to uncontrollably dance and sing. But after filming the $80,000 dance number, the studio wound up cutting it for time and because executives thought it might date the film.
2 Seriously Scary
While it certainly seems trite now, Margaret Hamilton’s look and performance of the Wicked Witch of the West was for its time, one of the most terrifying characters in a children’s movie. Some scenes even needed to be cut because the studio deemed them too scary.
Decades later, Hamilton came to Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood to show that her costume was just that, a costume. Her description of how she played The Witch (a woman who never got what she wanted) was the basis for the novel, Wicked.
1 It’s The Third Film
This iconic film was released 39 years after L. Frank Baum's book. While it is the most popular and beloved film, it’s actually the third time the movie had been made.
In 1925, a silent film, Wizard Of Oz, starring Oliver Hardy as the Tin Woodsman was released. Over the years, there have been several versions of sequels attempted but nothing can come close to the nostalgia and fun of this classic.
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