Reflecting upon the lives of these extraordinary individuals, I am left with a profound sense of admiration and sorrow. On one hand, we have Judy Garland, a prodigious talent who graced the silver screen from a tender age, yet her life was fraught with struggle and turmoil. The stories of her relentless pursuit to meet the expectations set upon her by MGM, her constant battle to maintain her energy and appetite through drugs, and ultimately her tragic demise at such a young age, are heart-wrenching.
Back in 1939, when “The Wizard of Oz” graced the grand movie palaces on August 25th, it wasn’t an instant cinematic sensation that left everyone spellbound. As a dedicated follower who has since experienced its magic, I can attest to its enduring charm.
As an ardent admirer, let me share my take: I, myself, am captivated by the enchanting tale of Dorothy Gale, portrayed by none other than the extraordinary Judy Garland. A young girl residing on a Kansas farm bathed in sepia tones, she embarks on an unforgettable journey to the vibrant, Technicolor land of Oz – be it through the magical power of a tornado or a dream induced by a head injury. This MGM masterpiece was showered with five Oscar nominations, yet only managed to gross approximately $3 million against its production cost of $2.7 million.
Fortunately, MGM was intelligent, compassionate, and bold enough to reintroduce the film in 1949, which ultimately garnered $26 million at the box office and, after all that time, achieved success.
As a lifestyle expert, I can’t help but reflect on the lasting impact films can have on our collective consciousness. For instance, take the classic movie “The Wizard of Oz.” Elements from this film have seeped into our culture for decades now. From the timeless melody of “Over the Rainbow” that continues to resonate in hearts worldwide, to the catchphrase “I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore,” which transcends geographical boundaries. Moreover, the term “munchkin,” originally used in the film to describe those tiny residents of Oz, has now become synonymous with a cute little kid in everyday conversation. It’s fascinating to see how art can influence our daily lives and language in such profound ways!
In 2009, Megan Fox recounted to the New York Times that when she was around 4 or 5 years old, she watched the movie “The Wizard of Oz” and asked her mom to call her Dorothy for a whole year. After her mother clarified that Dorothy was not a real person but an actress playing the role, Megan Fox decided she wanted to become an actress herself.
Meanwhile, Amy Adams ventured to meet the wizard at least once, accompanied by Pink Floyd’s music (details forthcoming), and in 2010, she advised Rotten Tomatoes, “Have you ever watched ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ synchronously? I strongly recommend it; it’s quite peculiar.”
Greta Gerwig drew inspiration from the overall style of “The Wizard of Oz” for her film “Barbie,” particularly appreciating its expansive soundstages, vivid painted skies, and the emotional beauty in what she calls an “authentically artificial” feel. She spoke about this in an interview with Letterboxd in 2023, noting a comparison between the painted backdrop of the Emerald City and the Pink Brick Road in their movie.
Over the years, there have been numerous adaptations, sequels, and reinterpretations, such as the prequel “Wicked“, which originated as a book, became a hugely successful stage play, and is soon to be a two-part film featuring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. This has resulted in an expansive and ever-evolving world of Oz.
However unique, the initial film still stands alone. Although we can’t guarantee that it will dissolve all your worries like candy melting away, we invite you to emerge from wherever you hide and join us on this journey for a glimpse behind the scenes to uncover fascinating facts about “The Wizard of Oz”:
In my perspective, there was never a more straightforward era in the world of filmmaking than what we experience today. For instance, even the classic production of “The Wizard of Oz” was fraught with difficulties right from the beginning.
Arthur Freed and Mervyn LeRoy both claimed the initiative in proposing a musical film adaptation of Frank L. Baum’s timeless children’s story, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” to Louis B. Mayer at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).
The production underwent a series of transitions, involving four different directors, over a dozen scriptwriters such as Herman J. Mankiewicz (the screenwriter of Citizen Kane) and Ogden Nash (a renowned poet), as well as numerous alterations in the cast, before they finally settled on the consistent team for the long term.
It was Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, and Edgar Allen Woolf who ultimately received the recognition for adapting Baum’s tale into a screenplay.
Initially, when MGM acquired Baum’s tale, Mayer imagined 9-year-old Shirley Temple for the role of Dorothy, whose last name, Gale, wasn’t unveiled until the third book, “Ozma of Oz.” He also pictured W.C. Fields as The Wizard.
Meanwhile, MGM cofounder Samuel Goldwyn wanted Eddie Cantor for the part of Scarecrow.
By the age of 13, Judy Garland had already signed a contract with MGM and remained under their management since then.
20th Century Fox often had the final say in such matters: They wouldn’t lend Temple to MGM, and unfortunately, Deanna Durbin, who was Mayer’s second choice for Dorothy, wasn’t available at the time.
Initially, Freed and LeRoy desired Judy Garland for the role, who until then was predominantly recognized for her collaborations with Mickey Rooney in films like “Love Finds Andy Hardy.” Eventually, at the age of 16, she was chosen to play Dorothy in 1938.
Ray Bolger, the well-known vaudeville star, was cast as the Scarecrow, given that he moved with such grace and agility it seemed plausible he might be crafted from straw.
Indeed, Joaquin Phoenix drew inspiration from the dance moves of Robert De Niro (in his portrayal as the Joker) for his award-winning performance of being self-absorbed and dancing in the 2019 film “Joker”.
Dorothy’s beloved terrier Toto was played by a Brindle Cairn Terrier named Terry.
She earned $125 per week, which was higher than what the actors portraying the Munchkins received. Following her memorable performance in Oz, she started being known as Toto in her professional life to leverage her newfound fame.
1. In her lifetime, she starred in a total of 13 films before she sadly passed away in 1945 at just 11 years old. A tribute to this remarkable animal can be found at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Director Victor Fleming departed before the filming of “The Wizard of Oz” was fully completed, as powerful producer David O. Selznick took him away from the project to replace George Cukor as director on “Gone With the Wind”.
Clark Gable was often seen as an actress’s secret ally, forming strong bonds with his leading ladies. Meanwhile, while Vivian Leigh and Olivia de Havilland were enjoying themselves, Clark Gable simmered with frustration.
In my role as a dedicated collaborator, I was summoned to capture the start and conclusion of the movie, as well as the monochrome sequences depicting the Kansas scenes, under the direction of King Vidor.
Initially, he didn’t receive any credit for his role, but you might find that a multitude of performers – such as those playing the Munchkins – were also unaccredited during the production of this movie. A quick look at IMDb could confirm this information about the cast and crew.
A frequent occurrence when it comes to old movies (and newer movies that involve script-doctoring, etc.), but still a wrong that needed writing.
In the past, film studios preferred movies not to exceed a certain length. The initial version of Oz, which ran for two hours, was asked to be shortened when it was submitted.
One suggestion was to cut Dorothy singing “Over the Rainbow,” but they wisely left one of the most iconic movie songs ever intact and trimmed elsewhere, ultimately clocking in at 101 minutes.
Despite not shooting scenes in any exotic locations or Kansas, the filming for The Wizard of Oz took place from October 1938 to March 1939 and necessitated the use of 29 sound stages and 65 sets, earning it a reputation as one of the grandest productions during that era.
That year, the grandeur displayed was arguably matched only by the release of Gone With the Wind, which, along with it, was one of the few films from 1939 that utilized the latest Technicolor technology.
55 years prior to the release of “Twister”, the tornado depicted in “The Wizard of Oz” left quite an impression as being downright terrifying. Bringing that level of realism to life was a passionate endeavor for the special effects maestro, A. Arnold Gillespie.
Following a 35-foot rubber funnel not convincingly indicating an approaching tornado to Dorothy’s home, Gillespie constructed a large wind indicator – essentially a long, open-ended fabric tube made of muslin and chicken wire, similar in design to the windsock models commonly found at airports today.
He blasted it with compressed air and, voila, it’s the tornado that sends our heroine flying over the rainbow.
In my role as a lifestyle expert, I’d rephrase it like this: On soundstage 29 at MGM, I carefully arranged an entire acre of artificial poppies, meticulously wired to the floor. This was all part of the scene where the Wicked Witch of the West casts a sleep spell on those poppies far away, in her strategic effort to hinder Dorothy’s journey towards the Emerald City.
Six sets of shoes adorned with hand-applied sequins and beads were used to portray Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers. These intricate details were meticulously sewn on by staff members from the movie’s costume and wardrobe department, under the direction of designer Adrian.
Four pairs of shoes worn by Garland in the movie have survived and can be found, among them is a pair that was originally purchased from MGM at auction for $15,000 and donated to the Smithsonian in 1979. This particular pair has since been carefully restored and is now showcased at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., which houses an exhibit featuring other items like the Scarecrow’s hat and Glinda’s wand.
9 years prior to its opening, a pair was bought back in 2012 for $2 million, intended for exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, which had been under construction for years.
In 2011, Debbie Reynolds, the star of “Singin’ in the Rain,” purchased a pair of shoes that were originally used only during screen tests for $300. She later sold these precious items to an unidentified buyer for an astonishing $627,300.
One of the movie pairs disappeared from the Judy Garland Museum (converted from her childhood home) in Grand Rapids, Minn., in 2005, the thieves leaving a single sequin behind. The owner who donated them received an $800,000 insurance payout.
As I delve into the world of artifacts, I found myself intrigued by a recent discovery that unfolded like a captivating tale. You see, a beloved pair from my collection – the Smithsonian slippers – were mysteriously absent for some time. However, during a 2018 undercover operation by the FBI, these missing shoes were recovered.
Margaret Hamilton bravely endured numerous challenges while portraying the character Miss Gulch on a bicycle and the witchfly Wicked Witch of the West on a broomstick.
In the scene where the witch vanishes from Munchkinland in a puff of red smoke, both the actress and her stuntwoman, Betty Danko, sustained injuries during filming.
In “The Making of The Wizard of Oz,” as recounted by Aljean Harmetz, Danko was taken aback when a crew member accidentally fell through an aluminum-covered opening in the stage and landed on her shoulder. This incident occurred while Danko was preparing to be launched skyward with smoke beneath her.
That left Hamilton to do the scene on her own. They got the shot, the crew installing an elevator to lift her up in place of a catapult. But Fleming wanted more takes.
Hamilton remembered Fleming saying, “This needs to be perfect, and it needs to be perfect immediately,” when addressing Harmetz. In his book, he referred to the actress as a “wonderfully kind witch.”
In the fourth attempt, things didn’t go as planned. On the fifth try, smoke and fire erupted prematurely, causing Hamilton to be hurriedly hidden beneath the stage. Unfortunately, she sustained second-degree facial burns and third-degree burns on her hands during this incident.
1. For about six weeks, she couldn’t work due to being injured or unavailable. And when she was on set, they needed to use acetone (a crucial component found in nail polish removers) to take off the green, copper-based makeup she wore.
“She assured Harmetz that nothing would ever again leave her breathless in the same way that pain did.”
At just 17 years old, Garland received the Academy’s Juvenile Award for her remarkable performance in The Wizard of Oz. (Here she can be seen receiving congratulations from her cherished friend and frequent co-star, Mickey Rooney, during the 1940 ceremony.)
In the Oscars, the film ‘Oz’ was nominated in five categories: Best Picture, Art Direction, a combined category for Special Effects (covering visuals and sound effects), Original Song and Score. However, it only managed to win two awards. The recognition went to composer Harold Arlen and lyricist E.Y. Harburg for the unforgettable song “Over the Rainbow”, and also to Herbert Stothart for his score.
The year just happened to be stacked and Oz ran into the juggernaut that was Gone With the Wind‘s 10 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for the man who directed most of The Wizard of Oz, Victor Fleming.
In the end, the Academy adjusted the age restriction, making it possible for Tatum O’Neal to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 1974 at the age of 10, for her role in ‘Paper Moon’, thus becoming the youngest competitive-Oscar winner ever.
Turn on Pink Floyd’s 1973 album “Dark Side of the Moon” right when MGM’s Leo the Lion roars for the third time before “The Wizard of Oz” starts, and voila, you’re experiencing “The Dark Side of the Rainbow”.
Dorothy fleeing home while Roger Waters sings “No one warned you when to run” symbolizes the situation. The whirling tornado corresponds to “The Great Gig in the Sky.” The rhythmic sound of a heartbeat is heard as Dorothy listens to her ear against the Tinman’s sadly empty chest.
We don’t know how the music and lyrics synced up to the action in the movie, they just do.
As a lifestyle enthusiast, I shared an extraordinary experience in 2023. I immersed myself in a unique session, where I experienced “The Wizard of Oz” on screen, grooved to the tunes of Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon”, and found myself in a state elevated by marijuana. This trio was the topic of my conversation on “The Joe Rogan Experience”. If it wasn’t intended, it was an astounding coincidence, for the way these elements harmonized was nothing short of remarkable. It was truly amazing how they flowed together seamlessly.
Charles Savage was the one who first brought attention to this connection in a 1995 article for the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. In his piece, he mentioned that he had come across the idea while browsing an online Pink Floyd discussion forum, which resembles Reddit. He then rented a VHS tape of the movie and described the experience as truly amazing.
As we venture into the more unusual shades of the spectrum, let me clarify a common misconception: None of the cast members ended their lives while filming The Wizard of Oz.
However, there’s a persistent belief in urban folklore that a Munchkin actor took his own life during filming, and a photograph of this event is said to be hidden within the footage. If you know where to look, it is claimed that you can spot it.
It’s often noticeable and puzzling to many, even those like us, that during the scene where Dorothy, Tinman, and Scarecrow skip along the Yellow Brick Road, MGM claimed it was a crane (the bird) they used, along with other animals from the Los Angeles Zoo. These creatures were reportedly brought in to give the forest a sense of liveliness. It’s worth noting that there are numerous painted backdrops in the film.
Additionally, other sources confirming the falsity of this tale indicate that the performers portraying Munchkins were yet to arrive at the set following the scene where the Tin Man unites with Dorothy and the Scarecrow during their adventure, which had already been filmed.
It was said – with the actors from the film adding credence to the story – that the performers playing the townsfolk of Munchkinland often behaved unruly during their leisure hours.
In an interview with Jack Paar in 1967, Garland stated that they were like individuals who had too much to drink. Every evening, they would become intoxicated, and the police would occasionally round them up using large nets resembling butterflies.
Jerry Maren, famed for his role as the green plaid-donning member of the Lollipop Guild, and who was the last surviving Munchkin from “The Wizard of Oz” when he passed away in 2018, challenged the portrayal of him and his fellow actors.
In her 2006 memoir, “Short and Sweet: The Life and Times of the Lollipop Munchkin,” written with Stephen Cox, Maren stated that on that particular day, Judy was sharing her account in a manner influenced by her medication and alcohol. She left behind an unfortunate legacy of falsehoods regarding us.
In the movie, among about 120 small characters, there were a pair of German children who enjoyed drinking beer. They consumed beer throughout the day, from mornings to nights, occasionally finding themselves in minor scrapes. They yearned to interact with the girls, but they were few and far between.
Margaret Pellegrini, who portrayed a Munchkin villager, cherished the moments from that experience. “My father worked at a hotel and made around $5 per week. In contrast, I was paid $50 per week,” she reminisced. “It took 8 weeks to film the scenes of Munchkinland, following which I spent an additional month in Hollywood exploring the city.”
As I watched Dorothy come alive on screen, I couldn’t help but feel awestruck, knowing she was becoming one of Hollywood’s brightest stars. Yet, little did I know that behind the glitz and glamour, Judy Garland—the girl who’d been enchanting audiences with her song and dance since she was just a child—was silently grappling with a life that was steadily spiraling towards heartache.
1935 saw MGM, her early studio, pushing for Marilyn Monroe to shed pounds. They provided her with stimulants like amphetamines to help her stay awake and curb her hunger, as well as sedatives to aid in sleep.
In her conversation with Vincente Minnelli during the filming of “Meet Me in St. Louis” in 1944, Judy Garland confided that she felt pressure to always perform at her best on camera. She added that he expected the same from her, but there were times when she didn’t feel her best. She admitted that some days were a struggle and that she relied on medication to help her push through. This information is based on Gerald Clarke’s 2000 biography “Get Happy: The Life of Judy Garland.”
In his memoir published posthumously in 2017 titled “Judy and I: My Life With Judy Garland“, Judy Garland’s third husband, Sid Luft, shared that Judy confessed she felt taller by inches when she used Benzedrine. The additional ‘bennie’ boosted her courage to stride as if she stood 10 feet tall.
Garland died of an accidental overdose of barbiturates in 1969. She was 47.
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2024-08-25 10:20