THE WIZARD OF OZ

L. Frank Baum (1856-1919) wrote 14 Oz books, but it was the first, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, published in 1900, that served as the basis of MGM’s 1939 Technicolor spectacular, The Wizard of Oz. (A musical theatrical adaptation ran on Broadway in 1903, silent films were made as early as 190; Oliver Hardy played the Tin Woodsman in a 1925 version and a radio version sponsored by Jell-O aired on NBC in 1933-1934). The 1939 film, with an all-star cast headed by Judy Garland, has proved to be an enduring classic, repeated annually on television for millions of viewers since the 1950s.

The cast include Ray Bolger as the Scarecrow, Jack Haley as the Tin Man, Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion, Margaret Hamilton as the Wicket Witch, Billie Burke as the Glinda the Good Witch and Frank Morgan as Oz. The “Munchkins” were a group of little people touring Vaudeville known as “Leo Sinter’s Midgets.” It’s estimated 124 of them were hired for the film. The film won an Oscar for the song Over The Rainbow by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg and probably would have fared better but the main competition was Gone With The Wind > There have also been Oz theme parks and resorts, an exhibit at the Smithsonian, appearances in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, comic books and extensive licensing in dozens of categories. “There’s no place like home.”

From The Official Price Guide to Pop Culture Memorabilia: 150 Years of Character Toys & Collectibles by Ted Hake ©Random House, 2008.