Filming of the wizard of oz

Nightmare stories behind the scenes of the wizard of oz ranker. Even before casting could take place, the wizard of oz proved to be a challenge in acquiring film rights for the metrogoldwynmayer mgm studios. What did judy garland have to go through while filming the. Temple was signed to 20th century fox, and for years she was expected to star in some type of oz film series. The wizard of oz is a 1939 american musical fantasy film produced by metrogoldwynmayer. Mayer wanted to create a movie that would beat the success of walt disneys snow white and. Frank baums the wonderful wizard of oz, first published in 1900. The wizard of oz was the film that rocketed the 17yearold garland into the mgm firmament. One of the most ubiquitous of film legends holds that a munchkin hanged himself oncamera during the filming of t he wizard of oz. To keep from ingesting her makeup the actress who played the wicked witch had to take only liquids during the filming of the wizard of oz. Here are just 23 of the many, many weird littleknown and wellknown facts about. At this house from 1935 to1939, the honey voiced judy garland lived. Frank baums 1900 childrens fantasy novel the wonderful wizard of oz.

This is one of the wizard of oz behindthescenes secrets that will make you wish you could have seen what was going on behind the camera. Shocking facts about the wizard of oz movie and actors. Judy garland molested by munchkins in wizard of oz at age. With judy garland, frank morgan, ray bolger, bert lahr. Photographs of judy garland, 17, on wizard of oz set go up.

Dec 25, 2015 the wizard of oz was the film that rocketed the 17yearold garland into the mgm firmament. In september there will be special 3d screenings to mark the films 75th anniversary. Judy garland appears in a scene from the 1939 film the wizard of oz. Three writers noel langley, florence ryderson and edgar allen woolf are listed in the film s opening credits, but more than a dozen other writers, lyricists, and cast members contributed to the final version. The first was a 1925 silent film, which, puzzlingly, had no magic. If you love the movie the wizard of oz, then this is the place for you. Was judy garland sexually abused at age 16 while filming her most famous movie. Jul 22, 2017 reportedly, the year before the wizard of oz filming took place, the studio managers exchanged memos about judy garlands daily intake of food. You can visit the studios as part of the sony pictures studio tour, which departs from the huge new sony pictures plaza, madison street at washington boulevard.

Munchkins behaving badly, a revolving door of directors and a cast of unhappy stars. David emery is an internet folklore expert, and debunker of urban legends, hoaxes, and popular misconceptions. In fact, according to a recent research conducted worldwide, the classic musical has had. Aug 21, 2019 the wizard of oz spawned two sequels, journey back to oz 1974, an animated film featuring the voice of judy garlands daughter, liza minnelli, and return to oz 1985. Unpacking the myth of the wizard of ozs hanging munchkin.

Directed by victor fleming, george cukor, mervyn leroy. An adaptation of the wizard of oz that tries to capture the essence of the africanamerican experience. Its essentially a back story to the wizard of oz, and shows the wicked witch of the west is a positive light. Wicked witch margaret hamilton also spent time in the hospital, suffering seconddegree burns on her face and thirddegree burns on her hand. You know a film is an extreme success when its still talked about decades after being produced, and will continue to be. Judy garland sexually harassed by munchkin costars on. Heavy drinking, sexual harassment, drugs, and onset catastrophes. The wizard of oz is still captivating viewers nearly 80 years since it first premiered in theaters.

Mgm in the key scene in the 1939 film the wizard of oz, judy garland skips down the. Sep 15, 2018 david emery is an internet folklore expert, and debunker of urban legends, hoaxes, and popular misconceptions. Heres what really happened behind the scenes of the wizard of. Ever since it became a tv staple during the late 1950s, the wizard of oz has been regarded as a classic family film. Directed primarily by victor fleming who left the production to take over the troubled gone with the wind, the film. New york times hollywood correspondent who wrote the making of the wizard of oz, which revealed the disastrous filmmaking process. Production was complicated and huge in scale, with a revolving door of directors coming in to work on the film, an ambitious undertaking unprecedented in filmmaking history at that time. While the 1939 version of the film is certainly the best known, it wasn. Widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, it is the most commercially successful adaptation of l. The wizard of oz is one of the greatest movies of all time and became legendary for its innovative use of technicolor.

Actress and singer judy garland was the star of many classic musical films, including the wizard of oz, and known for her tremendous talent and troubled life. When scarecrow, tin man, and the cowardly lion are marching into the wicked witchs castle after taking the guards uniforms, all three of them are shown holding the same types of spears as the guards, so when they go rescue dorothy out of the locked room and tin man chops through the door with his axe, where did the axe. Aug 29, 2014 but i will always associate them with troubles melting away, thanks to judy garland in the wizard of oz. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. Margaret hamilton, the wicked witch of the west, suffered 3rd. Heres what really happened behind the scenes of the wizard of oz. For such a beloved, ostensibly whimsical film, the production of the wizard of oz was a neverending carnival of misery for those who worked behind the scenes. The wizard of oz 1939 movies, tv, celebs, and more.

In january 1938, mgm bought the rights to the wonderful wizard of oz. The wizard of oz is one of the most beloved films of all time, but the production of the judy garland classic did not come easy. But i will always associate them with troubles melting away, thanks to judy garland in the wizard of oz. The movie rights were fought over between several studios, but mgm ultimately got the. Judy garlands diet regimen while filming wizard of oz was. Horrors from behindthescenes of filming the wizard of oz. The wizard of oz secrets you probably havent heard fox news.

See how well you know what went on behind the curtain. In honor of the film s 80th anniversary this year, weve found some of the most magical and weird. Reportedly, the year before the wizard of oz filming took place, the studio managers exchanged memos about judy garlands daily intake of food. This is how a family movie the wizard of oz was filmed. Five appalling onset stories in honor of the films 80th anniversary, a look back at a few anecdotes that have not aged as well as the 1939 classic. But the things you didnt see on camera might just shock you. One of the most ubiquitous of film legends holds that a munchkin hanged himself oncamera during the filming of the wizard of oz.

Made in 1939, its still widely appreciated by both children and adults in modern times. From neardeath experiences to stunt failures, this article has all the juicy details. For such a beloved, ostensibly whimsical film, the production of the wizard of oz was a neverending carnival of misery for those who worked. Ever since it became a tv staple during the late 1950s, the wizard of oz has been regarded as a classic family film, part of the fabric of american popular culture.

The films script was adapted by noel langley, florence ryerson, and edgar. Aug 24, 2019 the wizard of oz is one of the most beloved films of all time, but the production of the judy garland classic did not come easy. The man originally cast to play the tin man, buddy ebsen, ended up in an iron lung after his silver makeup, made up of aluminium powder, got into his lungs. The wizard of oz is enjoyable for people of all ages.

Principal filming of the wizard of oz began in september 1938, and finished at the. In the case of the wizard of oz s jitterbug scene, by the end of filming, mgm decided the movie was about 20 minutes too long. An actor portraying one of the munchkins hanged himself on the set during the filming of the wizard of oz, and his death was captured on. The making of the wizard of oz, frank morganthe actor playing the title. Despite the lighthearted material, some of the stories from the set of the wizard of oz are quite dark. The wizard of oz 1939 movie mistakes, goofs and bloopers. Apr 05, 2019 heavy drinking, sexual harassment, drugs, and onset catastrophes. An actor portraying one of the munchkins hanged himself on the set during the filming of the wizard of oz, and his death was captured oncamera and used in the final print. Julie lugo cerra, whose father worked near the wizard of oz studio in culver city, ca at the time, told npr that the hundred and twenty some munchkin actors had a really good time during. The wizard of oz, already turned into two rather dreadful films, seemed a perfect followup. Nov 06, 2014 at this house from 1935 to1939, the honey voiced judy garland lived. She was put on a rigid diet that really sounds horrific. If youre in the town of liberal, kansas, you may want to check out dorothys house and land of oz which houses among other things the actual model of the home used in the tornado scene, at 567 east cedar street, liberal.

Sep 23, 2019 actress and singer judy garland was the star of many classic musical films, including the wizard of oz, and known for her tremendous talent and troubled life. Culver hotel, culver boulevard, culver city most of the 124 small people who played the munchkins stayed just over the road at the historic culver hotel, 9400 culver boulevard, though the legend of their dubious exploits seem to be based on judy garland s dodgy recollection, elaborated with plenty of. How judy garland was forced to starve herself for the screen. Lets peek behind the curtain at the wizard of oz to learn littleknown facts about the actors like judy garland. With diana ross, michael jackson, nipsey russell, ted ross. Did a munchkin really commit suicide on the set of the wizard. The black and white shots from the set of 1939 film the wizard of oz stayed in the photographers family for 80 years, but are being auctioned on thursday and are expected to. The story on which the film is based, the wonderful wizard of oz, by l. First off, to understand the whole picture, you have to understand the situation. However, if producer mervyn leroy were telling the story of oz, forget mayer. The wizard of oz may be almost 80 years old, but many of us know it to be one of the key films we watched growing up. Was margaret hamilton burned filming the wizard of oz answers. Mgm in the key scene in the 1939 film the wizard of oz, judy garland skips down the yellow brick road with her dog toto and hundreds of. Learn some secrets behind the wizard of oz that might surprise you.

Despite having no real connection with filming, the state of kansas cannily styles itself the land of aahs. Widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, it is the. The wonderful wizard of oz, childrens book written by l. Before its release on august 25, 1939, the movie was riddled with so many onset accidents and nearfatal mishaps that some felt the film was cursed. The wizard of oz set was so hot due to the bright lights needed for the filming in technicolor that many of the crew reportedly fainted under them and frequent breaks were needed by most of the people onset. Judy garland was 16 years old when she filmed the wizard of oz, but by the time it was released, she was 17. Oct 08, 2019 lets peek behind the curtain at the wizard of oz to learn littleknown facts about the actors like judy garland. The wizard of oz spawned two sequels, journey back to oz 1974, an animated film featuring the voice of judy garlands daughter, liza minnelli, and. To understand the dirty secrets behind the wizard of oz, you need to hear all of it. Meinhardt raabe, who played the coroner, revealed in the 1990 documentary the making of the wizard of oz that the mgm costume and. Feb 08, 2017 judy garland with munchkins in the wizard of oz. No one had any idea of what a nightmare production and filming would be. Judy garland couldnt stop giggling while filming the scene in which dorothy slaps the cowardly lion. It was made in 1939 during the dark days of the old hollywood studio.

In the case of the wizard of ozs jitterbug scene, by the end of filming, mgm decided the movie was about 20 minutes too long. It won more awards than we can count and holds a special place in american culture and history. Dorothy gale is swept away from a farm in kansas to a magical land of oz in a tornado and embarks on a quest with her new friends to see the wizard who can help her return home to kansas and help her friends as well. In addition to being slapped in the face by frustrated director victor fleming, garland also faced horrific abuse at the hands of mgm studio head louis b. This is a film that will just be something that stays around forever. Dec 12, 2019 judy garland was put on a strict diet and encouraged to take pep pills while filming the wizard of oz the studio took extreme measures to make sure the actress was big screen ready. In 1939 she won best juvenile performer the munchkin award as she called it at the. Frank baum was a wellliked childrens book in the early part of the century that had already had several popular adaptations. Nightmare stories behind the scenes of the wizard of oz.

Judy garland was groped by munchkins during the filming of the wizard of oz credit. A modern fairy tale with a distinctly american setting, a delightfully levelheaded heroine, and engaging fantasy characters, the story was enormously popular and became a classic of childrens literature. The wizard of oz remains, to this day, one of the most iconic american films of all time. The mgm movie is one of the bestloved films of all time and it starred judy garland as dorothy, ray bolger as the scarecrow, jack haley as the tin man and bert lahr as the cowardly lion. Judy garlands diet regimen while filming wizard of oz was absolutely insane tom 3 years ago it looks like theyre having a good time in the picture above, doesnt it. During filming, she had to eat through a straw to avoid ingesting the toxic makeup. But in 1939, when the wizard of oz was being filmed at mgm, the. Did you know that half of the cast was either injured or nearly died during production, and one potential cast member did before she was signed onto the film. The wizard of oz has one of the wildest and most infamous productions of any movie ever filmed.