The Wizard of Oz

Some facts about The Wizard of Oz.

The song, Over the Rainbow, was almost cut from the film.

Shirley Temple was originally considered for the part of Dorothy.

Buddy Ebsen was originally slated to play the Scarecrow, with Ray Bolger originally the Tin Woodsman; Bolger asked to switch places since his dancing style was much closer to how a scarecrow would dance than to a tin woodsman. Then, Buddy Ebsen developed a severe reaction to the silver make-up that was applied and had to leave the film. He was replaced by Jack Haley.

Speaking of Jack Haley, many years later, his son, Jack Haley, Jr. married Liza Minnelli, daughter of Judy Garland.

The title role was written with W.C. Fields in mind. Producer Mervyn LeRoy wanted Ed Wynn, who turned down the role. MGM executive Arthur Freed wanted Fields, and offered him $75,000. Fields supposedly wanted $100,000. According to a letter from Fields' agent (which he claimed was written by Fields) Fields turned down the role to devote his time to writing the script for You Can't Cheat an Honest Man (1939).

If you look very closely at the Wicked Witch that Miss Gulch transformed into while Dorothy looks out her bedroom window during the tornado, you will see a shimmer from her shoes-she's wearing the Ruby Slippers. That means that she is the Wicked Witch of the East, who is soon to be killed when Dorothy's house falls on her. Margaret Hamilton has never been credited for playing this role (which is practically a cameo). This shimmer from her shoes is even more obvious when watching a better-quality copy of the film, such as the 1989 50th anniversary laserdisc version or the 1999 60th anniversary Warner Bros. DVD restored version.

When the wardrobe department was looking for a coat for Frank Morgan (Professor Marvel / The Wizard), they decided they wanted one that looked like it had once been elegant but had since "gone to seed". They visited a second-hand store and purchased an entire rack of coats, from which Morgan, the head of the wardrobe department, and director Victor Fleming chose one they felt gave off the perfect appearance of "shabby gentility". One day, while he was on set in the coat, Morgan idly turned out one of the pockets and discovered a label indicating that the coat had been made for L. Frank Baum. Mary Mayer, a unit publicist for the film, contacted the tailor and Baum's widow, who both verified that the coat had at one time been owned by the author of the original "Wizard of Oz" books. After the filming was completed, the coat was presented to Mrs. Baum.

Cast of The Wizard Of Oz:

Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale
Frank Morgan as The Wizard/Professor Marvel/Doorman/Cabbie/Guard
Ray Bolger as Hunk/the Scarecrow
Bert Lahr as Zeke/the Cowardly Lion
Jack Haley as Hickory/the Tin Man
Billie Burke as Glinda the Good Witch of the North
Margaret Hamilton as Miss Almira Gulch/The Wicked Witch of the West
Charles Grapewin as Uncle Henry
Clara Blandick as Auntie Em
Terry the Dog as Toto
Singer's Midgets as the Munchkins

In the film credits, all actors with more than one role are listed only as playing their Kansas characters, not as their Oz characters. The dog Toto is listed as having been played by Toto, not by Terry. W. C. Fields was originally pencilled in for the role of The Wizard but the studio ran out of patience after protracted haggling over his fee. Buddy Ebsen, was chosen to play the scarecrow before Ray Bolger convinced the producers he was better for the part.[8] Ebsen was then chosen to play the Tin Man, but had a near-fatal reaction from inhaling the aluminum dust make-up and had to be replaced.