The Troubled Making of The Wizard of Oz

Many big budget productions go through a lot of troubles before their releases. Many turn out to be flops and other manage to deliver a quality film. The Wizard of Oz might be one of the most troubled film productions that turned out to become a classic. I was reading about the many hassles that went through this production and the fact that it was completed and turned out to be actually good falls more into the miraculous than the planning.

Here are some interesting things that happened:

* It went through three different directors, each one with a totally different vision. The first director, who got fired after two weeks, wanted the film to look more faithful to the book with Dorothy having blonde hair and looking more like a doll. George Cuckor was on the production only temporarily, but he did changed Dorothy's look to the version seen on film. In fact Cuckor's touch in the film look was the most influential of the three directors. Director Victor Fleming was directing both "The Wizard of Oz' and 'Gone With The Wind" (another troubled production) SIMULTANEOUSLY!
* The studio tried very hard to get Shirley Temple for the role of Dorothy as they deemed Judy Garland as too old (16). One of the then unknown reasons they couldn't get Shirley Temple was that Oz producer/lyricist, Arthur Freed, had exposed himself to Temple, who was just 12. Temple's parent wanted to keep her daughter away from this predator. So no matter how much the studio bargained, they never got Temple.
* The first actor cast as the Tin Man got poisoned by the aluminum powder make-up and had to be hospitalized and eventually replaced. The next actor was lucky that the make-up was replaced with aluminum paste, not powder...yet actor Jack Haley contracted eye infection due to the make-up.
* The dog that played Toto earned more than the Munchkins which caused the Little People to go on strike. After an agreement was reached and they returned to work...they still earned less than the dog. The dog also suffered a broken paw when one of the Witch's guards accidentally stomped on his foot, leaving him with a broken paw. Garland had to carry the dog to hide his limping leg.
* The iconic song 'Over the Rainbow' almost got edited out of the film. The studio suits thought the film was too long and 20 minutes were cut. They hated the song and wanted it out. The director stood his ground left it in the film.
* Most of Margaret Hamilton's scene were cut because the studio thought her Wicked Witch was too scary for little children and her role was reduced dramatically. It still works which is more a credit to Hamilton's acting chops than her frightening look.
* Margaret Hamilton had a freaky accident on set and got badly burned which put her out of commission for six weeks. She also suffered from make-up poison as well!
* The director slapped Judy Garland in the face because she couldn't stop giggling during one scene.
*Judy Garland was given barbiturates and amphetamines to keep her skinny on set and keep her awake. This experience may have helped her during the filming process, but it left her an addict, which she could never shake. Garland, who at 16 her body was developing, had to use a tight corset to hide her breasts and hips. She had to lose 12 pounds and was barely fed during production. Filming The Wizard of Oz made Garland’s career, but it also ruined her life. She died from an overdose at age 47.
* Judy Garland was sexually molested during filming. The Munchkins on the set who made her life miserable. They repeatedly kept groping her under her dress. Many of these guys were in their 40s and Garland was just 16 which made this whole situation worst. But MGM mogul Louis B. Mayer also repeatedly groped Garland in his office under the threat of having her contract torn. She was young and scared and couldn't say no.

 

Interesting stuff. Sounds like it’d make a decent documentary although I likely wouldn’t have time to watch it.

 

Didn't one of those tiny fuckers hang themselves on the set?

 

That is a myth. Someone watched a shadow moving between the trees in one scene and thought it was a small body hanging when in fact it was a large bird either a peacock or a crane as many exotic birds were brought for a few scenes.

 

Cut 'n' paste job probably inspired by one of Panchyprsss' paedo-mode moments...

 

The fact that you are incapable to write anything interesting and your envy of my movie knowledge is what compels you to say that.

 

That first actor to play the Tin Man was Buddy Ebsen - aka Jed Clampett - "Uncle Jed" the Matriarch Millionaire of "The Beverly Hillbillies" and that lung infection he contracted from the aluminum paint affected him the rest of his life as he had lung issues from it.