Many years ago, I was working in the camera department at Sears in Alhambra. This older guy came in, checking out the latest cameras. We got into a conversation and, as it turned out, he worked on the tornado scene in the movie. Such a nice guy.
This is my favorite movie of all time, anytime I have a bad day I watch this movie. I had a rough childhood and I would pretend I was in Oz just to get through it. These were all my pretend best friends until I was about 10 ❤. I grew up in the 80s and it only came on TV 2 or 3 times a year until vcr came out and I was able to finally record it from tv with commercials😂. I didn’t care,I was 7 or 8 .
Back in the 60s my mom took me to see a play on Broadway. After, she took me to meet Margaret Hamilton (the wicked witch) who was in the play. Still remember it to this day (Year 2024)
A wonderful story: Not long after seeing _The Wizard of Oz,_ a little girl named Natalie Norris fell ill and was hospitalized. Her mother wrote to MGM and relayed her daughter's wish that she could get a visit from Dorothy. They called Judy, who was of course delighted to do it, and sent Natalie a letter telling her that they had a date. She wanted to come in full Dorothy kit, but by that time everything had been put away in storage, so Judy wore a simple frock and her own short hair, and Natalie didn't mind a bit. Judy chatted with her a while and even sang "Over the Rainbow" to her, bringing Natalie's mother to tears. Later, Natalie showed rapid improvement, and not only recovered, but later in life became a singer herself!
Scott really needs his flowers, he’s really done an amazing job keeping Judy’s memory alive and making her accessible to younger generations. Whenever I have a quick Judy question I just pop into the Judy room and like an old wise friend, the answer is always there. He’s kept it running all these years . Thank you, Scott. We love u❤️🌸🌸❤️
Thank you so much! (I'm sorry, I'm just seeing this now). My goal has always been to provide as much factual info and, of course, performances as possible for everyone. And to be a resource for others. Thank you again!
Winged Monkey, that is, and I'm surprised that at least Pat Walshe was never interviewed. He of course played the Wicked Witch's wingless familiar, Nikko.
The Thorpe footage always fascinated me. I've even had dreams about it. I wish the footage still survived. I'd love to see how different Judy's characterization of Dorothy was in that incarnation. I love the original concept for the yellow brick road. It would be fascinating to see how different the staging was. It's like an alternate oz universe.
I don't think Judy's performance would have been any different. And the movie as it turned out is already an alternate universe; the "real" Oz is in 40 books. ;-)
the Triumphal Return to Emerald City, the one or just only deleted scene i wish had stayed in the movie, or just wish all the footage still survived. I'll admit, i sometimes wish i never learned or found out about that deleted scene, i regret finding out about it, because when i watch The Wizard of Oz now, it feels tragically incomplete
Mitchell Lewis, who played the Winkie Captain, was in that sequence; he played the High Priest of the Emerald City, and was decked out in robes reported to have weighed 100 pounds!
FASCINATING Insight!! Great to see this again; For YEARS, I always wondered how they did the Crystal Ball effects! If I had been able to reedit the Tornado scene, I would easily make sure the approaching funnel was consistent and always getting closer seamlessly in the background, without ruining the film.
Toto...played by female dog Terry was indeed trained. Toto had been acting for years, even in an episode of the three stooges and a movie with Shirley Temple years before 0z.
I like the changes that Victor Fleming made, made the witch look much more scarier and made Judy Garland look younger, but she still was too old to play the part, she looked like she was in her late teens but she's supposed to be playing like a 10 year old
They certainly did their best to make her look 12, but she just looks sweet at 16. I think that changes made our right move but it would still be fascinating to see original footage.
George Cukor made the changes. Judy was only sixteen and was already known for playing adolescents well into her teens. In fact, she was getting a little fed up with it and wanted to play characters her own age, but of course the role of Dorothy Gale was one she couldn't pass up. She played Dorothy as a 12 year-old, and doesn't look anywhere near 20. In fact, she was both amused and a little annoyed when, after _Wizard_ hit it big, people would meet her for the first time and be surprised at how much older and more sophisticated she was in real life.
FUN FACT: The suit worn by Jack Haley as the Tin Woodman was the same one that had been constructed (out of buckram and leather) for Buddy Ebsen, but because Ebsen was 6'4" and Haley was between 5'8" and 5'10", the suit had to be cut down a bit! 🙂
A gentle correction to your intro: it was William Wyler who directed Ben Hur (1959), not Wild Bill Wellman. The cinematographer on that film was Harold E. Wellman.
Ya, I flubbed that. Was working with the Wyler family on other research and had them in my head. Thanks! Hopefully this information was engaging, entertaining, and informative.
I can personally testify Margaret's Witch terrified me as a child but I loved Burt's Cowardly Lion and of course Judy❤ before the Studio System destroyed her
I always loved that movie. The best one in the 30s. My father saw the movie back in the day. And I got to meet Margaret Hamilton a few years before she died. Now I really hope some deleted scene comes out from the studios but sadly. Films starts to deteriorate over time. So it might be unfortunately gone for good. But even I want to see Richard Thorpe’s take on the movie. I know Fleming and Cukor’s was the one we all know and love but still. I also know some of the wicked witch’s scenes are deleted cause 1930s kids were too terrified of her. But it’s a shame we cannot see the witch’s bee scene when she was on the roof or the wishing cap moment. We’ll never know. Thank you for the video
Hi Oz Experts...a new story idea would be to show and talk about how much the stand in actors were used in numerous scenes in place of main actors, like back of characters being the different stand in actors used to make others look smaller or thinner, far away and used, it's Alot unless it's a close up of main actors, back shots and backs of characters not the stars themselves in Alot of scenes thru out.
Not too many. Stand-ins very rarely appear in movies; their job is to be there for light-level testing and for setting up shots while the actors are running lines or working on blocking.
@@MaskedMan66Agree to Disagree..the stand ins for the stars are in the actual film many times, ..I will take the time soon to point out all scenes and characters and why! I am very familiar with All Things MGM Oz ! ✌️ Two quick ones, when Dorothy falls into the pig pen, it's not Judy falling and first entrance by wicked witch in Munchkinland is Margaret Hamilton s stand in, then close up of main actress and their are many more! ✌️🌞⚜️💚🦋
@@rabbithole9555 Nothing to agree or disagree on; what I said was true. "Rarely" doesn't mean "never." Besides, you're confusing the terms "stand-in" and "stunt double." Judy's stand-in was Caren Marsh Doll (who is still with us at the age of 104), and her stunt double, who was in the first sequence you cited, was Bobbie Koshay.
I want to see the Wonderful Robert Welch to talk to him about the wizard of oz set. I live everything related to the wizard of oz making. Because because because because because becaaaaaaause. Because he is a grandson of a staff member.
@@TheOzConnection i really want to contact Robert to talk to him about these wizard of oz making. He’s related to a staff member so it might be extremely amazing
Loren Green from TV show series episodes bananza and battle star Galactica as commander Adoma voices the wizard of oz and COPPFIELD STAGE ILLUSIONS IDEA CONCEPTS HE SAID PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN DAVE
The door next to the window over the precipice was meant to suggest that The Wicked Witch of the West could open it before she put the broom between her legs so she could fly out of the door itself - in the final version she flies out the window - go figure
Thorpe was fir’d as Director but was re-hir’d the next week as (uncredited) assistant Director/consultant hmmm-possibly as a result of a potential lawsuit
@@MaskedMan66 - I notic’d over the past 5 years that dozens of users have been ‘cutting & pasting my posts’ without attribution so the late 18th century spelling is one way to spot any ‘lifters’ like renaissance mapmakers who regularly put in ‘bad information’ in order to spot illegal copyists ..
A triomphant production, a masterpiece for the ages. Should be placed/put in a time capsule as a overview and study for and of the human condition back then and, is as current today, as it was when it was written over 150 years ago by Baulm. A quintessential modern day. bible. With common morality and accountability lessons brought to light and to the forefront. All of the ingredients needed to have a fulfilling and worthwhile life. Enjoy your journey and no goodbye Yellow brick Sir. Elton. Its only a farewell when we die....remember, Oz is just beyond the rainbow. Love Judy and Toto aka: Snoopy...(Brent}
17:15: "They already spent so much money, I can't imagine they would shut it down completely." \*looks at WB and Batgirl\* YEAH. THAT WOULD BE PRETTY WEIRD, WOULDN'T IT? I'm still salty, lol.
I guess, like most research. We’ll never have all the answers unless we or someone else is still around to have witnessed. We can only go off facts or personal accounts :)
The witch in that photo is Betty Danko. Margaret Hamilton’s stunt double. After the munchkinland accident with the fire, Hamilton wanted nothing to do with fire scenes. So Betty Danko was the one flying in the sky with a pipe with smoke coming out made up like a broom. But the pipe exploded and she fell down and broke her legs. She healed afterwards. Still. I feel bad for them.
With Buddy Ebsen sent to the hospital, they would have HAD to reshoot most of these scenes, so getting permission to redo ALL these scenes might not have represented that much more money.
Did what? Put her in a wig? They did that because the Dorothy Gale of the Oz books is blonde. But George Cukor reasoned, and Mervyn LeRoy agreed with him, that this being Judy's movie, she really ought to loook like herself, albeit a 12 year-old version of herself.
We have this excellent Return To Oz video Return to Oz : I Killed The Nome King : Claymation Documentary 2020 Edition : Doug Aberle ruclips.net/video/0TB4JOyK0Ts/видео.html
Real Lion fur out fit and i let our cool church member youth worker Mark Taylor classic joker clown in fun know this cause hes good at ematating and sounded like the cowardly Lion and he said thanks bill thats information he likes to know:) and I said your welcome Mark Taylor
David Seth Kotkin Copperfield born again Christian brother in Christ illusionist magician favorite movie is the wizard of Oz and the wizard of Oz the ride he said it was magical
Many years ago, I was working in the camera department at Sears in Alhambra. This older guy came in, checking out the latest cameras. We got into a conversation and, as it turned out, he worked on the tornado scene in the movie. Such a nice guy.
What a lovely intereaction. I wonder who he was. :)
To this day, I've regretted not finding out more about him.
@@TheOzConnection
This is my favorite movie of all time, anytime I have a bad day I watch this movie. I had a rough childhood and I would pretend I was in Oz just to get through it. These were all my pretend best friends until I was about 10 ❤. I grew up in the 80s and it only came on TV 2 or 3 times a year until vcr came out and I was able to finally record it from tv with commercials😂. I didn’t care,I was 7 or 8 .
Back in the 60s my mom took me to see a play on Broadway. After, she took me to meet Margaret Hamilton (the wicked witch) who was in the play. Still remember it to this day (Year 2024)
Great pic resources in this!
It sure is!
A wonderful story:
Not long after seeing _The Wizard of Oz,_ a little girl named Natalie Norris fell ill and was hospitalized. Her mother wrote to MGM and relayed her daughter's wish that she could get a visit from Dorothy. They called Judy, who was of course delighted to do it, and sent Natalie a letter telling her that they had a date. She wanted to come in full Dorothy kit, but by that time everything had been put away in storage, so Judy wore a simple frock and her own short hair, and Natalie didn't mind a bit. Judy chatted with her a while and even sang "Over the Rainbow" to her, bringing Natalie's mother to tears.
Later, Natalie showed rapid improvement, and not only recovered, but later in life became a singer herself!
Wow. That's incredible
Scott really needs his flowers, he’s really done an amazing job keeping Judy’s memory alive and making her accessible to younger generations. Whenever I have a quick Judy question I just pop into the Judy room and like an old wise friend, the answer is always there. He’s kept it running all these years .
Thank you, Scott.
We love u❤️🌸🌸❤️
Thank you so much! (I'm sorry, I'm just seeing this now). My goal has always been to provide as much factual info and, of course, performances as possible for everyone. And to be a resource for others. Thank you again!
I would love to see interviews with the people who were in the flying monkey costumes
Winged Monkey, that is, and I'm surprised that at least Pat Walshe was never interviewed. He of course played the Wicked Witch's wingless familiar, Nikko.
The Thorpe footage always fascinated me. I've even had dreams about it. I wish the footage still survived. I'd love to see how different Judy's characterization of Dorothy was in that incarnation. I love the original concept for the yellow brick road. It would be fascinating to see how different the staging was. It's like an alternate oz universe.
Yes we’d love to see all the Thorpe footage out of curiosity!
I don't think Judy's performance would have been any different. And the movie as it turned out is already an alternate universe; the "real" Oz is in 40 books. ;-)
OMG have also had weird dreams about the thrope footage!
@@thomaslampion4120 Like Minded aka Universal Conscientiousness aka All Connected, weird and cool too. I've had the dreams as well. 💖⚜️💞☮️🦋🌟🌹🌈🌞🌻😎
I've had the Thorpe Oz dream's too. Weird & Cool huh?! Universal Conscientiousness/ We are All Connected
im so glad i found this!... just fascinating stuff!, thank you!
You’re very welcome. More MGM Wizard of Oz videos are coming soon! :)
the Triumphal Return to Emerald City, the one or just only deleted scene i wish had stayed in the movie, or just wish all the footage still survived. I'll admit, i sometimes wish i never learned or found out about that deleted scene, i regret finding out about it, because when i watch The Wizard of Oz now, it feels tragically incomplete
Mitchell Lewis, who played the Winkie Captain, was in that sequence; he played the High Priest of the Emerald City, and was decked out in robes reported to have weighed 100 pounds!
FASCINATING Insight!!
Great to see this again; For YEARS, I always wondered how they did the Crystal Ball effects!
If I had been able to reedit the Tornado scene, I would easily make sure the approaching funnel was consistent and always getting closer seamlessly in the background, without ruining the film.
Toto...played by female dog Terry was indeed trained. Toto had been acting for years, even in an episode of the three stooges and a movie with Shirley Temple years before 0z.
And again with Margaret Hamilton a bit later!
I like the changes that Victor Fleming made, made the witch look much more scarier and made Judy Garland look younger, but she still was too old to play the part, she looked like she was in her late teens but she's supposed to be playing like a 10 year old
They certainly did their best to make her look 12, but she just looks sweet at 16. I think that changes made our right move but it would still be fascinating to see original footage.
@@TheOzConnection yeah I'd love to see that too
George Cukor made the changes. Judy was only sixteen and was already known for playing adolescents well into her teens. In fact, she was getting a little fed up with it and wanted to play characters her own age, but of course the role of Dorothy Gale was one she couldn't pass up.
She played Dorothy as a 12 year-old, and doesn't look anywhere near 20. In fact, she was both amused and a little annoyed when, after _Wizard_ hit it big, people would meet her for the first time and be surprised at how much older and more sophisticated she was in real life.
@@MaskedMan66 definitely doesn't look 12, 17 at the very youngest IMO
@@youtoo2233 And like I said, people who met her after _Wizard_ had been out were shocked to learn that she wasn't twelve.
FUN FACT: The suit worn by Jack Haley as the Tin Woodman was the same one that had been constructed (out of buckram and leather) for Buddy Ebsen, but because Ebsen was 6'4" and Haley was between 5'8" and 5'10", the suit had to be cut down a bit! 🙂
A gentle correction to your intro: it was William Wyler who directed Ben Hur (1959), not Wild Bill Wellman. The cinematographer on that film was Harold E. Wellman.
Ya, I flubbed that. Was working with the Wyler family on other research and had them in my head. Thanks! Hopefully this information was engaging, entertaining, and informative.
The witches' castle. I like the book just behind Dorthey. It has the skeletal hand as a pointer.
Witch's. Dorothy.
That was great! Thank you all!
Are the documents featured in this video contained in any published books? They’re fascinating. Never saw them before.
I think they were assembled for this video.
I can personally testify Margaret's Witch terrified me as a child but I loved Burt's Cowardly Lion and of course Judy❤ before the Studio System destroyed her
Yes, I have heard from many folks that she terrified them as the witch!
Thank you so very much! This was fascinating 🌪
I always loved that movie. The best one in the 30s. My father saw the movie back in the day. And I got to meet Margaret Hamilton a few years before she died. Now I really hope some deleted scene comes out from the studios but sadly. Films starts to deteriorate over time. So it might be unfortunately gone for good. But even I want to see Richard Thorpe’s take on the movie. I know Fleming and Cukor’s was the one we all know and love but still. I also know some of the wicked witch’s scenes are deleted cause 1930s kids were too terrified of her. But it’s a shame we cannot see the witch’s bee scene when she was on the roof or the wishing cap moment. We’ll never know. Thank you for the video
Hi Oz Experts...a new story idea would be to show and talk about how much the stand in actors were used in numerous scenes in place of main actors, like back of characters being the different stand in actors used to make others look smaller or thinner, far away and used, it's Alot unless it's a close up of main actors, back shots and backs of characters not the stars themselves in Alot of scenes thru out.
Not too many. Stand-ins very rarely appear in movies; their job is to be there for light-level testing and for setting up shots while the actors are running lines or working on blocking.
@@MaskedMan66Agree to Disagree..the stand ins for the stars are in the actual film many times, ..I will take the time soon to point out all scenes and characters and why! I am very familiar with All Things MGM Oz ! ✌️ Two quick ones, when Dorothy falls into the pig pen, it's not Judy falling and first entrance by wicked witch in Munchkinland is Margaret Hamilton s stand in, then close up of main actress and their are many more! ✌️🌞⚜️💚🦋
@@rabbithole9555 Nothing to agree or disagree on; what I said was true. "Rarely" doesn't mean "never." Besides, you're confusing the terms "stand-in" and "stunt double." Judy's stand-in was Caren Marsh Doll (who is still with us at the age of 104), and her stunt double, who was in the first sequence you cited, was Bobbie Koshay.
Very interesting video! Really enjoyed all the behind-the-scenes tidbits.
Thank you :)
Fascinating, especially how the twister scene was filmed.
I want to see the Wonderful Robert Welch to talk to him about the wizard of oz set. I live everything related to the wizard of oz making. Because because because because because becaaaaaaause. Because he is a grandson of a staff member.
Has anyone noticed a hand holding a book behind Dorothy in the wicked witch’s throne room? 11:30
Curious!
@@TheOzConnection i really want to contact Robert to talk to him about these wizard of oz making. He’s related to a staff member so it might be extremely amazing
Loren Green from TV show series episodes bananza and battle star Galactica as commander Adoma voices the wizard of oz and COPPFIELD STAGE ILLUSIONS IDEA CONCEPTS HE SAID PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN DAVE
Funny part was Judy was playing a 12 year old when she was 17 years old in real life
The door next to the window over the precipice was meant to suggest that The Wicked Witch of the West could open it before she put the broom between her legs so she could fly out of the door itself - in the final version she flies out the window - go figure
Thorpe was fir’d as Director but was re-hir’d the next week as (uncredited) assistant Director/consultant hmmm-possibly as a result of a potential lawsuit
What's with the apostropes?
@@MaskedMan66 - I notic’d over the past 5 years that dozens of users have been ‘cutting & pasting my posts’ without attribution so the late 18th century spelling is one way to spot any ‘lifters’ like renaissance mapmakers who regularly put in ‘bad information’ in order to spot illegal copyists ..
Amazing stuff!
Thanks!
A triomphant production, a masterpiece for the ages. Should be placed/put in a time capsule as a overview and study for and of the human condition back then and, is as current today, as it was when it was written over 150 years ago by Baulm.
A quintessential modern day. bible. With common morality and accountability lessons brought to light and to the forefront.
All of the ingredients needed to have a fulfilling and worthwhile life. Enjoy your journey and no goodbye Yellow brick Sir. Elton.
Its only a farewell when we die....remember, Oz is just beyond the rainbow.
Love Judy and Toto aka: Snoopy...(Brent}
Just Beyond the Rainbow? That's a song from Super Monkey Ball: Step and Roll.
17:15: "They already spent so much money, I can't imagine they would shut it down completely."
\*looks at WB and Batgirl\* YEAH. THAT WOULD BE PRETTY WEIRD, WOULDN'T IT?
I'm still salty, lol.
Trap door the fire burning her the witch and the chrytal ball not round its a illusion ps i read it in a public library book Long ago
No trap door. It was an elevator.
Yes difference size telephone poles illusion of distance at public schools
20:27 it doesn’t look like the film version. The final one has shorter puffed sleeves and a little line near the buttom of the skirt
Masterpiece
How do we really know the dog really wasnt trained to do all the tricks?
I guess, like most research. We’ll never have all the answers unless we or someone else is still around to have witnessed. We can only go off facts or personal accounts :)
What’s the photo of the witch with her back turned in front of what looks like a screen at the 43:00?
Setting up for a "flying" shot in front of a rear-projected screen, I expect.
@@MaskedMan66 shouldn’t she be facing the other way?
@@HipsterBlood It's a candid photo while they're setting up the shot.
The witch in that photo is Betty Danko. Margaret Hamilton’s stunt double. After the munchkinland accident with the fire, Hamilton wanted nothing to do with fire scenes. So Betty Danko was the one flying in the sky with a pipe with smoke coming out made up like a broom. But the pipe exploded and she fell down and broke her legs. She healed afterwards. Still. I feel bad for them.
@@SeyaDiakite7 she was flying on it with her face towards the screen?
With Buddy Ebsen sent to the hospital, they would have HAD to reshoot most of these scenes, so getting permission to redo ALL these scenes might not have represented that much more money.
Judy Garland never really felt "pretty". I think they did this to boost her feelings.
Which is such a shame as she is so pretty!
Did what? Put her in a wig? They did that because the Dorothy Gale of the Oz books is blonde. But George Cukor reasoned, and Mervyn LeRoy agreed with him, that this being Judy's movie, she really ought to loook like herself, albeit a 12 year-old version of herself.
What about Return to Oz?
We have this excellent Return To Oz video Return to Oz : I Killed The Nome King : Claymation Documentary 2020 Edition : Doug Aberle
ruclips.net/video/0TB4JOyK0Ts/видео.html
❤
❤️
Cukor
The wiz movie and muppets oz movie and return to oz movie and TV cartoon show series episodes
Scare crow actor on TV show series episodes the partridge family and battle star Galactica TV show series episodes 1970s
It's "Scarecrow," and his name was Ray Bolger.
Real Lion fur out fit and i let our cool church member youth worker Mark Taylor classic joker clown in fun know this cause hes good at ematating and sounded like the cowardly Lion and he said thanks bill thats information he likes to know:) and I said your welcome Mark Taylor
Huh?
David Seth Kotkin Copperfield born again Christian brother in Christ illusionist magician favorite movie is the wizard of Oz and the wizard of Oz the ride he said it was magical
The tin Man cut the rope on the hot air balloon and the lion has curage and scare crow is really smart thru All the movie
He didn't cut the rope.
Buddy ebson on Andy Griffith TV show series episodes and and Beverly hillbillies TV show series episodes and TV show series episodes Barnaby Jones
Ebsen.
Cukor
What about him?
@@MaskedMan66which should have been pronounced Cue-core and not kooker.