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The Not So Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Cost of Making a Movie Classic

By Bryan R..Published 3 years ago 3 min read
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The Not So Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Photo by Umanoide on Unsplash

"We're....off to see the ______________"

Did your mind fill in the blank? Did you find yourself singing the song? I wouldn't be surprised. The song, "We're off to See the Wizard" debuted in the 1939 cinematic marvel, "The Wizard of Oz." Now, eighty plus years old, the film has left an indelible mark on generations of fans. Maybe you've incorporated some of the most memorable lines from the movie like: "There's no place like home," "I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog to," or my personal favorite, "We're not in Kansas anymore." I remember my family gathering around the television every year to watch the annual broadcast. (Even to this day, I squirm at the Flying Monkeys scene.) It wasn't until a few years ago I learned that many in the movie industry called this classic film cursed. In fact, key actors suffered devastating injuries and near death allergic reactions during the production of this movie.

The Wicked Witch of the West, played by Margaret Hamilton suffered second and third degree burns from a stunt gone wrong. The scene involved Hamilton jumping through a trap door, exiting Munchkinland. Unfortunately, the crew in charge of special effects detonated the pyrotechnics too early. Hamilton required a stint in the hospital and home rest before returning to the set. In the meantime, a stunt double stood in. Her experience wasn't much better.

Betty Danko suffered burns during the "Surrender Dorothy" skywriting scene. The scene required Danko sit on the Witches Broom which was in reality a smoking pipe. During one of the takes, the pipe exploded, resulting in Danko being rushed to the hospital. She spent two weeks in a hospital bed recovering and the blast resulted in permanent scars on her legs. Explosions and fire weren't the only hazards on the "Yellow Brick Road."

Playing the Tin man didn't come without its consequences. Buddy Ebsen, probably best know for J.D. Clampett on the Beverly Hillbillies, was cast first for the role of the Tin Man. Buddy suffered an allergic reaction to the silver make-up and spent two weeks in a hospital, recovering inside an iron lung. His replacement, Jack Haley, fared a bit better. The make-up artists changed the silver make-up to a less toxic paste. Even with the modification, Haley still suffered a severe eye infection.

One of the most interesting urban legends circulating about the film centers around a "hanging" caught on film. Supposedly, one of the Munchkin people committed suicide on set during the scene where Dorothy, the Scarecrow and the Tin Man head toward the Emerald City. When asked about the troubling accusation, the studio insisted that what looks like a person swinging from a tree is actually a large crane unfurling its wings. On loan from the Los Angeles Zoo, the Crane became spooked as the trio headed in its direction. What do you think?

Possibly the greatest tragedy was the toll the movie inflicted upon the film's starlet, Judy Garland. Weighing in at only 98 pounds, the petite Garland suffered immeasurably at the hands of her mother and producers. She was encouraged to smoke 80 cigarettes per day to suppress her hunger. She also abused narcotics to keep her weight down. The drugs also served as a means of waking her up and forcing her to sleep based upon her rigorous schedule. It wasn't uncommon for Garland and her co-stars to work 72 hours straight. Later in life, she admitted that working on the set of Wizard of Oz stole her youth. Sadly, Garland never overcame her drug addictions and died of an overdose at the tender age of 47.

The making of the movie proves the adage, "All that glitters is not gold." Though the film garners huge audiences even to this day, I wonder if the cast and crew would do it all over again. If their goal was to attain legendary status, they succeeded. Maybe we will have a chance to ask them some day about their experiences in that land "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."

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About the Creator

Bryan R..

Husband. Father. Music and Youth Pastor. I enjoy writing as a hobby.

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