In 1939, the box office records set by Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz proved to Hollywood studios that investing in Technicolor was worth every penny. Nevertheless, a reversal of fortune hit the film industry as the United States entered World War II. 56 Weird and Wonderful Facts about ‘The Wizard of Oz’ Daryl Chen Since its release in 1939, the 'Wizard of Oz' is thought to be the most viewed film ever—and certainly one of the most beloved.
Unpublished Wizard of Oz Photos from the Estate of Norman TaurogBy Justin Benttinen, PBA PhotographerThough famous to classic film buffs and aficionados of the “Golden Age” of Hollywood, Norman Taurog is not necessarily a name that resonates with the modern moviegoer. In spite of this, he was well known in his day, with 180 films to his name over the course of his career. Though such a sheer volume of work is impressive in itself, Taurog was also honored with the 1932 Academy Award® for Best Director for the 1931 film Skippy. In addition to that achievement, Taurog directed such films as the 1938 adaptation of What is less well known is his connection to The Wizard of Oz. In July of 1938, MGM announced that Taurog was tapped to direct their upcoming film adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s book by the same title. As it turns out, Taurog was eventually replaced by another director after completing test footage for the film’s difficult and extravagant makeup and set design.
These previously unpublished photographs tell some of that story. Production still of a dolly shot in The Wizard of Oz. The man on the camera wearing a hat may be Taurog.This collection of photographs represents an unprecedented new look into the creation of one of the most groundbreaking films of all time. It consists of 27 images in total, 20 of which are in black and white with 7 sepia toned images mostly of the costume department, including images of costumers working on the suits for the Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion. The 20 black and white photos run the gamut from well known scenes shot from unfamiliar angles to behind the scenes looks at the more quotidian aspects of film production. The shots of the sets, rigging and camera work allow one to imagine the richness and depth of the film’s production, especially in light of today’s digitized film industry. Every piece of set, makeup and lighting was carefully crafted to achieve this film’s well known visual splendor.
The behind the scene shot of actors at the commissary in full Munchkin garb add a surreal twist by taking fantastical characters that are etched into our collective memories and placing them into everyday environments. The costume shop images give a small but important glimpse into the backstage workings and dedication that went into the creation of this film.Unfortunately for Taurog, his stint as director of The Wizard of Oz was a short one.
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As a contract employee for MGM, Taurog had little say in his reassignment to the production of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, thus ending his work on The Wizard of Oz. Later that year, Taurog was nominated for Best Director again, this time for the film Boys Town. Taurog continued to make films for the next thirty years, ending with Live a Little, Love a Little, an Elvis film. Although Taurog may not have been the final director of The Wizard of Oz, his contributions surely aided in the final realization of that amazing film, and his 5 decade career as a Hollywood film director was a great achievement unto itself. We’re excited to give one lucky bidder the chance to own this physical and original piece of film history that cannot be found anywhere else.
During filming for The Pirate in April 1947, Garland suffered a nervous breakdown and was placed in a private sanitarium. She was able to complete filming, but in July she made her first suicide attempt, making minor cuts to her wrist with a broken glass. During this period, she spent two weeks in treatment at the Austen Riggs Center, a psychiatric hospital in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. The Pirate was released in 1948 and was the first film in which Garland had starred since The Wizard of Oz not to make a profit.
The main reasons for its failure were not only its cost, but also the increasing expense of the shooting delays while Garland was ill, as well because the general public was not yet willing to accept her in a sophisticated vehicle. Following her work on The Pirate, she co-starred for the first and only time with Fred Astaire (who replaced Gene Kelly after Kelly had broken his ankle) in Easter Parade, which became her top-grossing film at MGM and quickly re-established her as one of MGM's primary assets.