The Movie - Cast - Revision history

Ericgjovaag: /* Was Toto originally going to be played by a dachshund named Otto? */

2020-08-20T07:34:21Z

Was Toto originally going to be played by a dachshund named Otto?

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:34, 20 August 2020
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	In 2019, this picture started going around on Facebook, claiming that the original Toto was a dachshund named Otto, but the pre-war jitters from Europe (World War II would break out in Europe on September 1, 1939, about two weeks after the The Movie's premiere) cause the filmmaker's to rethink the idea of a German dog being cast, and changed him to another breed. The only problem is, not a word of it is true. First of all, Toto was not a dachshund in the original novel, and the filmmakers were trying to match that. From the beginning, they looked at scotties and other terriers so as to match the look created by W. W. Denslow forty years earlier. The search that eventually led to Terry getting the part is too well documented. But most importantly, ''The Wizard of Oz'' was not shot in order, and the Kansas scenes were actually filmed ''last''. If this were an actual photo taken from the set, recasting Toto at that stage would have meant reshooting just about the entire movie, as Toto actually has more screen time than Judy Garland! And finally, Terry was not a Norwich terrier, but a Cairn. No, this is someone altering a still from the movie and coming up with a clever, but poorly researched, backstory for it.		In 2019, this picture started going around on Facebook, claiming that the original Toto was a dachshund named Otto, but the pre-war jitters from Europe (World War II would break out in Europe on September 1, 1939, about two weeks after the The Movie's premiere) cause the filmmaker's to rethink the idea of a German dog being cast, and changed him to another breed. The only problem is, not a word of it is true. First of all, Toto was not a dachshund in the original novel, and the filmmakers were trying to match that. From the beginning, they looked at scotties and other terriers so as to match the look created by W. W. Denslow forty years earlier. The search that eventually led to Terry getting the part is too well documented. But most importantly, ''The Wizard of Oz'' was not shot in order, and the Kansas scenes were actually filmed ''last''. If this were an actual photo taken from the set, recasting Toto at that stage would have meant reshooting just about the entire movie, as Toto actually has more screen time than Judy Garland! And finally, Terry was not a Norwich terrier, but a Cairn. No, this is someone altering a still from the movie and coming up with a clever, but poorly researched, backstory for it.

	A little detective work dug up the origin of this story. A website from the early 2000s about a dachshund named Andouille included a series of pages about famous dachshunds in art, philosophy, history, and so on. One page is about Dachshunds in Hollywood, which is where the story of Otto first turns up (further adding that his owner was Margaret Hamilton). But this page also has a disclaimer at the bottom claiming that most of it was not entirely accurate. You can view the final archived version of the page, from 2010, at https://web.archive.org/web/20101215090658/http://home.pacbell.net/jcreitz/Andouille_Dachshund_Page4.html.		A little detective work dug up the origin of this story. A website from the early 2000s about a dachshund named Andouille included a series of pages about famous dachshunds in art, philosophy, history, and so on. One page is about Dachshunds in Hollywood, which is where the story of Otto first turns up (further adding that his owner was Margaret Hamilton). But this page also has a disclaimer at the bottom claiming that most of it was not entirely accurate. You can view the final archived version of the page, from 2010, at https://web.archive.org/web/20101215090658/http://home.pacbell.net/jcreitz/Andouille_Dachshund_Page4.html. More recently, in 2017, the creator of the Otto story, and the one who altered the picture, commented on a page about dachshund myths and urban legends noting that all the pages on his site were fictitious, and carried the disclaimer. You can read all about it at http://dachshundlove.blogspot.com/2007/05/famous-dachsund-myths-and-urban-legends.html.

	==How many "Munchkins" were there?==		==How many "Munchkins" were there?==

Ericgjovaag: /* Was Toto originally going to be played by a dachshund named Otto? */

2020-08-20T07:27:50Z

Was Toto originally going to be played by a dachshund named Otto?

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:27, 20 August 2020
Line 111:		Line 111:
	[[File:Otto in Oz.jpg\|center]]		[[File:Otto in Oz.jpg\|center]]
	In 2019, this picture started going around on Facebook, claiming that the original Toto was a dachshund named Otto, but the pre-war jitters from Europe (World War II would break out in Europe on September 1, 1939, about two weeks after the The Movie's premiere) cause the filmmaker's to rethink the idea of a German dog being cast, and changed him to another breed. The only problem is, not a word of it is true. First of all, Toto was not a dachshund in the original novel, and the filmmakers were trying to match that. From the beginning, they looked at scotties and other terriers so as to match the look created by W. W. Denslow forty years earlier. The search that eventually led to Terry getting the part is too well documented. But most importantly, ''The Wizard of Oz'' was not shot in order, and the Kansas scenes were actually filmed ''last''. If this were an actual photo taken from the set, recasting Toto at that stage would have meant reshooting just about the entire movie, as Toto actually has more screen time than Judy Garland! And finally, Terry was not a Norwich terrier, but a Cairn. No, this is someone altering a still from the movie and coming up with a clever, but poorly researched, backstory for it.		In 2019, this picture started going around on Facebook, claiming that the original Toto was a dachshund named Otto, but the pre-war jitters from Europe (World War II would break out in Europe on September 1, 1939, about two weeks after the The Movie's premiere) cause the filmmaker's to rethink the idea of a German dog being cast, and changed him to another breed. The only problem is, not a word of it is true. First of all, Toto was not a dachshund in the original novel, and the filmmakers were trying to match that. From the beginning, they looked at scotties and other terriers so as to match the look created by W. W. Denslow forty years earlier. The search that eventually led to Terry getting the part is too well documented. But most importantly, ''The Wizard of Oz'' was not shot in order, and the Kansas scenes were actually filmed ''last''. If this were an actual photo taken from the set, recasting Toto at that stage would have meant reshooting just about the entire movie, as Toto actually has more screen time than Judy Garland! And finally, Terry was not a Norwich terrier, but a Cairn. No, this is someone altering a still from the movie and coming up with a clever, but poorly researched, backstory for it.

			A little detective work dug up the origin of this story. A website from the early 2000s about a dachshund named Andouille included a series of pages about famous dachshunds in art, philosophy, history, and so on. One page is about Dachshunds in Hollywood, which is where the story of Otto first turns up (further adding that his owner was Margaret Hamilton). But this page also has a disclaimer at the bottom claiming that most of it was not entirely accurate. You can view the final archived version of the page, from 2010, at https://web.archive.org/web/20101215090658/http://home.pacbell.net/jcreitz/Andouille_Dachshund_Page4.html.

	==How many "Munchkins" were there?==		==How many "Munchkins" were there?==

Ericgjovaag: /* How old was Judy Garland when she made The Movie? */

2020-03-28T13:17:42Z

How old was Judy Garland when she made The Movie?

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:17, 28 March 2020
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	==How old was Judy Garland when she made The Movie?==		==How old was Judy Garland when she made The Movie?==

	Judy was sixteen during the production of The Movie. By the time it premiered, however, she had turned seventeen.		Judy was sixteen during the production of The Movie, although some preproduction (costume fittings and make-up tests, for example) happened while she was still fifteen. By the time it premiered, however, she had turned seventeen.

	==How many parts did Frank Morgan play?==		==How many parts did Frank Morgan play?==

Ericgjovaag: /* Was Toto originally going to be played by a dachshund named Otto? */

2020-02-02T01:51:03Z

Was Toto originally going to be played by a dachshund named Otto?

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:51, 1 February 2020
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	==Was Toto originally going to be played by a dachshund named Otto?==		==Was Toto originally going to be played by a dachshund named Otto?==
	[[File:Otto in Oz.jpg\|center]]		[[File:Otto in Oz.jpg\|center]]
	In 2019, this picture started going around on Facebook,		In 2019, this picture started going around on Facebook, claiming that the original Toto was a dachshund named Otto, but the pre-war jitters from Europe (World War II would break out in Europe on September 1, 1939, about two weeks after the The Movie's premiere) cause the filmmaker's to rethink the idea of a German dog being cast, and changed him to another breed. The only problem is, not a word of it is true. First of all, Toto was not a dachshund in the original novel, and the filmmakers were trying to match that. From the beginning, they looked at scotties and other terriers so as to match the look created by W. W. Denslow forty years earlier. The search that eventually led to Terry getting the part is too well documented. But most importantly, ''The Wizard of Oz'' was not shot in order, and the Kansas scenes were actually filmed ''last''. If this were an actual photo taken from the set, recasting Toto at that stage would have meant reshooting just about the entire movie, as Toto actually has more screen time than Judy Garland! And finally, Terry was not a Norwich terrier, but a Cairn. No, this is someone altering a still from the movie and coming up with a clever, but poorly researched, backstory for it.

	==How many "Munchkins" were there?==		==How many "Munchkins" were there?==

Ericgjovaag: /* Whatever became of Toto? */

2020-02-02T01:40:40Z

Whatever became of Toto?

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:40, 1 February 2020
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	There are two conflicting reports. The more likely one, in my opinion, is that when Terry, a show business veteran who appeared in a number of films, died, she was buried in the backyard of her trainer, Carl Spitz. Later, Spitz's property was sold to the city of Los Angeles, and the Ventura Freeway was built over it, so Terry is now under either the roadway or an apartment complex. I have also been alerted, however, to a report in ''The Guinness Book of World Records'' that Toto's stuffed remains were auctioned off in 1996 for $3,680. I've further heard that Toto's stuffed remains were once on display at the Smithsonian Institute. I have not been able to confirm either version of this story. I've even heard that her cremated remains were buried under Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and that this story is told by guides during tours of the theater, but I have major doubts about this, since Radio City Music Hall was built in 1932, seven years before The Movie premiered.		There are two conflicting reports. The more likely one, in my opinion, is that when Terry, a show business veteran who appeared in a number of films, died, she was buried in the backyard of her trainer, Carl Spitz. Later, Spitz's property was sold to the city of Los Angeles, and the Ventura Freeway was built over it, so Terry is now under either the roadway or an apartment complex. I have also been alerted, however, to a report in ''The Guinness Book of World Records'' that Toto's stuffed remains were auctioned off in 1996 for $3,680. I've further heard that Toto's stuffed remains were once on display at the Smithsonian Institute. I have not been able to confirm either version of this story. I've even heard that her cremated remains were buried under Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and that this story is told by guides during tours of the theater, but I have major doubts about this, since Radio City Music Hall was built in 1932, seven years before The Movie premiered.

			==Was Toto originally going to be played by a dachshund named Otto?==
			[[File:Otto in Oz.jpg\|center]]
			In 2019, this picture started going around on Facebook,

	==How many "Munchkins" were there?==		==How many "Munchkins" were there?==

Ericgjovaag: /* I've heard of someone who claimed to have been one of the Munchkins. How can I check if they're telling the truth? */

2019-08-30T00:45:35Z

I've heard of someone who claimed to have been one of the Munchkins. How can I check if they're telling the truth?

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:45, 29 August 2019
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	==I've heard of someone who claimed to have been one of the Munchkins. How can I check if they're telling the truth?==		==I've heard of someone who claimed to have been one of the Munchkins. How can I check if they're telling the truth?==

	There have been a few people in the last few years who claimed to have played Munchkins in The Movie, but didn't. Fortunately, it's not difficult to check. The list of actors who did play Munchkins is well known, and has been published in several books. Probably the best source is ''The Munchkins of Oz'' by Stephen Cox, published by Cumberland House in 1996 and updated in 2002. This book is about nothing but the Munchkin actors, both during production and afterwards, and includes profiles and biographies on most of them. Your local bookstore or library should be able to find this for you. The list is also available in ''The Wizardry of Oz'' by Jay Scarfone and William Stillman, published in 1999 by Gramercy, with a revised edition published in 2004 from Applause.		There have been a few people in the last few years who claimed to have played Munchkins in The Movie, but didn't. Fortunately, it's not difficult to check. The list of actors who did play Munchkins is well known, and has been published in several books. Probably the best source is ''The Munchkins of Oz'' by Stephen Cox, published by Cumberland House in 1996 and updated in 2002. This book is about nothing but the Munchkin actors, both during production and afterwards, and includes profiles and biographies on most of them. Your local bookstore or library should be able to find this for you. The list is also available in ''The Wizardry of Oz'' by Jay Scarfone and William Stillman, published in 1999 by Gramercy, with a revised edition published in 2004 from Applause. Since all of the Munchkin actors have now passed away, it's unlikely anyone can now make this claim believably.

	==Did Elizabeth Taylor play one of the members of the Lullabye League?==		==Did Elizabeth Taylor play one of the members of the Lullabye League?==

Ericgjovaag: /* Who was Ray Bolger's childhood hero? */

2019-08-30T00:39:54Z

Who was Ray Bolger's childhood hero?

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:39, 29 August 2019
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	==Who was Ray Bolger's childhood hero?==		==Who was Ray Bolger's childhood hero?==

	As a boy, Bolger caught a performance of Fred Stone in the play ''Jack O' Lantern'' in Boston, and from that time on he wanted to become a dancer like Stone — and he did. Perhaps Stone's most famous role — which Bolger ~~probably~~ never got to see — was the Scarecrow in the original 1902 stage version of ''The Wizard of Oz''. The ''Good News'' radio show episode about The Movie, broadcast in June 1939, included Stone as a guest and a scripted meeting between Bolger and Stone.		As a boy, Bolger caught a performance of Fred Stone in the play ''Jack O' Lantern'' in Boston, and from that time on he wanted to become an eccentric dancer like Stone — and he did. Perhaps Stone's most famous role — which Bolger never got to see — was the Scarecrow in the original 1902 stage version of ''The Wizard of Oz''. The ''Good News'' radio show episode about The Movie, broadcast in June 1939, included Stone as a guest and a scripted meeting between Bolger and Stone.

	==How old was Billie Burke when she made The Movie?==		==How old was Billie Burke when she made The Movie?==

Ericgjovaag: /* How many parts did Frank Morgan play? */

2019-08-30T00:39:09Z

How many parts did Frank Morgan play?

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:39, 29 August 2019
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	==How many parts did Frank Morgan play?==		==How many parts did Frank Morgan play?==

	In addition to Professor Marvel and the Wizard, Morgan also played the Guardian of the Gate ("Who rang that bell?"), the cabbie driving the Horse of a Different Color, and the palace guard ("I had an Aunt Em myself once!"). He was also the voice of the Wizard's fiery head, and is likely the heavily made-up actor who provides the head's onscreen appearance. (The filmed head took the place of a puppet that was originally tried out, but for whatever reason it just didn't work out.)		In addition to Professor Marvel and the Wizard, Morgan also played the Guardian of the Gate ("Who rang that bell?"), the cabbie driving the Horse of a Different Color, and the palace guard ("I had an Aunt Em myself once!"). He was also the voice of the Wizard's fiery head, and is likely the heavily made-up actor who provides the head's onscreen appearance. (The filmed head took the place of a puppet that was originally tried out, but for whatever reason it just didn't work out.) Thankfully, one idea for Morgan was dropped: a bootblack in the Wash and Brush Up Company scene—in blackface.

	==Who was Ray Bolger's childhood hero?==		==Who was Ray Bolger's childhood hero?==

Ericgjovaag: /* Are any cast members still alive? */

2019-08-30T00:32:25Z

Are any cast members still alive?

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:32, 29 August 2019
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	==Are any cast members still alive?==		==Are any cast members still alive?==

	Time has taken its toll on The Movie's cast, and none of the principal players are with us any more. Frank Morgan died in 1949, Bert Lahr in 1967, Judy Garland in 1969, Billie Burke in 1970, Jack Haley in 1979, Margaret Hamilton in 1985, and Ray Bolger in 1987. All of the Munchkins actors are gone now, too. Some of the young girls who played Munchkins in the background are still alive, however, as is Judy Garland double Caren Marsh-Doll (who did not actually appear onscreen).		Time has taken its toll on The Movie's cast, and none of the principal players are with us any more. Frank Morgan died in 1949, Bert Lahr in 1967, Judy Garland in 1969, Billie Burke in 1970, Jack Haley in 1979, Margaret Hamilton in 1985, and Ray Bolger in 1987. All of the Munchkins actors are gone now, too. Some of the young girls who played Munchkins in the background are still alive, however, as is Judy Garland double Caren Marsh-Doll (who did not actually appear onscreen), and a handful of extras.

	==Wasn't Shirley Temple originally cast to play Dorothy?==		==Wasn't Shirley Temple originally cast to play Dorothy?==

Ericgjovaag: /* Who played who in The Movie? */

2019-08-30T00:30:04Z

Who played who in The Movie?

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:30, 29 August 2019
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	* Miss Gulch — Margaret Hamilton		* Miss Gulch — Margaret Hamilton
	* Uncle Henry — Charley Grapewin		* Uncle Henry — Charley Grapewin
	* Nikko (see the question [[#Who_is_Nikko.3F\|Who is Nikko?]] below) ~~— Pat Walshe~~		* Nikko — Pat Walshe (see the question [[#Who_is_Nikko.3F\|Who is Nikko?]] below)
	* Auntie Em — Clara Blandick		* Auntie Em — Clara Blandick
	* Toto — Toto		* Toto — Toto