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==June 6, 2018: Jerry Maren 1920-2018==
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==
[[File:Jerry Maren 1939.jpg|left|]] Veteran character actor Jerry Maren died today at his home in San Diego. He was 98 years old. Born Gerard Marenghi in Boston, Jerry took to show business early, taking dance lessons and getting noticed. (Contrary to popular belief, Maren did not appear in the all-little people Western musical, ''The Terror of Tiny Town''.) He was finally beckoned to Hollywood to appear as a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'' after graduating high school, thus beginning his acting career. He garnered worldwide fame as the middle member of the Lollipop Guild, dressed in green, who handed the lollipop to Dorothy. While ''The Wizard of Oz'' may have been his most famous role, his career was just warming up. His next part was opposite the Marx Brothers in ''At the Circus'', and he also worked with ''Our Gang'' and Hope and Crosby (as a chimpanzee) in ''Road to Morocco''. He was also a walking "body double" for both Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd, and other stunts and doubles through the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was also one of the titular aliens in the Superman serial, ''Superman and the Mole-Men'', with George Reeves. When television took off, Jerry was all over the place, as a regular on ''The Andy Williams Show'' and a guest star on such shows as ''The Beverly Hillbillies'', ''Star Trek'', ''Bewitched'', ''The Wild, Wild West'', ''Julia'', ''Get Smart'', ''The Odd Couple'', and ''Here's Lucy''. He also played a child ape in the original ''Planet of the Apes'' and many characters on Sid & Marty Krofft shows. In advertising, he played Buster Brown, Little Oscar the chef for Oscar Meyer, and many denizens of McDonaldland. He never quite got away from Oz, often guest-starring in stage productions, and appearing as Munchkins in both ''Under the Rainbow'' and a ''The Dreamer of Oz'', as well as appearing at Oz festivals and conventions around the country. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Elizabeth. He was the last surviving little person who portrayed a Munchkin.
[[file:Bbautumn25.jpg|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of ''Return to Oz'', and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie. Keep an eye on this space for future updates.
 
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[[File:Jerry Maren 2000s.jpg|center]]


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==May 13, 2018: Margot Kidder 1948-2018==
==''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' Accolades and Awards==
[[File:Margot Kidder.jpg|center|400 px]]
With high profile movie releases, naturally ''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the ''Wicked'' movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) ''Wicked''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicked%3A_For_Good#Accolades ''Wicked: For Good''] as more news comes in.
<br>Margot Kidder, the actress best known for her iconic portrayal of Lois Lane opposite Christopher Reeves as Superman in four movies in the 1970s and '80s, passed away today at the age of 69. Born in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, a trip to New York City set her on her career path when she saw a performance of ''Bye Bye Birdie''. She worked extensively in both Canada and the United States, but her big break was playing Lois Lane in the first ''Superman'' movie, released in 1978. Her career stalled in the '90s, however, as she struggled with personal problems and mental illness, but she managed to turn herself around and kept working, even after becoming an American citizen in 2005 and moving to Montana. Among her many credits, Oz fans remember her as the narrator of the movie compilation versions of the Cinar animated series ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''.
 
The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:
* September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)
* November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: ''Wicked''
* November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley
* December 4, 2024: National Board of Review
** Best Film: ''Wicked''
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu
** Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande
* December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: ''Wicked'' (alongside nine other movies)
* December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association
** Best Feature: ''Wicked''
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales
* December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards
** Best Picture: ''Wicked''
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for ''Emilia Pérez'')
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu
** Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
** Best Marketing Campaign: ''Wicked''
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales
* December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo
* December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande
* December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande
* December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
* December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell
* December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
** Best Family Film: ''Wicked''
* December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
* December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''
* December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
* December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in ''Conclave'')
* December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande
* December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo
** Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman
* December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: ''Wicked: For Good''
* December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:
** Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu
** Best Ensemble: ''Wicked''
* January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: ''Wicked''
* January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida
** Best Cast: ''Wicked''
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''
** Best Sound Design: ''Wicked''
* January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival
** Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo
** Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande
* January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande
* January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: ''Wicked''
* January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: ''Wicked''
* January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: ''Wicked''
* January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''
* January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association
** Best Comedy/Musical: ''Wicked''
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''
* January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
* January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society
** Best Art Direction: ''Wicked''
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''
** Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked''
* January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande
* January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande
* January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande
* January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards
** Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''
** Best Sound: ''Wicked''
** Make-Up Award: ''Wicked''
* January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: ''Wicked''
* February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell
* February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley
* February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards
** Best Director: Jon M. Chu
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales
* February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: ''Wicked''
* February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande
* February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman
* February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson
* February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards
** Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande
** "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey
** Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo
* February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley
* February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild
** Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic
** Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes
* February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''
* February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards
** Outstanding Soundtrack: ''Wicked''
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
* February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society
** Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales
** Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
* February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards
** Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
** Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''
* February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''
** Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"
* February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton
* February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: ''Wicked''
* March 2, 2025: Academy Awards
** Best Costume Design: ''Wicked''
** Best Production Design: ''Wicked''
* March 11, 2025: Queerties
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked''
** Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey
** Next Big Thing: ''Wicked: For Good''
* March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein
* March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: ''Wicked: The Soundtrack''
* April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Inn_IA-MA&ab_channel=Variety ''Wicked'' Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview]
* June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo
* June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:
** Favorite Movie: ''Wicked''
** Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda
** Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"
* July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: ''Wicked: For Good''
* August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About ''Wicked'': Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)
* October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), ''Wicked: For Good''
* October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu
 
''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' have the following nominations for forthcoming awards:
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards
** Best Compilation Album for Visual Media: ''Wicked'' soundtrack
** Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: ''Wicked'', John Powell and Stephen Schwartz
** Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"
** Best Instrumental Composition: John Powell and Stephen Schwartz, "Train to the Emerald City"


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==April 23, 2018: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2017 issue==
==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025==
[[File:Bbwinter17.jpg|right|400 px]]The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', and the final issue for the 2017 membership year, has been sent out to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club. The final issue of John Fricke's placeholder year as editor, he goes out with a bang with this 76-page bumper issue that includes the following items:
[[file:Robert_A_Baum_Jr.webp|300 px|center]] Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie ''The Dreamer of Oz'', a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to ''The Baum Bugle'', as well as frequent convention guest. The [https://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-baum-and-don-abbott-and-rob-lauer-and-autumn-rose-frodelius/oziana-2022/paperback/product-pv4dmd.html?q=oziana+2022&page=1&pageSize=4 2022 issue of ''Oziana''], the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.
 
(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Robert_A._Baum_Jr. The Oz Wiki].)
 
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* A newly colored slide from the 1939 release of ''The Wizard of Oz'', done by [https://www.instagram.com/hollywood_stars_in_color/ Victor Mascaro], on the cover.
==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025==
* Outgoing editor John Fricke looks back on his year in charge and ahead to the future in "From the Editor".
Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an ''Our Gang'' short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series ''Memories of Oz'', reminiscing about making the movie.
* Oz Club President Jane Albright thanks those who help the Club and announces [https://shop.ozclub.org/main.sc the re-opening of the Club's online store] in "Thanks Due in Oz".
* In "Oz and Ends":
** "The Oz Trading Post" is [https://www.facebook.com/groups/504831379909496/ reborn on Facebook], and an Oz International server has opened on [https://discordapp.com/ Discord].
** ''Wizard of Oz'' songwriters Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg are [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0190467347/thewonderwizardo/ celebrated in a new book about "Over the Rainbow"] and two concerts celebrating Harburg in December of 2017.
** How Oz influenced [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1442497564/thewonderwizardo/ the end of Margaret Peterson Haddix's ''Missing'' series].
** A record turnout for a showing of The Movie in Park Ridge, Illinois.
** The Speakeasy Society of Los Angeles' /latest immersive experience, [https://www.brownpapertickets.com/producer/392212 ''The Kansas Collection''], based on the Oz books.
** The new [https://wizardsofthewest.com/collections/wizard-of-oz-collection ''Wizard of Oz''-based clothing line] from Wizards of the West.
** The latter-day Oz stories by Roger S. Baum, L. Frank Baum's great-grandson, are being developed as a possible series for Amazon.
** The new animated movie adaptation of the comic book series [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B07BC2Y6QJ/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Steam Engines of Oz''].
** A new series in development for Netflix, [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7504628/ ''Dorothy and Alice''].
** A collection of photographs of Ozcot, the Baum family home in Hollywood, is now in the hands of the California History Section collection of [http://cslfdn.org/ the California State Library Foundation].
** Father and son authors [http://www.kentucky.com/entertainment/performing-arts/article180889571.html John and Jessee Donaldson], who are descendants of L. Frank Baum.
** A new slot game, ''Land of Ozz'', from [https://inbetgames.com/en.html InBet Games].
** The restaurant [https://www.facebook.com/oscardiggslex/ Oscar Diggs], named for the Wizards' real name, in Lexington, Kentucky.
** The Play Station Virtual Reality console game [https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/run-dorothy-run-ps4/ Run, Dorothy, Run].
** [https://youtu.be/EbBu-J0ppAk ''The Oz Medley''] mashes up songs from ''The Wizard of Oz'', ''The Wiz'', and ''Wicked''. (There's also a [https://youtu.be/B9SJ_yClTLg behind-the-scenes video].)
** Miranda Lambert's song [https://youtu.be/q8ryrDjnriM ''Tin Man''] has [https://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a45574/miranda-lambert-tin-man-meaning/ surprising connections to Oz] (besides the obvious).
* To celebrate fifteen years of ''Wicked'' on Broadway, actors Tiffany Haas and Michael McCorry Rose look back at their time in the show in "Glinda and Fiyero on Broadway: ''Wicked''-ly 'Cheek to Cheek'".
* Authors Kent Drummond, Aronstein, and Terri Rittenburg adapt part of [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/3319931059/thewonderwizardo/ their forthcoming book about ''Wicked''] in "'My Daughter and I Were Overcome by Emotion': Consumer Responses to ''Wicked''".
* Long thought to have concluded with ''Tik-Tok of Oz'', Michael Patrick Hearn discovers that the 1930s comic strip ''The Wonderland of Oz'' ran even longer in some papers with an adaptation of the eleventh Oz book in "A 'Lost Princeess' Found"—as well as reprinting sixteen installments of the strip!
* The four current living charter members of the International Wizard of Oz Club sit down for a collective interview in "Anniversary Recollections: Sixty Years in the Oz Club".
* Michael Gessel reports on the events to honor the fourth Royal Historian, whose grave was previously unmarked, in "A Headstone for a Royal Historian: Honoring Jack Snow".
* Bill Thompson discusses the creation and evolution of [https://shop.ozclub.org/product.sc?productId=428&categoryId=1 his latest book] in "The Making of…''Bibliographia Oziana''—The Book!"
* John Fricke brings his survey of big-time Oz productions up to date in "Magical, Musical Muny (Part Three): How a Blend of Baum and MGM First Came to theStage…and Endured".
* "Adventures in Oz" profiles:
** Actress Ruby Rakos, who plays Judy Garland in the play [https://chasingrainbowsmusical.com/ ''Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz''].
** Autograph hound Steven Damm.
** Long-time Oz fan and southern California convention chair Robyn Knutson.
** Oz memorabilia collector Barry Patraw.
** Kindergarten student Rylan Andrews.
* Reviewed (or at least mentioned) in "The Oz Bookshelf":
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/148146972X/thewonderwizardo/ ''Gabriel Gale's Ages of Oz, Volume 1: A Fiery Friendship'' by Lisa Fiedler, illustrated by Sebastian Giacobino], reviewed by Joe Bongiorno.
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1451609957/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children's Literature as an Adult'' by Bruce Handy], reviewed by Angelica Carpenter.
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1610881990/thewonderwizardo/ ''Black-Eyed Susan'' by Elizabeth Leiknes].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0980119065/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Prophecy of Oz: The Victory of Dorothy, the Spirit of the Americas'' by Rick Spaulding].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1981101047/thewonderwizardo/ ''Ruby Slips and Poker Chips: The Modern Tale of Dorothy Gale'' by Heather Kindt].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0008252564/thewonderwizardo/ ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'' by Michael Morpurgo].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1976524008/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Wicked Hot Wizard of Oz'' by Mark Pace].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1979262632/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Wizard of AAAHHS!'' by C. T. Henderson].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1510729240/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Wizard's Cookbook: Magical Recipes Inspired by Harry Potter, Merlin, The Wizard of Oz, and More'' by Aur&eacute;lia Beaupommier].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1780554362/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Colouring Book'' by Ann Kronheimer].
* "Oz in the Spotlight" looks at the following dramatic productions:
** [http://www.thebuildersassociation.org/prod_oz.html ''Elements of Oz'' by the Builders Association].
** The British touring pantomime adaptation of [http://www.enchantedentertainment.co.uk/wozuktour2017/].
** The Harlem Repertory Theatre's production of [http://www.harlemrepertorytheatre.com/current_season.html ''The Wizard of Oz''].
** The new Boomerang cartoon series [https://watch.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz''].
* "The MGM Scrapbook" presents more articles, ads, clippings, and other ephemera relating to the original 1939 release of The Movie.
* The latest laureate of the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, Scott Cummings, is officially enshrined in the roster of previous winners.
* C. J. Hinke remembers George van Buren, his collaborator on [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0859677230/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Classical Wizard: Magus Mirabilis in Oz''] (the Latin translation of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'') in "In Memoriam".
* "The Magic Picture" reports on 2017's two big Oz conventions:
** Erica Olivera on OzCon International in Portland, Oregon, in "The Wonderful Convention of Oz: A Newcomer's Report".
** Ralph Bunch from Chicago in "Oz—The National Convention".
* The rear cover is a montage of Tiffany Haas and Michael McCorry Rose, both on stage and off, in their roles on Broadway in ''Wicked''.


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(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)


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==March 8, 2018: Dorothy Barrett 1917-2018==
==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025==
Dorothy Barrett, a long-time contract player during the Golden Age of Hollywood, died today in Studio City, California. She was 101 years old. In 1939, while working at MGM, she appeared in ''Gone with the Wind'', ''The Women'', and as a manicurist in the Wash and Brush Up Co. in the Emerald City in ''The Wizard of Oz''. She was performing on vaudeville circuits at the age of seven, and appeared in many shows on Broadway before Hollywood beckoned. Later in life, she became a dance and performance teacher, and worked with many students. As late as 2016, she was active in the Studio City performing arts community. She will be interred at Forest Lawn in Glendale.
[[file:Bbspring25.png|400 px|right]] The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of ''Wicked'' (Part 1).  


(Information courtesy [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2018/05/25/dorothy-barrett-actress-wizard-oz-obituary/ ''The Telegraph''] and [https://www.legacy.com/funeral-homes/obituaries/name/dorothy-barrett-obituary?sid=105905790&v=forestlawn&pid=188410825&view=guestbook Legacy.com].)
In this issue:
* The front cover reprints the publicity shot of ''Wicked'' stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the ''Wicked'' stage show.
* The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of ''The Wizard of Oz''.
* The table of contents includes Mark Manley's ''Wicked'' tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the ''Bugle'' covered the path ''Wicked'' has taken from page to stage to screen, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":
** The National Library Service (NLS) has [https://www.loc.gov/nls/new-materials/book-lists/wicked-and-the-wizard-of-oz/ a large collection of Oz materials] for the blind and print disabled.
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.
* Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the ''Wicked'' film in "What Is This Feeling?"
* "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of ''Wicked'' from around the world.
* "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of ''Wicked'' movie collectibles.
* David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".
* Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating [https://karylsozdolls.com/ custom Oz dolls] in "The Dollmaker of Oz".
* It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around ''The Wizard of Oz'' in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, ''The Wizard of Oz'' Still Drives Political Debate".
* William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's ''The Wizard of Oz''".
* In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews [https://wizmusical.com/ the recent Broadway revival of ''The Wiz''] (now on tour).
* In "The Bugle Review":
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0063377012/thewonderwizardo/ ''Elphie: A Wicked Childhood'' by Gregory Maguire], reviewed by Alan Wise.
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DNKY21JB/thewonderwizardo/ The blu-ray release of ''Wicked''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.
** [https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/21442/double-critical-llc ''Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting'' and ''Beasts & Beings'' role-playing campaign books], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CSYB4B12/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wicked: The Game'' by Spin Master], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.
* Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".
* The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.
 
Also included with this issue:
* This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the ''Wicked'' movie.
* And in the final (for now?) issue of ''The Emerald City Gazette'', the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.


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==December 4, 2017: ''Lost in Oz'' Nominated For Annie Award==
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==
Nominations for the Annie Awards, the highest honor given in the animation industry, were announced today. [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z89MYTI ''Lost in Oz''], the Amazon Prime series that has already won three Emmy awards, was nominated as Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production For Children. It's competition is ''Buddy Thunderstruck'', ''Niko and the Sword of Light'', ''Tangled: The Series'', and ''We Bare Bears''. You can see the entire list of nominees at http://www.annieawards.org/nominees. The forty-fifth Annie Awards will be presented February 3, 2018 in Los Angeles.
This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.


(UPDATE: February 3, 2018: The Annie for Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production for Children went to ''We Bare Bears''.)
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:
** First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"
** Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"
* The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:
** First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"
** Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:
** First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"
** Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"


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==November 7, 2017: ''The Baum Bugle'', Autumn 2017 and ''Oziana'' 2017==
==June 21, 2025: The Winkie Award==
[[File:Bbugleautumn17.jpg|left]]The latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's journal, is making its way to members now. This issue looks back at ''The Lost Princess of Oz'', celebrating its centennial this year; and the recent television series ''Emerald City'' and ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', among other topics.
Tonight, OzCon International gave its highest honor, the Winkie Award, to Sam Milazzo. The award recognizes all of the contributions Sam has made to the convention over the past few years, with presentations, panels, and generally helping out.
 
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==May 6, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2024==
[[File:Bbwinter24.png|400 px|right]]
It may be slipping back in the calendar a bit, but the latest issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is making its way to members' mailboxes now.
 
In this issue:
* All four covers celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of ''The Wiz'':
** The front cover features Stephanie Mills and Hinton Battle in [https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/0599e600-5cf5-0130-4cf7-58d385a7b928 a 1974 publicity shot for the musical].
** The inside front cover shows several costumes from the play on exhibit at [https://www.si.edu/museums/african-american-museum the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture].
** The inside back cover features production art for the play by Tom John.
** The back cover reproduces a new work, [https://artsofimagination.org/the-wiz-at-50/ ''The Journey from Home: Revisiting ''The Wiz'' at 50''], also by Tom John.
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch reflects on fifty years of ''The Wiz'' and invites members to [the 2025 edition of the Club's annual convention in Aberdeen, South Dakota], while ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer also looks back at ''The Wiz'', as well as other anniversaries celebrated in this issue.
* News items highlighted in "The Bugle Bulletin":
** ''Wicked'' wins two Academy Awards, with [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZtKj5-xE1I&ab_channel=Oscars Paul Tazewell becoming the first Black man to win the Oscar for Best Costume Design].
** The latest auction of a pair of Ruby Slippers shatters all records for the price paid for any kind of movie memorabilia.
** Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande team up to [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eedVl_LGwE4&ab_channel=PhVolleyball open the Oscars telecast with a medley of music from Oz movies].
** Recently passed Oz contributors remembered in "Beyond the Shifting Sands":
*** [https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Baum&cm_sp=SearchF-_-home-_-Results&kn=Greg%20Hildebrandt&ref_=search_f_hp&sts=t&tn=The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz Greg Hildebrandt] and [https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Baum&cm_sp=SearchF-_-home-_-Results&kn=Graham%20Rawle&ref_=search_f_hp&sts=t&tn=The%20Wizard%20of%20Oz Graham Rawle], both of whom illustrated ''The Wizard of Oz''.
*** Legendary composer and arranger Quincy Jones, who was an instrumental part of how ''The Wiz'' sounded in movie theaters.
* "Awards and Honors" announces Oz Club President Ryan Bunch as the recipient of the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, the Club's highest honor, for 2024.
* "They Call My Name: An Interview with George Faison" looks at the life and career of the choreographer. His credits include the original Broadway production of ''The Wiz''.
* "The ''Wiz'' That Wasn't" by Sarah K. Crotzer digs into the casting process for the original company of ''The Wiz'' and reveals who else tried out, or was at least considered, for the major rolls. (There are some definite surprises!)
* "The ''Wiz'' That Was" by Sarah K. Crotzer looks at ''The Wiz'' costumes held by the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
* Crotzer also considers Grampa's game leg and the game you play with it in "A Few Inessential Thoughts About the Game of Scrum".
* "Coming and Going" looks at a few short thoughts about ''Grampa in Oz''.
* "Oz Under Scrutiny", once again compiled by Scott Cummings, looks at what the press of 1924 thought of ''Grampa in Oz''.
* In part two of the interview "Journey to the ''Annotated Wizard'' with Michael Patrick Hearn", the author of ''The Annotated Wizard of Oz'' recounts the aftermath of the book's original 1973 publication.
* L. Frank Baum's great-granddaughter, Gita Dorothy Morena, solves the mystery of a Baum family treasure in "A Letter to Oz Enthusiasts from a Forgotten Baum Illustration".
* "Guaranteed For a Thousand Years", a wrap-up of recent Oz events, reports on the 2024 editions of OzCon International and Oz, The National Convention.
* New products presented in "The Bugle Review":
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DVQSJLLX/thewonderwizardo/ ''After Oz'' by Gordon McAlpine], reviewed by Mike Penick
** [https://hungrytigerpress.store/product/all-wound-up-the-making-of-the-tik-tok-man-of-oz/ ''All Wound Up: The Making of ''The Tik-Tok Man of Oz by Eric Shanower], [https://hungrytigerpress.store/product/the-tik-tok-man-of-oz-performance-script/ ''The Tik-Tok Man of Oz Performance Script'' by L. Frank Baum], and [https://hungrytigerpress.store/product/the-tik-tok-man-of-oz-piano-vocal-score/ ''The Tik-Tok Man of Oz Piano-Vocal Score'' by Louis F. Gottschalk and L. Frank Baum], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.
** [https://joetunes.ca/ ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', ''The Marvelous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'' complete audio books by the Toronto Civic Light Opera Company], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CST87Z4J/thewonderwizardo/ The ''Wicked'' edition of ''Monopoly''], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.
** A quartet of ''Wicked'' tie-in books ([https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0593896866/thewonderwizardo/ ''I Am Elphaba''], [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0593896882/thewonderwizardo/ ''I Am Glinda''], [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CZJQXCQY/thewonderwizardo/ ''Defying Gravity: The Illustrated Lyrics''] and a replica of [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CZJRSY9M/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Story of Oz & the Wonderful Wizard'']), reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.
* "Adventures in Oz" sees Brady Schwind interviewing Tom John, the original scenic designer for ''The Wiz''.
 
Also included with this issue:
* A registration form for [https://www.ozclub.org/oz-in-aberdeen-a-convention-to-remember/ the 2025 editino of Oz, the National Convention] in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
* A flyer for one of the Club's latest publications, [https://www.ozclub.org/product/bibliographia-baumiana/ ''Bibliographia Baumiana''].
* This issue's craft is a melting Evillene, based on the original Broadway run of ''The Wiz''.
* And in the latest issue of ''The Oz Gazette'', the newsletter for younger Oz fans (of all ages):
** Editor-in-Chief Katie Jones, with assistance from the Head of Security the Gump, updates readers on the hunt for Nomes and the Glass Cat.
** The Scarecrow's book column looks at other books puplished in 1924, like ''Grampa in Oz''.
** Based off of the article speculating what scrum might be like in ''The Baum Bugle'', the Patchwork Girl presents the board, pieces, and rules for Camette, a simplified (for space reasons) version of the game Camelot.
** Finally, a little bit of verse from…the Glass Cat?
 
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In this issue:
----
* The front cover features the Fab Five as depicted in the new series ''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz'', [https://www.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series now streaming on the Boomerang website].
 
* Interim editor John Fricke talks about the issue and what he's been doing this year, including aiding the Smithsonian Institution in [http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/help-reunite-dorothy-and-scarecrow restoring and preserving the Ruby Slippers] in his "From the Editor" column.
==May 5, 2025: Mattydale, New York, to Honor L. Frank Baum==
* New Club President Jane Albright outlined her relationship to Oz and the Club in her first column, "Oz Is Us", which includes:
Mattydale, New York, will honor native son L. Frank Baum and his greatest work, ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', on May 17. Mattydale was the site of Baum's childhood home, Roselawn, and the city will commemorate Baum's birth and the 125th anniversary of the publication of the first Oz book with a historical marker at the site. The marker will be at 2601 Brewerton Road, which will soon be the site of a community center.A reception will be held from 1:00 to 5:00 pm at the Kreuger Funeral Home.
** The appointment of Sarah Crotzer as the new ''Bugle'' editor, starting with the Spring 2018 issue.
 
** The publication of [http://shop.ozclub.org/category.sc;jsessionid=4CBF3C1F0488B027D3FF7CEFD0F4DCCC.p3plqscsfapp001?categoryId=6 ''Bibliographia Baumiana''], a bibliographic compendium of L. Frank Baum's non-Oz works (that has been in the works for a couple of decades now).
(Information courtesy [https://cnycentral.com/news/local/mattydale-celebrates-125-years-of-the-wonderful-wizard-of-oz-with-historical-marker CNYCentral].)
* Among the latest treasures and tidbits uncovered by Jay Davis for "Oz and Ends":
 
** Funko's Vynl line includes [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B073YD35BS/thewonderwizardo/ a set of Dorothy and the Scarecrow].
----
** LEGO minifigs of the Wicked Witch of the West and two flying monkeys are part of [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B06XRX1GQX/thewonderwizardo/ ''The LEGO Batman Movie'' Ultimate Batmobile Kit] (!!!).
 
** Organic Studios' [http://www.organicsstudio.com/our-inks/the-masters-of-writing-series/ Masters of Writing series of author-inspired inks] introduces L. Frank Baum Emerald Green.
==April 13, 2025: Jean Marsh, 1934-2025==
** The Nickelodeon series ''Nicky, Ricky, Dicky and Dawn'' has an Oz-themed episode, [http://www.organicsstudio.com/our-inks/the-masters-of-writing-series/ "The Wizard of Quads"].
[[File:Jean_Marsh.jpeg|left]]
** The 1987 anime series ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' is [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B072ZPQ421/thewonderwizardo/ available in episode format on home video] at last!
Jean Marsh, OBE, the lauded British actor, passed away today from complications of dementia. She was 90. Born July 1, 1934 in Stoke Newington, London, she studied dance, singing, and acting before beginning her professional career in the 1950s. Among her movies were ''Cleopatra'', ''Jane Eyre'' (1972), ''Frenzy'', ''The Eagle Has Landed'', and ''Willow''. She was probably best known for her television work, however, in shows in both the United States and the United Kingdom, including appearances in ''The Twilight Zone'', ''The Saint'', ''Doctor Who'', ''I Spy'', ''Adam Adamant Lives!'', ''UFO'', ''The Waltons'', ''Hawaii Five-O'', the ''9 to 5'' series, ''The Love Boat'', ''Murder, She Wrote'', and the 1990s revival of ''The Tomorrow People''. But she is best known for co-creating, with Eileen Atkins, the period drama ''Upstairs, Downstairs'', about the servants in a great house. Marsh also starred in the show as maid Rose Buck, for which she won an Emmy Award in 1975 as well as other awards. When the BBC revived the show in 2010, Marsh was the only actor to return. Marsh and Atkins also created the series ''House of Elliott'' in 1991, which she did not appear in. For her services to drama, Marsh was made a member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2012. For Oz fans, however, as well as many movie-going kids in the 1980s, she will always be known for her dual role as Nurse Wilson and Princess Mombi in the 1985 Disney film ''Return to Oz''.
** The closure of the Great Movie Ride, with its Wicked Witch of the West and other Oz characters, at Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios park.
** ''Wicked'' surpassing ''The Phantom of the Opera'' to become Broadway's second highest grossing musical ever (only ''The Lion King'' is ahead of it).
** New Oz stage productions:
*** ''The Wizard of Oz'' from Starlight Village Players in Orinda, California.
*** ''The Bricklayers of Oz'' by the Dance Crash Company of Chicago.
*** ''West End Bares'' Oz-themed nude revue ''Ruby Strippers'' in London's West End.
** Judy Garland's children, Liza Minnelli and Lorna and Joey Luft, fulfilled a promise made to their mother by having her body reinterred in a new pavilion at the [http://www.hollywoodforever.com/ Hollywood Forever cemetery] in Los Angeles. Judy had been at the Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York.
** Big Fish unveils their latest Oz-themed computer game, [https://www.bigfishgames.com/games/18170/bridge-to-another-world-escape-from-oz/?pc ''Escape from Oz''], for the Mac and PC.
* "''Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz…please meet Lyman, Frank, and Wilhelmina" looks behind the scenes at [https://www.boomerang.com/shows/dorothy-franchise/series/dorothy-series Boomerang's new Oz cartoon] (which the ''Bugle'' will review in the Winter 2017 issue).
* The original art for the newspaper syndication of ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' is discussed in "Behind the Ink: ''The Wonderful Stories of Oz'' Artwork".
* Peter E. Hanff looks back at this year's centennial Oz book in "The Mystery of ''Three Girls in Oz''…and the Revisited Pleasures of a ''Lost Princess''".
* "Oz Under Scrutiny" looks at contemporary reviews of ''The Lost Princess of Oz'' from 1917.
* Scott Cummings may have discovered the inspiration for the Herkus in a 1921 report from the ''Los Angeles Herald'' on athlete Gilbert Neville in "The Little Strong Man of Oz".
* John Fricke looks back at another lost princess of Oz, as portrayed on television in 1960, in "'Lost' Princess—Different Adventure: Remembering Shirley Temple's ''The Land of Oz''".
* Sarah Crotzer interviews the creator of the latest television version of Oz in "Scary, Bizarre, Weird, and Wonderful! Matthew Arnold Talks ''Emerald City''—and about Bringing Baum's Oz to a New Generation".
* ''Bugle'' readers offer their comments on the show in "''Emerald City'' Redŭ".
* "Adventures in Oz" profiles five Club members and how Oz has influenced their lives.
* In "Multi-MediOz", Atticus Gannaway reviews [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01MPYHA0V/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', performed by Jon Koons and Danielle Manente].
* "The MGM Scrapbook" looks at ads and clippings from The Movie's premiere in 1939, as well as Hedda Hopper's column on her first visit to the set, when Buddy Ebsen was still playing the Tin Man.
* "Oz in the Spotlight" features Sarah Crotzer's review of "''Lost in Oz'': Season One".
* "The Oz Bookshelf" reviews or acknowledges the publication of several recent books:
** The final two books in Danielle Paige's ''Dorothy Must Die'' series, [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0062423835/thewonderwizardo/ ''Dorothy Must Die Stories Volume 3''] and [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0062423770/thewonderwizardo/ ''The End of Oz''], both reviewed by Dee Michel.
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0692680950/thewonderwizardo/ ''Toto's Story: My Amazing Adventures with Dorothy in Oz'' by Steve Metzger], reviewed by Ron Baxley, Jr.
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1608106845/thewonderwizardo/ ''The leadership Secrets of Oz'' by B. J. Gallagher and Ken Balnchard].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1138942057/thewonderwizardo/ ''Revisiting Imaginary Worlds''], a collection of essays with two Oz-themed entries.
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1442278048/thewonderwizardo/ ''1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year'' by Thomas S. Hischak].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1544292619/thewonderwizardo/ ''Baum Ass Stories 2: Gayle Force'', edited by Roma Gray] (and yes, there is also a [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1519340478/thewonderwizardo/ volume 1]).
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1521371288/thewonderwizardo/ ''Behind the Emerald Door—The Wizard of Oz: The Untold Truth'' by Christopher Clay Lord].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1452152527/thewonderwizardo/ ''Cozy Classics: L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', adapted by Jack and Holman Wang].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0486812529/thewonderwizardo/ ''Crochet Stories: L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' by Pat Olski].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0998706906/thewonderwizardo/ ''From Oz to Om: The Spiritual Journey Home'' by Tracy Flynn Bowe].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0722G7VXT/thewonderwizardo/ ''Getting Back to Oz 1: Winnie's Courage'' by Jess Reece].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1548090352/thewonderwizardo/ ''Haunting Fairy Tales 4: Wicked Witch'' by R. L. Weeks].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/9627866229/thewonderwizardo/ ''Hong Kong Fairy Tales'' by Larry Feign].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0515157724/thewonderwizardo/ ''Kate and Mim-Mim: Kate in Oz'' by Lana Jacobs].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1594749604/thewonderwizardo/ ''Literary Yarns: Crochet Products Inspired by Classic Books'' by Cindy Wang].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1522703659/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Marvelous Wonderland of Oz''] and [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1543274218/thewonderwizardo/ ''Peter of Oz''], volumes 4 and 5 of Greg Gick's Oz-Wonderland series.
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1544237413/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Prankster of Oz'' by John R. Rose].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1548331503/thewonderwizardo/ ''Return from Oz'' by Gregory Espy].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1888160942/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Swagger of Dorothy Gale and Other Filthy Ways to Strut'' by Sea Sharp].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1542868971/thewonderwizardo/ ''Trump versus Glinda: The Secret of Everything #Post-Truth'' by Scott W. Webb].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1492635995/thewonderwizardo/ ''Wanted'' by Betsy Schow].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1604337060/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Wizard of Oz Coloring Book'' by Charles Santore].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0984067876/thewonderwizardo/ ''The "Wonderful" Wizard of Futhermucking Oz'' by Matt Youngmark].
* "The Magic Picture" reports on recent Oz events around the country, including:
** Oz on the Bayou 2017 in Houma, Louisiana, reported by Karen Diket.
** Croppin' in Oz, an Oz-themed scrapbooking event in Sulphur, Louisiana, also reported on by Karen Diket.
** Oz-Stravaganza 2017 in Chittenango, New York, reported by David Moyer.
* Many Oz Club members shared their stories of Oz Club supemember Robin Olderman, who passed away in April, in "Robin Remembered".
* And the back cover features a portrait of Adria Arjona as Dorothy in ''Emerald City'', wearing the Ruby Gauntlets.


<br>[[File:Oziana_2017.jpeg|right]]Also available today is the 2017 edition of ''Oziana'', the International Wizard of Oz Club's literary magazine. In this issue:
(Information courtesy [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c045dk29xqqo the BBC] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Marsh Wikipedia].)
* David Bishop provides the front cover illustration, entitled On the Shores of Skeezer Lake".
* Jack Pumpkinhead is having a bad day in "Angry Jack" by Sara Philips, illustrated by Emilee Philips.
* A stream-of-consciousness recollection of Scraps entitled "Patchworked Memory", written and illustrated by Grace Willey.
* Dorothy learns more about her first trip to Oz in "The Road Not Taken" by E. J. Hagadorn, with illustrations by Dennis Anfuso.
* Red Reera the Yookoohoo doesn't want another visit from Ervic in "Unsociable" by S. A. Samuelson, illustrated by David Bishop.
* Grace Willey's back cover is entitled "Button Bright Finds a Peach Pit".
Unlike ''The Baum Bugle'', which is sent only to Club members, anyone can buy ''Oziana'' [http://www.lulu.com/shop/l-frank-baum/oziana-2017/paperback/product-23400178.html just by going right here].


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==August 5, 2017: The L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==
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This evening, the International Wizard of Oz Club presented it's highest award, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, to Scott Cummings. Cummings served as editor of the Club's journal, ''The Baum Bugle'', for many years, producing some of its most memorable issues. He is also a tireless researcher who keeps finding out new things about Oz, and frequent con chair (including this year's National Oz Convention in the Chicago area). Congratulations, Scott!
 
==March 18, 2025: Saliterman, Ruby Slipper Thief, Dies==
Charges against Jerry Hal Saliterman, who had pled guilty to playing a part in the 2005 theft of the Ruby Slippers from the Judy Garland Museum, have been dismissed when prosecutors informed the court that he had died the day before. Saliterman's defense attorney, John Brink, confirmed the passing. The 77-year-old Saliterman had been hospitalized with lung disease and other ailments, and his most recent court appearance, in January, had been a remote feed from his hospital room. At that time, he changed his initial plea to guilty of charges of theft of a major artwork and witness tampering.


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(Information courtesy [https://apnews.com/article/stolen-ruby-slippers-wizard-of-oz-death-b82e6ed5049d2f11cf9a38b38e5eb463 The Associated Press].)


==July 26, 2017: June Foray, 1917-2017==
----
Perhaps the greatest and most prolific of voice actors, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_Foray June Foray] passed away today at the age of 99 (only 54 days short of her 100th birthday). Although still working well into her nineties, Foray had been in declining health the last two years, particularly after a 2015 auto accident. Anyone who has ever watch cartoons probably has heard her voice. Among [http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/June-Foray/ her many, many roles] were Lucifer the Cat in ''Cinderella'' (her first voiceover job) and Grandmother Fa in ''Mulan'' for Disney; Granny, Witch Hazel, and Miss Prissy for Warner Bros.; Splinter and Knothead in the ''Woody Woodpecker'' cartoons; Cindy Lou Who in ''How the Grinch Stole Christmas''; and stints in shows ranging from ''Mr. Magoo'' to ''The Simpsons''. She was even [https://youtu.be/s_evUn1c7bQ the voice of Betty Rubble in the original pilot for ''The Flintstones''], and Talky Tina in the "Living Doll" episode of ''The Twilight Zone'' (a take-off on her earlier work as the voice of the original Chatty Cathy doll). She will probably be best known, however, for her work with Jay Ward, where she voiced Nell in ''Dudley Do-Right'', Ursula in ''George of the Jungle'', Marigold in ''Tom Slick'', and Rocky the Squirrel and Natasha Fatale in ''The Bullwinkle Show''. Among her credits was the 1967-68 MGM anthology series [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off_to_See_the_Wizard ''Off to See the Wizard''], in which June was the voice of Dorothy (as seen in the clip below) and the Wicked Witch of the West, alongside fellow voiceover icons Mel Blanc, Daws Butler, and Don Messick.
<html><center><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9c0twUIh67c?ecver=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center></html>
Among her other achievements, she started the Hollywood chapter of the Association Internationale du Film d'Animation (which later made her the recipient of its first June Foray Award); helped create [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Award the Annie Awards], which she later won two of; lobbied the Oscars to include a category for animated features; and has won the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award, the Inkpot Award, and both an Emmy and the Governor's Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.


She was often compared to the equally prolific Mel Blanc, but the legendary cartoon producer Chuck Jones (who was in charge of the animated segments of ''Off to See the Wizard'') said, "June Foray is not the female Mel Blanc. Mel Blanc is the male June Foray."
==January 3, 2025: Saliterman to Plead Guilty to Hiding Ruby Slippers==
Jerry Hal Saliterman, accused of theft of a major artwork and witness tampering in connection with the 2005 theft of the Ruby Slippers in Minnesota, now plans to plead guilty to the charges in a court appearance on January 10. It is not currently known how Saliterman is connected to Terry John Martin, who pled guilty to stealing the slippers in 2023. Saliterman originally pled not guilty when first charged in March of 2024, but his age (77) and poor health may have resulted in a deal that allows him to stay out of jail like Martin.


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(Information courtesy [https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/minnesota/articles/2025-01-03/man-accused-of-hiding-stolen-wizard-of-oz-ruby-slippers-plans-to-plead-guilty-attorney-says ''U. S. News and World Reports''].)


==July 1, 2017: The 2017 Winkie Award==
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[[File:John Fricke Winkie 2017.jpg|right|300px]]OzCon International gave its highest award tonight, for contributions to the convention and Oz in general, to John Fricke. The award-winning author and Oz and Judy Garland expert has contributed to many programs and events at the convention for over thirty years, despite being an infrequent visitor to the west coast. Congratulations to John!
 
==December 13, 2024: The Baum Bugle's Celebratory 200th Issue==
[[File:Bbautumn24.jpg|center|800 px]]
The Autumn 2024 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz, has come back from the printers and is on its way to members' mailboxes. This is the two hundredth issue of the ''Bugle'', so the journal celebrates itself, for once.
 
In this issue:
* The wraparound cover pays tribute to the first illustrated cover of the ''Bugle'' (for the May 1959 issue), showing many different illustrators' versions of the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman
* The inside front cover reproduces Maxfield Parrish's cover for the January 1917 issue of ''Metropolitan''.
* In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch reflects on winning the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award during a hurricane, while ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Krotzer looks at the production of this issue within the overall history of the journal.
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":
** The Club opens its archive with reprints of selected articles from past issues of [https://www.ozclub.org/publications/the-baum-bugle/ ''The Baum Bugle''].
** The town of Salina, New York breaks ground on a new community center at the site of Rose Lawn, the Baum family estate. The center will include a Baum-themed museum.
** Gregory Maguire's writing another book set in his version of Oz. [https://bookshop.org/p/books/elphie-a-wicked-childhood-gregory-maguire/21025444 ''Elphie''], coming out March 25, 2025, will recount tales of the childhood of Elphaba, who will later become the Wicked Witch of the West.
** The stolen pair of Ruby Slippers, now recovered, are on tour and will go up for auction in December.
** The latest revival of ''The Wiz'' surpasses one hundred performances on Broadway.
** The release of the first ''Wicked'' movie is moved up to November 22, 2024.
** ''Marvelous: A Musical Opera'' based on ''The Marvelous Land of Oz'' premieres in Sisterville, West Virginia on April 5, 2025
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" recognizes the passing of Ken Page, who understudied for Ted Ross in the original Broadway production of ''The Wiz'' before taking over the role himself.
* One of the original charter members of the International Wizard of Oz Club, Ruth Berman, looks back on how it all started in "A Gleam in Justin's Eye: Oz Club Origins".
* In "In Search of Snow White: The Unrealized Dream of Maxfield Parrish and L. Frank Baum", Scott Cummings looks at a second Parrish-Baum collaboration that ultimately never came to be, a book and stage play of ''Snow White'' in the late 1910s.
* Peter E. Hanff looks at how one man changed the ''Bugle'' from a humble newsletter to a comprehensive journal in "Martin's Marvels: Dick Martin's Graphical Contributions to the History of ''The Baum Bugle''". Accompanying this article is a color supplement of ''Bugle'' covers Martin contributed to, including examples of color separations; and "A Checklist of Cover Art for ''The Baum Bugle'' by Dick Martin".
* J. L. Bell examines the development of cartography in the Oz books in the award-winning "The Inspiring Maps of Oz".
* "Keepers of the Record" presents reminiscences of three previous ''Bugle'' editors:
** "A Brief Reminiscence of My ''Bugle'' Editorship, 1996-2000" by William Stillman.
** "Notes from an Old ''Bugle'' Editor" by Michael Gessel.
** "The Call of a ''Bugle''—and Where It Led" by John Fricke.
* "How It Began (Again)" looks at some mocked-up dummy pages, created by Dick Martin, for the Spring 1979 issue of the ''Bugle''.
* The inside back cover reproduces the earliest known map of Oz, a slide from the 1908 multimedia show ''The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays''.
 
Also included with this issue:
* The craft project is a map of Oz to color.
* In Issue No. 20 of ''The Oz Gazette'', the newsletter for younger Oz fans (of all ages):
** Editor-in-Chief Katie Jones and Number Nine outline efforts to clean up the Emerald City after the Nome King's recent occupation, and reveal the Gump as the new Head of Security.
** Polychrome reveals a puzzle where weather-related clues help you to unscramble Oz place names.
** Scraps opines on issues of writing Oz poetry.
** The Scarecrow gives story recommendations:
*** [https://www.amazon.com/Wizard-Meg-McLaren-illustrator-Sam/dp/1405286296/ ''The Wizard of Oz'', adapted by Meg McLaren and Sam Hay]
*** "Dorothy and the Mushroom People" by Eric Shanower, from [https://www.abebooks.com/book-search/title/salt-sorcerer-stories/author/shanower-eric/used/ ''The Salt Sorcerer of Oz and Other Stories].
*** [https://bookshop.org/p/books/snow-queen-hb-hans-christian-andersen/6431554?ean=9780062209504 ''The Snow Queen'' by Hans Christian Andersen].
** And throughout the issue, mysterious figures seem to be scouting out the country for nefarious purposes. But is someone scouting them out in turn?
 
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==December 7, 2024: Ruby Slippers Auction Sets New Movie Memorabilia Record==
[[File:Ruby_Slippers_2024.jpeg|right|400 px]]
The most notorious pair of Ruby Slippers used during production of the famous 1939 film version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' went up for auction today, and the final price shattered all records for the price paid for a piece of movie memorabilia. Of the four pairs of Ruby Slippers known to still exist, this pair, "The Traveling Shoes", were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in 2005 and recovered in 2018, when they acquired a new nickname, "The Stolen Pair". They were ultimately returned to owner Michael Shaw who decided it was time to sell them. Estimated to go for at least $3,000,000, online bidding reached $1,550,000 before live bidding on site at Heritage Auctions began. The estimate was quickly surpassed, and when bidding ended, the final bid was $28,000,000, far outpacing any previous price for movie memorabilia. With commission and other fees, the total final price paid was $32,500,000. The Ruby Slippers alone surpassed the previous record for an entire movie memorabilia auction, the $22,800,000 that Debbie Reynolds' collection was sold for in 2011.
 
Other Oz items available in the auction:
* One of Margaret Hamilton's Wicked Witch of the West hats, and the only one known to carry Hamilton's name inside, earned the second highest price for an item from ''The Wizard of Oz'', $2,930,000
* Producer Mervyn LeRoy's script from the MGM art department, $50,000
* The screen door from the Gale farmhouse, $37,500
* Judy Garland's blonde wig from the first week of shooting, $30,000
* The MGM contract for songwriters Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg, $23,125
 
Other items of interest at the auction included a sceen-used Jumanji board game from the eponymous movie; a crate used to hold bombs in the original 1933 version of ''King Kong''; a hoverboard from ''Back to the Future II''; Kevin's scarf, coat, hat, and mittens from ''Home Alone''; Wilson, Tom Hanks' volleyball co-star in ''Castaway''; and a screen-used golden ticket from '' Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory''.
 
(Information and image courtesy [https://www.ha.com/heritage-auctions-press-releases-and-news/dorothy-s-ruby-slippers-from-the-wizard-of-oz-sell-for-32.5-million-at-heritage-auctions-to-become-world-s-most-valuable-movie-memorabilia.s?releaseId=5122&ic=hero-www-dorothyRubySlippers-resultsLearnMore-7388-120724 Heritage Auctions].)


(Photo courtesy Sam Milazzo.)
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==Rumor Control==
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There is now a release date for the movie adaptation of the Broadway musical version of ''Wicked'': December 20, 2019. This is still subject to change, but an announced date is a good sign. Winnie Holzman, who wrote the book of the play, is working on the script, and the composer, Stephan Schwartz, is arranging the music (and probably writing a new song or two). No casting announcements have been made yet.
''Dorothy'' is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this [https://deadline.com/2025/08/gwen-stefani-blake-shelton-wizard-of-oz-prime-video-1236497977/ right here].


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Reports of Jerry Maren's death on February 29, 2016, are false. The last little person to play a Munchkin in The Movie, he is still alive and kicking and, unlike the reports saying it, does not have cancer.
The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: ''Cheshire Crossing'', the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/amblin-michael-de-luca-tackling-martian-author-s-fantasy-graphic-novel-cheshire-crossing-1255011 this report]); and an animated musical adaptation of the book ''Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz'', where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see [https://deadline.com/2020/10/toto-the-dog-gone-amazing-story-of-the-wizard-of-oz-animated-pic-in-the-works-at-warner-bros-1234596757/ this source]).


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*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)
*''Lost in Oz'', a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)
*A telelvision miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)
*A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel ''Wicked'', with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.
*''The O. Z.'', a hip-hop flavored re-telling of ''The Wizard of Oz'' for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)
*''Surrender Dorothy''. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)

Latest revision as of 17:41, 6 December 2025

(I will update this page when there is news to tell. Any news older than a year is dropped at the next update. If you have news to report, please e-mail me.)

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(For more Oz news, check out The Daily Ozmopolitan. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the Rumor Control section of this page.)

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November 13, 2025: The Baum Bugle Autumn 2025 Issue

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The latest issue of The Baum Bugle, the journal of the International Wizard of oz Club, is making its way to members now. This issue celebrates forty years of Return to Oz, and includes a comprehensive checklist of collectibles from the 1985 Disney movie. Keep an eye on this space for future updates.


Wicked and Wicked: For Good Accolades and Awards

With high profile movie releases, naturally Wicked and Wicked: For Good will receive acclaim during the film award seasons. Here, then, we will keep track of awards presented to the Wicked movies and their cast and crew, plus nominations for awards to be given later. Keep an eye on this list or the Wikipedia pages for Wicked and Wicked: For Good as more news comes in.

The awards are presented here in the chronological order they were presented:

  • September 27, 2024: International Cinematographers "Manaki Brothers" Film Festival, SUMOLIGHT Creative Energy Award: Alice Brooks (Cinematographer) and Dave Smith (Gaffer)
  • November 18, 2024: Heartland Film Festival, Truly Moving Picture Award: Wicked
  • November 23, 2024: The International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage, Production Designer Award: Nathan Crowley
  • December 4, 2024: National Board of Review
    • Best Film: Wicked
    • Best Director: Jon M. Chu
    • Spotlight Award: the creative collaboration of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande
  • December 5, 2024: American Film Institute Awards, Top 10 Films of the Year: Wicked (alongside nine other movies)
  • December 8, 2024: Washington DC Area Film Critics Film Critics Association
    • Best Feature: Wicked
    • Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales
  • December 8, 2024: Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards
    • Best Picture: Wicked
    • Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo
    • Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez)
    • Best Director: Jon M. Chu
    • Best Casting: Tiffany Little Canfield and Bernard Telsey
    • Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
    • Best Marketing Campaign: Wicked
    • Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales
  • December 9, 2024: Celebration of Black Cinema and Television, Actress Award—Film: Cynthia Erivo
  • December 9, 2024: Michigan Movie Critics Guild, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande
  • December 9, 2024: Atlanta Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande
  • December 9, 2024: San Diego Film Critics Society
    • Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande
    • Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales
    • Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
  • December 13, 2024: African-American Film Critics Association, Innovator Award: Paul Tazewell
  • December 13, 2024: Las Vegas Film Critics Society
    • Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
    • Best Family Film: Wicked
  • December 15, 2024: St. Louis Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
  • December 16, 2024: Phoenix Film Critics Society
    • Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande
    • Best Costume Design: Wicked
  • December 16, 2024: Seattle Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
  • December 16, 2024: Iowa Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande (tied with Isabella Rossellini in Conclave)
  • December 16, 2024: Southeastern Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande
  • December 21, 2024: Nevada Film Critics Society
    • Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo
    • Best Visual Effects: Pablo Helman
  • December 28, 2024: Digital Spy Readers Awards, Most Anticipated Movie of 2025: Wicked: For Good
  • December 30, 2024: TiBS Editors Choice Awards:
    • Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo
    • Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande
    • Best Director: Jon M. Chu
    • Best Ensemble: Wicked
  • January 2, 2025: Capri Hollywood-International Film Festival Award, Best Sound: Wicked
  • January 2, 2025: Critics Association of Central Florida
    • Best Cast: Wicked
    • Best Production Design: Wicked
    • Best Sound Design: Wicked
  • January 3, 2025: Palm Springs International Film Festival
    • Creative Impact in Acting Award: Cynthia Erivo
    • Rising Star Award: Ariana Grande
  • January 3, 2025: Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande
  • January 4, 2025: DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award, Best Production Design: Wicked
  • January 5, 2025: Golden Globe Awards, Cinematic and Box Office Achievement: Wicked
  • January 10, 2025: Music City Film Critics Association, Best Music Film: Wicked
  • January 10, 2025: Minnesota Film Critics Association, Best Costume Design: Wicked
  • January 12, 2025: Puerto Rico Critics Association
    • Best Comedy/Musical: Wicked
    • Best Production Design: Wicked
    • Best Costume Design: Wicked
  • January 13, 2025: North Dakota Film Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
  • January 13, 2025: Hawaii Film Critics Society
    • Best Art Direction: Wicked
    • Best Costume Design: Wicked
    • Best Visual Effects: Wicked
  • January 14, 2025: Portland Critics Association, Best Supporting Performance (Female): Ariana Grande
  • January 16, 2025: North American Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande
  • January 24, 2025: Denver Film Critics Society, Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Ariana Grande
  • January 26, 2025: Satellite Awards
    • Best Supporting Actress—Motion Picture: Ariana Grande
    • Best Production Design: Wicked
    • Best Costume Design: Wicked
    • Best Sound: Wicked
    • Make-Up Award: Wicked
  • January 27, 2025: Online Film Critics Society, Technical Achievement Award — Choreography: Wicked
  • February 6, 2025: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell
  • February 7, 2025: Set Decorators Society of America, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Lee Sandales and Nathan Crowley
  • February 7, 2025: Critics' Choice Movie Awards
    • Best Director: Jon M. Chu
    • Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
    • Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales
  • February 7, 2025: AACTA Awards, Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film: Wicked
  • February 9, 2025: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Virtuoso Award: Ariana Grande
  • February 9, 2025: AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, Best Screenwriter: Winnie Holzman
  • February 12, 2025: Artios Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Big Budget Feature (Comedy): Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, Ryan Bernard Tymensky, Tamsyn Manson
  • February 13, 2025: Dorian Awards
    • Supporting Film Performance of the Year: Ariana Grande
    • "We're Wilde About You" Rising Star Award: Jonathan Bailey
    • Galeca LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Cynthia Erivo
  • February 15, 2025: Art Directors Guild Awards, Excellence in Production Design for a Fantasy Film: Nathan Crowley
  • February 15, 2025: Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild
    • Best Period and/or Character Make-Up in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Alice Jones, Nuria Mbornio, Johanna Nielsen, Branka Vorkapic
    • Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling in a Feature-Length Motion Picture: Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, Sim Camps, Gabor Kerekes
  • February 16, 2025: BAFTA Film Awards
    • Best Production Design: Wicked
    • Best Costume Design: Wicked
  • February 17, 2025: Black Reel Awards
    • Outstanding Soundtrack: Wicked
    • Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
  • February 17, 2025: Latino Entertainment Journalists Society
    • Best Production Design: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales
    • Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
  • February 22, 2025: NAACP Image Awards
    • Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
    • Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album: Wicked: The Soundtrack
  • February 23, 2025: Online Film and Television Association
    • Best Production Design: Wicked
    • Best Costume Design: Wicked
    • Best Adapted Song: "Defying Gravity"
  • February 23, 2025: Golden Reel Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing–Feature Motion Picture: Catherine Wilson, Robin Baynton
  • February 28, 2025: International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards, Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign: Wicked
  • March 2, 2025: Academy Awards
    • Best Costume Design: Wicked
    • Best Production Design: Wicked
  • March 11, 2025: Queerties
    • Drama Movie: Wicked
    • Film Performance: Jonathan Bailey
    • Next Big Thing: Wicked: For Good
  • March 14, 2025: American Cinema Editors Awards, Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical: Myron Kerstein
  • March 17, 2025: iHeartRadio Music Awards, Favorite Soundtrack: Wicked: The Soundtrack
  • April 22, 2025: Webby Awards, Variety and Reality, General Video and Film: Wicked Stars Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Break Down Viral "Holding Space" Interview
  • June 9, 2025: The BET Awards, Best Actress: Cynthia Erivo
  • June 21, 2025: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards:
    • Favorite Movie: Wicked
    • Favorite Movie Actress: Ariana Grande as Glinda
    • Favorite Song from a Movie: "Defying Gravity"
  • July 3, 2025: Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Most Anticipated Film: Wicked: For Good
  • August 5, 2025: Las Culturista Culture Awards, Harshest Truth About Wicked: Phannee not realized, we don't get into his gay story (What was that like? Was it hard coming out or was Pfannee born wealthy? Prequel idea about this.)
  • October 19, 2025: Middleburg Film Festival, Creative Collaborators Award: Alice Brooks (cinematographer) and Myron Kerstein (editor), Wicked: For Good
  • October 26, 2025: Savannah Film Festival, Vanguard Director Award: Jon M. Chu
  • November 3, 2025: People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey
  • November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode
  • November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: Wicked: For Good, Jon M. Chu

Wicked and Wicked: For Good have the following nominations for forthcoming awards:

  • February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards
    • Best Compilation Album for Visual Media: Wicked soundtrack
    • Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: Wicked, John Powell and Stephen Schwartz
    • Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"
    • Best Instrumental Composition: John Powell and Stephen Schwartz, "Train to the Emerald City"

October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025

Robert A Baum Jr.webp

Robert A. "Bob" Baum, great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and an important Oz scholar in his own right, passed away today at the age of 83. His generosity in sharing his family's collection and history has been a boon to Oz in many ways. Museums, documentaries, and Oz festivals and conventions have all been enhanced by Bob's donations. He was a consultant on the 1990 television movie The Dreamer of Oz, a biopic of his great-grandfather, and even recreated Frank's home office on set using items from his own collection. He served the International Wizard of Oz Club as a director and contributor to The Baum Bugle, as well as frequent convention guest. The 2022 issue of Oziana, the Club's literary magazine, was a collection of Bob Baum's fanciful stories about his family history. He and his wife, Claire, would sometimes appear at events as L. Frank and Maud Baum to tell stories about their lives. For his many contributions, he was awarded the Oz Club's highest honor, named after his great-grandfather, in 2002.

(Information courtesy Jane Albright on Facebook. Photo courtesy The Oz Wiki.)

September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025

Elaine Merk Binder, one of the last remaining actors who played a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz, passed away today at the age of 94. Born in Colorado, she appeared as an extra in several movies in the '30s, including an Our Gang short. She was one of a dozen young girls who filled in the ranks of background female Munchkins after Judy Garland's Dorothy arrives in Oz. But after 1940 she left show business, and went on to earn degrees in education and music. She appeared in the 2024 documentary series Memories of Oz, reminiscing about making the movie.

(Information courtesy Variety and IMDB.)

August 8, 2025: The Baum Bugle Spring 2025

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The latest issue of The Baum Bugle, the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way to members. This issue celebrates the release of Wicked (Part 1).

In this issue:

  • The front cover reprints the publicity shot of Wicked stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original poster design for the Wicked stage show.
  • The inside covers reprint Anton Loeb's endpaper design for the 1950 book adaptation of The Wizard of Oz.
  • The table of contents includes Mark Manley's Wicked tribute painting, "The Melting Occurred at the Thirteenth Hour".
  • In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch looks back at how the Bugle covered the path Wicked has taken from page to stage to screen, and Bugle editor Sarah K. Crotzer looks at how this issue's features came about.
  • In "The Bugle Bulletin":
    • The National Library Service (NLS) has a large collection of Oz materials for the blind and print disabled.
    • "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz contributors Jean Marsh, Stephen J. Teller, Jack Van Camp, and Sally Roesch Wagner.
  • Sarah K. Crotzer reacts to the Wicked film in "What Is This Feeling?"
  • "What the Papers Said" looks at a number of reviews of Wicked from around the world.
  • "Wicked Wares: Toys, Plushes, and Cinema Exclusives" by Jane Albright looks at a variety of Wicked movie collectibles.
  • David Diket looks at the history and evolution of Wicked Witch of the West dolls in "My Beautiful Wickedness" and "David's Timeline of Beautifully Wicked Dolls".
  • Karyl Carlson looks back at how she started creating custom Oz dolls in "The Dollmaker of Oz".
  • It's been twenty-five years since the last installment, but Carl Rexroad continues his look at political cartoons themed around The Wizard of Oz in "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 1: 125 Years Later, The Wizard of Oz Still Drives Political Debate".
  • William STillman looks at the history of one of the bestselling Oz adaptations in "75 Years of Anton Loeb's The Wizard of Oz".
  • In "Oz in the Arts", Robert Lamont reviews the recent Broadway revival of The Wiz (now on tour).
  • In "The Bugle Review":
  • Michael Gessel remembers a recently deceased long-time Oz fan in "The Lifelong Scholar: Stephen J. Teller's Journey from Kansas to Oz".
  • The back cover shows the Tonner Doll versions of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West.

Also included with this issue:

  • This issue's Oz craft is a miniature version of the Emerald City Express train from the Wicked movie.
  • And in the final (for now?) issue of The Emerald City Gazette, the newspaper for younger Oz fans (of all ages), Bungle and Toto stroll through the Emerald Palace to ensure that those pesky nomes are finally gone for good.


July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award

This evening, Sarah K. Crotzer was presented the L. Frank Bam Memorial Award for her contributions to Oz. She has been a tireless Oz researcher and writer, with a special interest in the history of Oz games. She is also the current editor of The Baum Bugle, the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, and recently became the longest-serving editor in Club history.

Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:

  • The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:
    • First place, Jesse Jury for "Four Friends of Oz"
    • Second place, J. L. Bell for "Who's Got the Button?"
  • The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:
    • First place, Rachel Graham for "An Essential Quickening: John R. Neill and the Art of Oz"
    • Second place, Cynthia Ragni for "Project Ozma"
  • The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:
    • First place, Jime Wimmer for "Dorothy and the Cyclone"
    • Second place, Rob Lauer for "Ruth and Her Friends in Oz"

June 21, 2025: The Winkie Award

Tonight, OzCon International gave its highest honor, the Winkie Award, to Sam Milazzo. The award recognizes all of the contributions Sam has made to the convention over the past few years, with presentations, panels, and generally helping out.

May 6, 2025: The Baum Bugle Winter 2024

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It may be slipping back in the calendar a bit, but the latest issue of The Baum Bugle, the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is making its way to members' mailboxes now.

In this issue:

Also included with this issue:

  • A registration form for the 2025 editino of Oz, the National Convention in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
  • A flyer for one of the Club's latest publications, Bibliographia Baumiana.
  • This issue's craft is a melting Evillene, based on the original Broadway run of The Wiz.
  • And in the latest issue of The Oz Gazette, the newsletter for younger Oz fans (of all ages):
    • Editor-in-Chief Katie Jones, with assistance from the Head of Security the Gump, updates readers on the hunt for Nomes and the Glass Cat.
    • The Scarecrow's book column looks at other books puplished in 1924, like Grampa in Oz.
    • Based off of the article speculating what scrum might be like in The Baum Bugle, the Patchwork Girl presents the board, pieces, and rules for Camette, a simplified (for space reasons) version of the game Camelot.
    • Finally, a little bit of verse from…the Glass Cat?


May 5, 2025: Mattydale, New York, to Honor L. Frank Baum

Mattydale, New York, will honor native son L. Frank Baum and his greatest work, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, on May 17. Mattydale was the site of Baum's childhood home, Roselawn, and the city will commemorate Baum's birth and the 125th anniversary of the publication of the first Oz book with a historical marker at the site. The marker will be at 2601 Brewerton Road, which will soon be the site of a community center.A reception will be held from 1:00 to 5:00 pm at the Kreuger Funeral Home.

(Information courtesy CNYCentral.)

April 13, 2025: Jean Marsh, 1934-2025

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Jean Marsh, OBE, the lauded British actor, passed away today from complications of dementia. She was 90. Born July 1, 1934 in Stoke Newington, London, she studied dance, singing, and acting before beginning her professional career in the 1950s. Among her movies were Cleopatra, Jane Eyre (1972), Frenzy, The Eagle Has Landed, and Willow. She was probably best known for her television work, however, in shows in both the United States and the United Kingdom, including appearances in The Twilight Zone, The Saint, Doctor Who, I Spy, Adam Adamant Lives!, UFO, The Waltons, Hawaii Five-O, the 9 to 5 series, The Love Boat, Murder, She Wrote, and the 1990s revival of The Tomorrow People. But she is best known for co-creating, with Eileen Atkins, the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs, about the servants in a great house. Marsh also starred in the show as maid Rose Buck, for which she won an Emmy Award in 1975 as well as other awards. When the BBC revived the show in 2010, Marsh was the only actor to return. Marsh and Atkins also created the series House of Elliott in 1991, which she did not appear in. For her services to drama, Marsh was made a member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2012. For Oz fans, however, as well as many movie-going kids in the 1980s, she will always be known for her dual role as Nurse Wilson and Princess Mombi in the 1985 Disney film Return to Oz.

(Information courtesy the BBC and Wikipedia.)


March 18, 2025: Saliterman, Ruby Slipper Thief, Dies

Charges against Jerry Hal Saliterman, who had pled guilty to playing a part in the 2005 theft of the Ruby Slippers from the Judy Garland Museum, have been dismissed when prosecutors informed the court that he had died the day before. Saliterman's defense attorney, John Brink, confirmed the passing. The 77-year-old Saliterman had been hospitalized with lung disease and other ailments, and his most recent court appearance, in January, had been a remote feed from his hospital room. At that time, he changed his initial plea to guilty of charges of theft of a major artwork and witness tampering.

(Information courtesy The Associated Press.)

January 3, 2025: Saliterman to Plead Guilty to Hiding Ruby Slippers

Jerry Hal Saliterman, accused of theft of a major artwork and witness tampering in connection with the 2005 theft of the Ruby Slippers in Minnesota, now plans to plead guilty to the charges in a court appearance on January 10. It is not currently known how Saliterman is connected to Terry John Martin, who pled guilty to stealing the slippers in 2023. Saliterman originally pled not guilty when first charged in March of 2024, but his age (77) and poor health may have resulted in a deal that allows him to stay out of jail like Martin.

(Information courtesy U. S. News and World Reports.)

December 13, 2024: The Baum Bugle's Celebratory 200th Issue

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The Autumn 2024 issue of The Baum Bugle, the journal of the International Wizard of Oz, has come back from the printers and is on its way to members' mailboxes. This is the two hundredth issue of the Bugle, so the journal celebrates itself, for once.

In this issue:

  • The wraparound cover pays tribute to the first illustrated cover of the Bugle (for the May 1959 issue), showing many different illustrators' versions of the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman
  • The inside front cover reproduces Maxfield Parrish's cover for the January 1917 issue of Metropolitan.
  • In "Letters", Oz Club President Ryan Bunch reflects on winning the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award during a hurricane, while Bugle editor Sarah K. Krotzer looks at the production of this issue within the overall history of the journal.
  • In "The Bugle Bulletin":
    • The Club opens its archive with reprints of selected articles from past issues of The Baum Bugle.
    • The town of Salina, New York breaks ground on a new community center at the site of Rose Lawn, the Baum family estate. The center will include a Baum-themed museum.
    • Gregory Maguire's writing another book set in his version of Oz. Elphie, coming out March 25, 2025, will recount tales of the childhood of Elphaba, who will later become the Wicked Witch of the West.
    • The stolen pair of Ruby Slippers, now recovered, are on tour and will go up for auction in December.
    • The latest revival of The Wiz surpasses one hundred performances on Broadway.
    • The release of the first Wicked movie is moved up to November 22, 2024.
    • Marvelous: A Musical Opera based on The Marvelous Land of Oz premieres in Sisterville, West Virginia on April 5, 2025
    • "Beyond the Shifting Sands" recognizes the passing of Ken Page, who understudied for Ted Ross in the original Broadway production of The Wiz before taking over the role himself.
  • One of the original charter members of the International Wizard of Oz Club, Ruth Berman, looks back on how it all started in "A Gleam in Justin's Eye: Oz Club Origins".
  • In "In Search of Snow White: The Unrealized Dream of Maxfield Parrish and L. Frank Baum", Scott Cummings looks at a second Parrish-Baum collaboration that ultimately never came to be, a book and stage play of Snow White in the late 1910s.
  • Peter E. Hanff looks at how one man changed the Bugle from a humble newsletter to a comprehensive journal in "Martin's Marvels: Dick Martin's Graphical Contributions to the History of The Baum Bugle". Accompanying this article is a color supplement of Bugle covers Martin contributed to, including examples of color separations; and "A Checklist of Cover Art for The Baum Bugle by Dick Martin".
  • J. L. Bell examines the development of cartography in the Oz books in the award-winning "The Inspiring Maps of Oz".
  • "Keepers of the Record" presents reminiscences of three previous Bugle editors:
    • "A Brief Reminiscence of My Bugle Editorship, 1996-2000" by William Stillman.
    • "Notes from an Old Bugle Editor" by Michael Gessel.
    • "The Call of a Bugle—and Where It Led" by John Fricke.
  • "How It Began (Again)" looks at some mocked-up dummy pages, created by Dick Martin, for the Spring 1979 issue of the Bugle.
  • The inside back cover reproduces the earliest known map of Oz, a slide from the 1908 multimedia show The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays.

Also included with this issue:

  • The craft project is a map of Oz to color.
  • In Issue No. 20 of The Oz Gazette, the newsletter for younger Oz fans (of all ages):
    • Editor-in-Chief Katie Jones and Number Nine outline efforts to clean up the Emerald City after the Nome King's recent occupation, and reveal the Gump as the new Head of Security.
    • Polychrome reveals a puzzle where weather-related clues help you to unscramble Oz place names.
    • Scraps opines on issues of writing Oz poetry.
    • The Scarecrow gives story recommendations:
    • And throughout the issue, mysterious figures seem to be scouting out the country for nefarious purposes. But is someone scouting them out in turn?

December 7, 2024: Ruby Slippers Auction Sets New Movie Memorabilia Record

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The most notorious pair of Ruby Slippers used during production of the famous 1939 film version of The Wizard of Oz went up for auction today, and the final price shattered all records for the price paid for a piece of movie memorabilia. Of the four pairs of Ruby Slippers known to still exist, this pair, "The Traveling Shoes", were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in 2005 and recovered in 2018, when they acquired a new nickname, "The Stolen Pair". They were ultimately returned to owner Michael Shaw who decided it was time to sell them. Estimated to go for at least $3,000,000, online bidding reached $1,550,000 before live bidding on site at Heritage Auctions began. The estimate was quickly surpassed, and when bidding ended, the final bid was $28,000,000, far outpacing any previous price for movie memorabilia. With commission and other fees, the total final price paid was $32,500,000. The Ruby Slippers alone surpassed the previous record for an entire movie memorabilia auction, the $22,800,000 that Debbie Reynolds' collection was sold for in 2011.

Other Oz items available in the auction:

  • One of Margaret Hamilton's Wicked Witch of the West hats, and the only one known to carry Hamilton's name inside, earned the second highest price for an item from The Wizard of Oz, $2,930,000
  • Producer Mervyn LeRoy's script from the MGM art department, $50,000
  • The screen door from the Gale farmhouse, $37,500
  • Judy Garland's blonde wig from the first week of shooting, $30,000
  • The MGM contract for songwriters Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg, $23,125

Other items of interest at the auction included a sceen-used Jumanji board game from the eponymous movie; a crate used to hold bombs in the original 1933 version of King Kong; a hoverboard from Back to the Future II; Kevin's scarf, coat, hat, and mittens from Home Alone; Wilson, Tom Hanks' volleyball co-star in Castaway; and a screen-used golden ticket from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

(Information and image courtesy Heritage Auctions.)


Rumor Control

(Because of the many questions I am asked about possible forthcoming Oz projects or other bits of pseudo-news, I have added this section to answer some of these inquiries.)

Dorothy is in development for Prime Video, with executive producers Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, and Gina Matthews. You can see the initial report on this right here.

The latest Oz projects to be announced in Hollywood: Cheshire Crossing, the graphic novel by Andy Weir and Sarah Anderson, optioned by Amblin Partners (see this report); and an animated musical adaptation of the book Toto: The Dog-Gone Amazing Story of the Wizard of Oz, where the story is told from Toto's point of view, to be produced at Warner Bros. (see this source).

Okay, yes, word has leaked out that Warner Bros. tried to talk Robert Zemeckis into directing a remake of The Wizard of Oz, using the same screenplay as the famous 1939 Judy Garland version. Zemeckis already rejected the idea. This probably puts the idea on the back burner for a while, and based on the extreme negative reaction the idea got, I suspect it will stay there. Rumors of this have surfaced again, but appear to be the result of someone finding the old story and running it again.

It's getting harder and harder to keep up with all of the currently planned Oz movie and television projects. Bear in mind that at this stage, most of it is speculation and/or not even in pre-production, or possibly even a game of "Telephone". But here are some of the current Oz movies that could be coming to your local theater in the next few years:

  • The Road to Oz, a movie biopic about the life of L. Frank Baum and how he created Oz, starring Eddie Redmayne as Frank. (See reports here and here.)
  • Dark Oz 3-D, based on the old Caliber comic book.
  • A non-musical, faithful adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from New Line and Temple Hill.
  • The Oz Wars, which would have the witches fighting for control of the Emerald City while the Wizard leads the resistance.
  • John Boorman's animated adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz seems to be on track for release — in France. Once it's released, an English-language release will likely come out soon afterwards. (However, in a recent interview, Boorman admitted that the project has stalled due to lack of funding.)
  • Oz: Return to the Emerald City was one of two possible competing projects at Warner Bros. This original sequel may now be shopped around to other studios, or turned into a novel.
  • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, a low-budget independent production from Barnyard Studios and Used Productions. This is very much a shoestring production, which is looking for money and actors. But its Kickstarter campaign to raise the last money it needed was a success, so it may be finished soon.
  • Legend of Oz, a modern retelling of The Wizard of Oz from Valley Wind Productions in Ottawa.
  • Oz, a new telling of The Wizard of Oz.
  • A still unnamed horror movie set in the 1920s with Dorothy meeting Alice in Bedlam Asylum.
  • Young Santa., based on L. Frank Baum's book The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus and directed by Sean McNamara.
  • How the Wizard Came to Oz, based on two books by Donald Abbott.
  • Not entirely Oz, strictly speaking, but the Judy Garland biography Get Happy may be made into a movie, featuring Anne Hathaway as Garland.

And it's not limited to movies any more. In development for television:

  • Red Brick Road, a television series continuation of The Wizard of Oz in the style of Game of Thrones. The latest word is that this is being developed for the Lifetime channel.
  • Dorothy, an Oz-themed medical drama in development at CBS
  • Dorothy Must Die, in which Dorothy has returned to Oz and become a dictator, in development at the CW. This would be based on the book series of the same name.
  • Warriors of Oz, a post-apocalyptic version in development at Syfy.
  • A Wicked television miniseries, based on the original book (not the stage musical). Salma Hayak was attached to this as a producer. When last heard of, it was under development at ABC.

No, Peter Jackson is not producing or directing a billion-dollar all-CGI remake of The Wizard of Oz for Warner Bros. How do stories like this get started? Oh, maybe in stories like this...

In recent years, there have been proposals for other Oz or related projects, none of which now appear that they will get off the ground. Among them:

  • Lost in Oz, a series that was to feature Melissa George as a Kansas university student who is whisked to Oz sixty years after the events of The Wizard of Oz (The Movie) and helping to spearhead a rebellion against the new Wicked Witch of the West. Although developed for the WB and a pilot film produced, it was never picked up, nor the pilot shown. (But keep an eye out on auction sites, as a bootleg DVD sometimes shows up…)
  • A television miniseries based on Gregory Maguire's novel Wicked, with Demi Moore in the title role. (There are stories that the people developing this version later pushed their involvement into the musical version now playing on Broadway and elsewhere.)
  • The O. Z., a hip-hop flavored re-telling of The Wizard of Oz for Fox. Among the rumored Dorothy's at one point were Brandy, Mya, and the late Aaliyah. Justin Timberlake, John Leuizamo, and Little Richard were mentioned for other parts.
  • Surrender Dorothy. Drew Barrymore as Dorothy's great-granddaughter coming to Oz, and battling the Wicked Witch of the West's granddaughter. (Rumors of this recently resurfaced, but were quickly squelched. This project is dead.)
  • Somewhere starring Elizabeth Taylor as Dorothy, now a grandmother, returning to Oz. The deaths of both Taylor and developer Rod Steiger means this is unlikely to ever happen.
  • Pamela West, where the Wicked Witch is the innocent victim and Dorothy (with Toto as a pit bull) is the evil interloper.
  • The Land of Oz (not based on the book of the same name), produced by Hallmark for NBC. This eventually became the basis for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries Tin Man.
  • The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus from Circa Pictures. It's no longer listed on their website.
  • The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus from Hyde Park Entertainment and Toonz Entertainment.
  • A Bollywood adaptation of The Wizard of Oz in India.
  • A movie version of American McGee's (later cancelled) Oz video game.
  • Geoff Ryman's Was.

If progress is made on any of these projects, such as actually going into production or a release date announced, the news will be posted as quickly as possible on this page. But at this stage, any of these going into production is very unlikely. (However, Tin Man was part of this list for some time before its eventual completion and broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel.)

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