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== | ==July 25, 2026: The L. Frank Baum Memorial Award== | ||
Today, the International Wizard of Oz Club awarded its highest honor, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, to Cindy Ragni. Ragni has served the Club for many years on the Board of Directors and contributed many articles to the Club's journal, ''The Baum Bugle''. | |||
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==June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award== | |||
Although there is no OzCon International this year, its highest honor, the Winkie Award, was announced tonight. This year's honoree is Paul Dana, who has helped out the convention behind the scenes in many ways over the past few years, especially as its registrar. | |||
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==April 30, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2026== | |||
The Spring 2026 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon. | |||
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== | ==April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026== | ||
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of ''The Wizard of Oz'', passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon. | |||
([https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/valerie-lee-dead-munchkins-wizard-of-oz-our-gang-1236562703/ ''The Hollywood Reporter''].) | |||
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== | ==March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026== | ||
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated ''The Hidden Prince of Oz'' and ''Toto of Oz'' for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon. | |||
( | ([https://www.beckwithmortuary.com/obituaries/anna-maria-basom Beckwith Mortuary].) | ||
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== | ==March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026== | ||
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon. | |||
( | ([https://www.lanzafuneralhome.com/obituaries/Virginia-Wickwar?obId=47767905 Lanza Funeral Home].) | ||
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== | ==March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026== | ||
[[file:Matt_Clark.webp|right]]Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in ''Return to Oz'', passed away today at the age of 89. Clark's career spanned fifty years, and he was best known for his appearances in Westerns. Other movie roles included ''In the Heat of the Night'', ''The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean'', ''The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai Across the 8th Dimension'', ''Back to the Future Part III'', ''Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh'', and ''A Million Ways to Die in the West''. On television, he appeared in many made-for-TV movies and miniseries, and was a guest on shows that included ''Ben Casey'', ''The Rat Patrol'', ''Death Valley Days'', ''Bonanza'', ''The Waltons'', ''Kung Fu'', ''Little House on the Prairie'', ''Grace Under Fire'', ''Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'', ''Lonesome Dove'', ''The Jeff Foxworthy Show'', ''Walker: Texas Ranger'', and ''Chicago Hope''. | |||
(Information courtesy | (Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Clark_(actor) Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://oz.fandom.com/wiki/Uncle_Henry_(Novels) The Oz Wiki].) | ||
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== | ==March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026== | ||
[[file:Michael_Hague.jpeg|left]]Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator, passed away today at the age of 77. Influenced by artists such as Arthur Rakham, W. Heath Robinson, N. C. Wyeth, Howard Pyle, and Hal Foster, Hague had ambitions to become a children's book illustrator. He received his BFA in 1972 but had difficulty finding work. He eventually found work at Hallmark, where he illustrated his first book, a pop-up edition of ''Gulliver in Lilliput''. After striking out on his own, he started building a portfolio and a following. Over the course of his career, besides many original works, his works included new editions of ''Mother Goose'', ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'', ''Peter Pan'', ''The Hobbit'', ''The Wind in the Willows'', ''Beauty and the Beast'', ''The Night Before Christmas'', ''The Reluctant Dragon'', ''The Velveteen Rabbit'', ''The Secret Garden'', ''Little Women'', ''The Story of Doctor Dolittle'', ''Peter Rabbit'', ''The Nutcracker'', and tales by Aesop, Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, and Oscar Wilde. Oz fans, however, will know him for his 1989 edition of ''The Wizard of Oz''. Hague returned to the world of L. Frank Baum with a 2003 edition of ''The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus''. | |||
(Information courtesy | (Information courtesy [https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/99941-obituary-michael-hague.html ''Publishers Weekly''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hague Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy ''Publishers Weekly''.) | ||
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== | ==March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP== | ||
[[file:Lyle_Conway.webp|300 px|right]]Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating and operating many well-known movie puppets, passed away today at an undetermined age. Influenced as a child in Chicago by the television series ''Kukla, Fran and Ollie'' and the original film version of ''King Kong'', Conway attended the Art Institute of Chicago before striking out for Hollywood. After working as a social worker and toy designer, he found his way to Jim Henson and his Creature Shop, where he sculpted a new Miss Piggy Muppet for the final season of ''The Muppet Show'' and ''The Great Muppet Caper'', and created Lyle the Dog, who was named for him. He then went on to design puppets for ''The Dark Crystal'' and ''Dreamchild'' before striking out on his own. He was reunited with his old Creature Shop colleague Frank Oz, who was directing the musical film version of ''Little Shop of Horrors''. Conway designed Audrey II, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Saturn Award. He had a rare onscreen appearance in ''Blade'', and came back to the Creature Shop to design the titular characters in the film version of ''Where the Wild Things Are''. But for Oz fans, his biggest contribution was designing Jack Pumpkinhead, Billina, and the Gump for Disney's 1985 movie ''Return to Oz''. Besides operating the Gump, he also provided his voice and cast Brian Henson as the performer and voice for Jack Pumpkinhead. | |||
(Information courtesy | (Information courtesy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyle_Conway Wikipedia]. Photo courtesy [https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Lyle_Conway Muppet Wiki].) | ||
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== | ==February 2, 2026: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2025 Issue and ''Oziana'' 2025== | ||
[[ | [[file:Bbwinter25.jpg|300 px|left]]The year's final issue of ''The Baum Bugle'' is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club.<br clear=all> | ||
The | |||
In this issue: | |||
* The front cover presents frames from the newly-restored version of the 1914 movie ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'', highlighting Vivian Reed's portrayal of Ozma. | |||
* The inside front cover reproduces an illustration of Ozma and some of her friends from Dick Martin's 1984 collection ''An Oz Picture Gallery''. | |||
* "Letters" sees Oz Club President Ryan Bunch singing the praises of the community fostered by the Club, while ''Bugle'' editor Sara Krotzer talks about the influence of Ozma on culture, as well as this issue. | |||
* In "The Bugle Bulletin", more articles from the history of the ''Bugle'' are available on [https://ozclub.org/ the Club's website], and child Munchkin Elain Merk Binder is remembered in "Beyond the Shifting Sands". | |||
* "Awards and Honors" lauds Sarah Crotzer as the first sitting editor of ''The Baum Bugle'' to receive the Club's highest honor, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, in a tribute penned by her old friend Nick Campbell. | |||
* Nate Barlow learns about the ins and outs of ''His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz'' as he recounts "Restoring the Scarecrow, or How I Learned to Stop Dreaming and Restore a Film". | |||
* Entomologist JoVonn G. Hill explains how he named a newly-discovered bright green Mexican grasshopper ''Ozmacris peninsulae'', after Ozma's transformation in ''Ozma of Oz'' in the article "The Emerald Grasshopper of Baja". | |||
* Leighton Suen looks at Ozma as a transgender icon in "Born a Girl, and Also a Princess", the 2024 winner of the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction. | |||
* English castles in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpgtvnMy5R0&t=156s Kent], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSFyCVFph5c Oxfordshire], and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3oNpaTFjrs&t=159s North Yorkshire] incorporate ''The Wizard of Oz'' into their Christmas celebration, and the ''Bugle'' has photos to prove it. | |||
* Cynthia Twohy Ragni takes a look at astronomical history in "Project Ozma, the First Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence", the 2025 runner-up for the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction. | |||
* In "Oz Under Scrutiny", Scott Cummings collects reviews of ''The Lost King of Oz'', celebrating its centennial in 2025. | |||
* A reprint of a 1926 profile of Ruth Plumly Thompson from ''The Guide to Nature''. | |||
* "Coming and Going" by Sarah Krotzer has tidbits about ''The Lost King of Oz''. | |||
* Barbara Arnstein has a holiday surprise in "Halloween Oz Magic: An Ozzy Encounter". | |||
* A new Oz artist answers questions in "Puffin Along the Yellow Brick Road: An Interview with Steven Lenton". | |||
* "Oz in the Arts" sees Toby Sutton-Long visiting the holiday presentation at Blenheim Castle in Oxfordshire. | |||
* In "The Bugle Review": | |||
** [https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0241736528/270 ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''], ''The Marvellous Land of Oz'', and ''Ozma of Oz'', newly illustrated by Steven Lenton, reviewed by Nick Campbell. | |||
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CVBVH1LP/thewonderwizardo/ ''Dorothy's Friends from Oz''] by Robert J. Evans and illustrated by Jhunny Moralde. | |||
** [Dunkiton_Press ''Dunkiton Press'' #33: Swinderella] by Ruth Plumly Thompson and edited by Ruth Berman. | |||
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9G6T1DD/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Hidden Magic of Oz: An Untold Story of Courage, Truth, and Cheese''] by Richard L. Baum and L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Leopé. | |||
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DHH39DBN/thewonderwizardo/ ''Margaret Hamilton: From Cleveland, Ohio to the Land of Oz''] by Don Billie. | |||
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DPY36JJT/thewonderwizardo/ ''Meadowfoam of Oz''] by Josie Ann Tyler. | |||
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0D9YMFWKD/thewonderwizardo/ ''Prisoners of Oz''] by David M. Keyes. | |||
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DQ428V3C/thewonderwizardo/ ''Toto and the Cheshire of Oz''] by Ron Glick. | |||
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0CL3BP76V/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Wizard of Oz: The Official Cookbook''] by Elizabeth Fish, Elena P. Craig, and Emma Carlson Berne. | |||
* "Adventures in Oz" sees Gregory Hall writing about his latest composition in "''Marvelous: A Musical Opera'': Our Sequel to Oz". | |||
* In "Jack Van Camp: Bringing Stability and Celebration to Oz", John Fricke remembers the recently deceased past Treasurer and board member of the International Wizard of Oz Club and 1981 laureate of the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award. | |||
* The inside back cover reproduces the original art, without words, of Steven Lenton's new Oz book covers. | |||
* The back cover is a painting of Ozma by Vincent Myrand. | |||
Also included with this issue is the Club's latest craft project, an Ozma paper doll. | |||
[[file:Oziana_2025.jpg|400 px|right]]Also available now is the 2025 issue of ''Oziana'', the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through [https://www.lulu.com/shop/jl-bell-and-scott-b-blanke-and-nathan-m-dehoff-and-catherine-lombardi/oziana-2025/paperback/product-v8m6mke.html?page=1&pageSize=4 Lulu.com]. In this issue: | |||
* The front cover illustration is by Rob Lauer. | |||
* Opposite the table of contents is "Tales of the Land of Oz", an illustration by Stephen Smith. | |||
* "The Royal Joust of Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, sees a new spell cast on Prince Corum, turning him back into Sir Hokus of Pokes. Only winning a joust can restore him, but he's going to need help from his friends in the Emerald City. | |||
* "The Piglets and the Tin Soldier" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Valentin, has Captain Fyter escorting the Nine Tiny Piglets back to their old family farm in the Munchkin Country. Of course, it's not as smooth going as anyone suspects. | |||
* "The Low Mare of Oz" by Nathan DeHoff, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, shows a visit by Betsy Bobbin and Hank to Troth to see real horses in Oz. They end up encountering many other Oz horses along the way. | |||
* "The Tin Man of Oz in Where's My Oil Can?", written and drawn by Mel Vavaroutsos, shows how the Scarecrow helped Nick Chopper solve a personal problem. | |||
* "The Missing Key" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Lee Ingersoll, finds Tik-Tok's key missing, and he can't think, talk, or move until it can be found. Naturally, it's not as easy as his friends think it will be. | |||
* "The Bricks" by Catherine Lombardi, with illustrations by Bridget Elmore, sees Phil, a bricklayer on the Yellow Brick Road, tell the story of how he saved the Tin Woodman from a horrible fate. | |||
* In "A Catastrophic Celebration in Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, illustrated by Mel Vavarounsos, Dr. Pipt and Margolotte throw a small party to celebrate the anniversary of her coming back to life after being doused with the Liquid of Petrifaction. But during the course of events, an old bottle of the liquid is unearthed, and it spills on Ozma, the Wizard, and the Sawhorse! | |||
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==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue== | |||
[[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. | |||
In this issue: | In this issue: | ||
* The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British ''Return to Oz'' jigsaw puzzle. | |||
* A Wicked | * The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of ''Return to Oz'' in June of 1985. | ||
* The | * In "Letters", Oz Club President and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of ''Return to Oz''. | ||
** | * In "The ''Bugle'' Bulletin: | ||
** | ** The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress. | ||
** The | ** Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, ''It's Dorothy!'' around the film festival circuit. | ||
** " | ** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries: | ||
** | *** Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right. | ||
** | *** Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes. | ||
*** Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included ''Return to Oz''. | |||
* Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from ''Return to Oz'' in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh". | |||
* Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of ''Return to Oz'' at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories". | |||
* Original ''Return to Oz'' reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of ''Return to Oz''". | |||
* Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug". | |||
* Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous ''Bugle'' checklists with "The Ultimate ''Return to Oz'' Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert. | |||
* Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with ''The Wizard of Oz''". | |||
* Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of ''The Wizard of Oz on Ice'' in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice". | |||
* Noted in "The Bugle Review": | |||
** [https://cloverpress.us/collections/prose-books/products/oz-collection-kabumpo-in-oz ''Kabumpo in Oz'' by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard] and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway. | |||
** [https://scriveningspress.com/book/a-hundred-magical-reasons/ ''A Hundred Magical Reasons'' by Laura DeNooyer], reviewed by J. L. Bell. | |||
** [https://insighteditions.com/products/wicked-grimmerie-collectible-hardcover-journal ''Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal''], reviewed by Atticus Gannaway. | |||
** Three games in which Oz characters appear: [https://www.amazon.com/Lookout-Games-LK0101-Gingerbread-House/dp/B07JH62HXN ''Gingerbread House''], [https://horribleguild.com/eu/product/similo-fables/ ''Similo: Fables''], and [https://gamefound.com/en/projects/gabe-barrett/storybook-saga-solo-game-of-the-month ''Storybook Saga''], all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer. | |||
* The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for ''Return to Oz'' merchandise from Nakajima Toys. | |||
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with. | |||
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==''Wicked'', ''Wicked: For Good'', and ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' 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 [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. | |||
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 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees) | |||
* November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: ''Wicked: For Good'', Jon M. Chu | |||
* December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year) | |||
* December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten) | |||
* December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good'' | |||
* December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: ''Wicked: For Good'', Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould | |||
* December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, ''Wicked: For Good'' | |||
* December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: ''Wicked: For Good'' | |||
* December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association | |||
** Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande | |||
** Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble" | |||
* December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE) | |||
* January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande | |||
* January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott | |||
* February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo | |||
* February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity" | |||
* February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo | |||
* February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu | |||
* February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell | |||
* February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell | |||
* February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales | |||
* February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo | |||
* March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards | |||
** Best Fantasy Film: ''Wicked: For Good'' | |||
** Best 4K Home Media Release: ''Wicked'' | |||
* March 10, 2025: Queerties | |||
** Badass: Johnathan Bailey | |||
** Drama Movie: ''Wicked: For Good'' | |||
** Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, ''Wicked: For Good'' | |||
The television concert special ''Wicked: One Wonderful Night'' received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards: | |||
* Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded) | |||
* Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I") | |||
* Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus) | |||
* Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special | |||
* Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special | |||
* Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program | |||
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14. | |||
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==October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025== | |||
[[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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== | ==September 21, 2025: Elaine Merk Binder, 1930-2025== | ||
The | 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 [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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== | ==August 8, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2025== | ||
[[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). | |||
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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==Rumor Control== | ==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.) | (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.) | ||
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Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works: | |||
* [https://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3919064/return-to-oz-with-gale-yellow-brick-road-poster-by-creepy-duck-design-exclusive/ ''Gale: Yellow Brick Road''], about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026. | |||
* ''Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz'' is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release. | |||
* ''Wicked of Oz'' was announced for a release right before ''Wicked: For Good'', but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release. | |||
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page. | |||
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''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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*''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 | *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 17:18, 26 July 2026
(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.)
(For more Oz news, check out The Daily Ozmopolitan. For the latest Oz not-quite-news, see the Rumor Control section of this page.)
July 25, 2026: The L. Frank Baum Memorial Award
Today, the International Wizard of Oz Club awarded its highest honor, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, to Cindy Ragni. Ragni has served the Club for many years on the Board of Directors and contributed many articles to the Club's journal, The Baum Bugle.
June 20, 2026: The Winkie Award
Although there is no OzCon International this year, its highest honor, the Winkie Award, was announced tonight. This year's honoree is Paul Dana, who has helped out the convention behind the scenes in many ways over the past few years, especially as its registrar.
April 30, 2026: The Baum Bugle Spring 2026
The Spring 2026 issue of The Baum Bugle, the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, has now been published and is on its way to members' mailboxes around the world. We will have a complete rundown of this issue soon.
April 13, 2026: Valerie Lee, 1931-2026
Valerie Lee, who was one of the children who played a Munchkin in the background of The Wizard of Oz, passed away today at the age of 94. We will have updated information soon.
March 22, 2026: Anna-Maria Cool 1956-2026
Anna-Maria Bernardes Basom, the comics artist who worked using the name Anna-Maria B. Cool, passed away today after losing a battle with cancer. She was 69. She also illustrated The Hidden Prince of Oz and Toto of Oz for the International Wizard of Oz Club. We will have updated information soon.
March 16, 2026: Gina Wickwar 1944-2026
Virginia "Gina" Wickwar, the author of two Oz books for the International Wizard of Oz Club and a long-time Club contributor, passed away today at the age of 81. We will have updated information here soon.
March 15, 2026: Matt Clark, 1936-2026
Matt Clark, the actor whose many roles included Uncle Henry in Return to Oz, passed away today at the age of 89. Clark's career spanned fifty years, and he was best known for his appearances in Westerns. Other movie roles included In the Heat of the Night, The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai Across the 8th Dimension, Back to the Future Part III, Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh, and A Million Ways to Die in the West. On television, he appeared in many made-for-TV movies and miniseries, and was a guest on shows that included Ben Casey, The Rat Patrol, Death Valley Days, Bonanza, The Waltons, Kung Fu, Little House on the Prairie, Grace Under Fire, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Lonesome Dove, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Walker: Texas Ranger, and Chicago Hope.
(Information courtesy Wikipedia. Photo courtesy The Oz Wiki.)
March 13, 2026: Michael Hague, 1948-2026
Michael Hague, the acclaimed fantasy illustrator, passed away today at the age of 77. Influenced by artists such as Arthur Rakham, W. Heath Robinson, N. C. Wyeth, Howard Pyle, and Hal Foster, Hague had ambitions to become a children's book illustrator. He received his BFA in 1972 but had difficulty finding work. He eventually found work at Hallmark, where he illustrated his first book, a pop-up edition of Gulliver in Lilliput. After striking out on his own, he started building a portfolio and a following. Over the course of his career, besides many original works, his works included new editions of Mother Goose, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Peter Pan, The Hobbit, The Wind in the Willows, Beauty and the Beast, The Night Before Christmas, The Reluctant Dragon, The Velveteen Rabbit, The Secret Garden, Little Women, The Story of Doctor Dolittle, Peter Rabbit, The Nutcracker, and tales by Aesop, Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, and Oscar Wilde. Oz fans, however, will know him for his 1989 edition of The Wizard of Oz. Hague returned to the world of L. Frank Baum with a 2003 edition of The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus.
(Information courtesy Publishers Weekly and Wikipedia. Photo courtesy Publishers Weekly.)
March 4, 2026: Lyle Conway, RIP
Lyle Conway, the puppeteer whose work with Jim Henson included creating and operating many well-known movie puppets, passed away today at an undetermined age. Influenced as a child in Chicago by the television series Kukla, Fran and Ollie and the original film version of King Kong, Conway attended the Art Institute of Chicago before striking out for Hollywood. After working as a social worker and toy designer, he found his way to Jim Henson and his Creature Shop, where he sculpted a new Miss Piggy Muppet for the final season of The Muppet Show and The Great Muppet Caper, and created Lyle the Dog, who was named for him. He then went on to design puppets for The Dark Crystal and Dreamchild before striking out on his own. He was reunited with his old Creature Shop colleague Frank Oz, who was directing the musical film version of Little Shop of Horrors. Conway designed Audrey II, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Saturn Award. He had a rare onscreen appearance in Blade, and came back to the Creature Shop to design the titular characters in the film version of Where the Wild Things Are. But for Oz fans, his biggest contribution was designing Jack Pumpkinhead, Billina, and the Gump for Disney's 1985 movie Return to Oz. Besides operating the Gump, he also provided his voice and cast Brian Henson as the performer and voice for Jack Pumpkinhead.
(Information courtesy Wikipedia. Photo courtesy Muppet Wiki.)
February 2, 2026: The Baum Bugle Winter 2025 Issue and Oziana 2025
The year's final issue of The Baum Bugle is back from the printers and off to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club.
In this issue:
- The front cover presents frames from the newly-restored version of the 1914 movie His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz, highlighting Vivian Reed's portrayal of Ozma.
- The inside front cover reproduces an illustration of Ozma and some of her friends from Dick Martin's 1984 collection An Oz Picture Gallery.
- "Letters" sees Oz Club President Ryan Bunch singing the praises of the community fostered by the Club, while Bugle editor Sara Krotzer talks about the influence of Ozma on culture, as well as this issue.
- In "The Bugle Bulletin", more articles from the history of the Bugle are available on the Club's website, and child Munchkin Elain Merk Binder is remembered in "Beyond the Shifting Sands".
- "Awards and Honors" lauds Sarah Crotzer as the first sitting editor of The Baum Bugle to receive the Club's highest honor, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, in a tribute penned by her old friend Nick Campbell.
- Nate Barlow learns about the ins and outs of His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz as he recounts "Restoring the Scarecrow, or How I Learned to Stop Dreaming and Restore a Film".
- Entomologist JoVonn G. Hill explains how he named a newly-discovered bright green Mexican grasshopper Ozmacris peninsulae, after Ozma's transformation in Ozma of Oz in the article "The Emerald Grasshopper of Baja".
- Leighton Suen looks at Ozma as a transgender icon in "Born a Girl, and Also a Princess", the 2024 winner of the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.
- English castles in Kent, Oxfordshire, and North Yorkshire incorporate The Wizard of Oz into their Christmas celebration, and the Bugle has photos to prove it.
- Cynthia Twohy Ragni takes a look at astronomical history in "Project Ozma, the First Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence", the 2025 runner-up for the C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction.
- In "Oz Under Scrutiny", Scott Cummings collects reviews of The Lost King of Oz, celebrating its centennial in 2025.
- A reprint of a 1926 profile of Ruth Plumly Thompson from The Guide to Nature.
- "Coming and Going" by Sarah Krotzer has tidbits about The Lost King of Oz.
- Barbara Arnstein has a holiday surprise in "Halloween Oz Magic: An Ozzy Encounter".
- A new Oz artist answers questions in "Puffin Along the Yellow Brick Road: An Interview with Steven Lenton".
- "Oz in the Arts" sees Toby Sutton-Long visiting the holiday presentation at Blenheim Castle in Oxfordshire.
- In "The Bugle Review":
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Marvellous Land of Oz, and Ozma of Oz, newly illustrated by Steven Lenton, reviewed by Nick Campbell.
- Dorothy's Friends from Oz by Robert J. Evans and illustrated by Jhunny Moralde.
- [Dunkiton_Press Dunkiton Press #33: Swinderella] by Ruth Plumly Thompson and edited by Ruth Berman.
- The Hidden Magic of Oz: An Untold Story of Courage, Truth, and Cheese by Richard L. Baum and L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Leopé.
- Margaret Hamilton: From Cleveland, Ohio to the Land of Oz by Don Billie.
- Meadowfoam of Oz by Josie Ann Tyler.
- Prisoners of Oz by David M. Keyes.
- Toto and the Cheshire of Oz by Ron Glick.
- The Wizard of Oz: The Official Cookbook by Elizabeth Fish, Elena P. Craig, and Emma Carlson Berne.
- "Adventures in Oz" sees Gregory Hall writing about his latest composition in "Marvelous: A Musical Opera: Our Sequel to Oz".
- In "Jack Van Camp: Bringing Stability and Celebration to Oz", John Fricke remembers the recently deceased past Treasurer and board member of the International Wizard of Oz Club and 1981 laureate of the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award.
- The inside back cover reproduces the original art, without words, of Steven Lenton's new Oz book covers.
- The back cover is a painting of Ozma by Vincent Myrand.
Also included with this issue is the Club's latest craft project, an Ozma paper doll.
Also available now is the 2025 issue of Oziana, the Club's annual literary anthology. It is available for sale to anyone, even if they're not a member of the Club, through Lulu.com. In this issue:
- The front cover illustration is by Rob Lauer.
- Opposite the table of contents is "Tales of the Land of Oz", an illustration by Stephen Smith.
- "The Royal Joust of Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, sees a new spell cast on Prince Corum, turning him back into Sir Hokus of Pokes. Only winning a joust can restore him, but he's going to need help from his friends in the Emerald City.
- "The Piglets and the Tin Soldier" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Valentin, has Captain Fyter escorting the Nine Tiny Piglets back to their old family farm in the Munchkin Country. Of course, it's not as smooth going as anyone suspects.
- "The Low Mare of Oz" by Nathan DeHoff, with illustrations by Rob Lauer, shows a visit by Betsy Bobbin and Hank to Troth to see real horses in Oz. They end up encountering many other Oz horses along the way.
- "The Tin Man of Oz in Where's My Oil Can?", written and drawn by Mel Vavaroutsos, shows how the Scarecrow helped Nick Chopper solve a personal problem.
- "The Missing Key" by J. L. Bell, illustrated by David Lee Ingersoll, finds Tik-Tok's key missing, and he can't think, talk, or move until it can be found. Naturally, it's not as easy as his friends think it will be.
- "The Bricks" by Catherine Lombardi, with illustrations by Bridget Elmore, sees Phil, a bricklayer on the Yellow Brick Road, tell the story of how he saved the Tin Woodman from a horrible fate.
- In "A Catastrophic Celebration in Oz" by Scott B. Blanke, illustrated by Mel Vavarounsos, Dr. Pipt and Margolotte throw a small party to celebrate the anniversary of her coming back to life after being doused with the Liquid of Petrifaction. But during the course of events, an old bottle of the liquid is unearthed, and it spills on Ozma, the Wizard, and the Sawhorse!
November 13, 2025: The Baum Bugle Autumn 2025 Issue
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.
In this issue:
- The wraparound front cover reproduces the art, by Josh Kirby, for a 1985 British Return to Oz jigsaw puzzle.
- The inside front cover has photos, taken by Tricia Trozzi, of the New York premiere of Return to Oz in June of 1985.
- In "Letters", Oz Club President and Bugle editor Sarah K. Crotzer discuss their encounters and memories of Return to Oz.
- In "The Bugle Bulletin:
- The only known manuscript of "Over the Rainbow" is now in the Library of Congress.
- Documentarian Jeffrey McHale is taking his latest movie, It's Dorothy! around the film festival circuit.
- "Beyond the Shifting Sands" remembers recently passed Oz luminaries:
- Robert A. Baum, Jr., the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum and a noted Oz scholar and historian in his own right.
- Dr. Richard R. Rutter, a major collector and Winkie Convention attendee, who was especially known for his extravagant Oz costumes.
- Drew Struzan, the celebrated movie poster artist whose works included Return to Oz.
- Sarah K. Crotzer looks back at the life and career of the actress known in Oz circles as Princess Mombi from Return to Oz in "So…! The Many Heads of Jean Marsh".
- Tricia Trozzi looks back at what she was doing on June 21, 1985—attending the gala premiere of Return to Oz at Radio City Music Hall—in "Movie Memories".
- Original Return to Oz reviews are collected in "What the Papers Said: 1985 Edition, A Collection of Contemporaneous Media Opinions of Return to Oz".
- Robert B. Luehrs contemplates one of L. Frank Baum's earlier characters in "The Pundit of Oz: Some Random Thoughts Concerning the Woggle-Bug".
- Sarah K. Crotzer updates previous Bugle checklists with "The Ultimate Return to Oz Merchandise Checklist", a full-color insert.
- Carl Rexroad continues on from an article in a previous issue with "The Editorial Cartoons of Oz, Part 2: Modern Times with The Wizard of Oz".
- Jane Albright peeks behind the curtain of the latest iteration of The Wizard of Oz on Ice in "Melt the Witch, Not the Ice".
- Noted in "The Bugle Review":
- Kabumpo in Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson, newly illustrated by Sara Richard and reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.
- A Hundred Magical Reasons by Laura DeNooyer, reviewed by J. L. Bell.
- Wicked: The Grimmerie Collectible Hardcover Journal, reviewed by Atticus Gannaway.
- Three games in which Oz characters appear: Gingerbread House, Similo: Fables, and Storybook Saga, all reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.
- The inside back cover reprints a 1985 Japanese ad for Return to Oz merchandise from Nakajima Toys.
Also included with this issue is the card game Don't Wear Mombi's Head, a set of cards to color, cut out, and play with.
Wicked, Wicked: For Good, and Wicked: One Wonderful Night 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 18, 2025: British GQ Man of the Year: Cynthia Erivo (one of eighteen honorees)
- November 19, 2025: Hollywood Music in Media Awards, Music Themed Film, Biopic, or Musical: Wicked: For Good, Jon M. Chu
- December 3, 2025: National Board of Review: Top 10 Films (one of ten, but not Film of the Year)
- December 4, 2025: American Film Institute Awards: Top 10 Films (one of ten)
- December 9, 2025: African-American Film Critics Association, Top Ten Films of the Year: Wicked: For Good
- December 11, 2025: Astra Film Awards, Best Visual Effects: Wicked: For Good, Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Anthony Smith, Dale Newton, and Paul Corbould
- December 15, 2025: San Diego Film Critics Society, Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell, Wicked: For Good
- December 19, 2025: Las Vegas Film Critics Society, Top Ten Films of the Year: Wicked: For Good
- December 28, 2025: Iowa Film Critics Association
- Best Supporting Actress: Ariana Grande
- Best Song, "The Girl in the Bubble"
- December 29, 2025: The King's New Year's Honours List: Cynthia Erivo is named a Member of the British Empire (MBE)
- January 9, 2026: Astra Film Awards, Best Supporting Actress—Comedy or Musical: Ariana Grande
- January 16, 2026: American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts Awards, Choreography: Christopher Scott
- February 1, 2026: London Film Critics' Circle, Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation: Cynthia Erivo
- February 1, 2026: The Grammy Awards, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, "Defying Gravity"
- February 8, 2026: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Kirk Douglas Award: Cynthia Erivo
- February 9, 2026: The Lumiere Awards, the Judy Garland Award: Jon M. Chu
- February 12, 2026: Costume Designers Guild Awards, Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: Paul Tazewell
- February 16, 2026: Black Reel Awards, Outstanding Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
- February 21, 2026: Set Decorators Society of America Awards, Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Comedy or Musical Feature Film: Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales
- February 28, 2026: NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Cynthia Erivo
- March 8, 2026: The Saturn Awards
- Best Fantasy Film: Wicked: For Good
- Best 4K Home Media Release: Wicked
- March 10, 2025: Queerties
- Badass: Johnathan Bailey
- Drama Movie: Wicked: For Good
- Film Performance: Cynthia Erivo, Wicked: For Good
The television concert special Wicked: One Wonderful Night received six nominations for the 78th Prime Time Emmy Awards:
- Outstanding Variety Special (Prerecorded)
- Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (Christopher Scott, "The Wizard and I")
- Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Oremus)
- Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special
- Outstanding Technical Design and Camera Work for a Special
- Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program
The Emmy Awards will be presented on September 14.
October 8, 2025: Robert A. Baum, 1942-2025
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
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":
- Elphie: A Wicked Childhood by Gregory Maguire, reviewed by Alan Wise.
- The blu-ray release of Wicked, reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.
- Adventules in Oz: Campaign Setting and Beasts & Beings role-playing campaign books, reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.
- 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.
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.)
Three horror-themed takes on Oz are currently in the works:
- Gale: Yellow Brick Road, about Dorothy's granddaughter Emily being drawn into a nightmare version of Oz, had a limited release in February 2026.
- Dorothy: The Haunting of Oz is in post-production and looking for a 2026 release.
- Wicked of Oz was announced for a release right before Wicked: For Good, but was quietly withdrawn and is now awaiting another possible release.
If any of these go into general release, they'll appear on this website's events page.
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.)
