Oz News: Difference between revisions

From OzWiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
 
(244 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 8: Line 8:
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center>
<center>[[File:colorbar.gif]]</center>


==September 21, 2022: Jonathan Bailey Cast as Fiyero in the ''Wicked'' Movies==
==November 13, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Autumn 2025 Issue==
Jonathan Bailey, the British actor best known for playing Viscount Anthony Bridgerton in the ''Bridgerton'' television series on Netflix, has been cast as Fiyero in the ''Wicked'' movies. Director Jon M. Chu [https://twitter.com/jonmchu/status/1572692070695047169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1572692070695047169%7Ctwgr%5E3ed78e75172d8523edb526b5363777e71cb8b2db%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fplaybill.com%2Farticle%2Fjonathan-bailey-will-play-fiyero-in-wicked-film tweeted] today, "He’s perfect, they’re perfect. They’d be perfect together. Born to be forever… I am too excited to pretend this hasn’t been happening. We have a Fiyero!!!!" alongside a picture of Bailey. He joins Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Galinda. in the two-part movie adaptation of the hit musical. Part 1 will be released for the 2024 holiday season, and part 2 comes out in 2025.
[[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.


(Information courtesy of [https://variety.com/2022/film/news/jonathan-bailey-wicked-movies-fiyero-1235343153/ ''Variety''].)
<br clear=all>
 
----
 
==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].)
 
----
 
==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 [https://variety.com/2025/film/news/elaine-merk-binder-dead-munchkin-wizard-of-oz-1236525749/ ''Variety''] and [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5285756/ IMDB].)
 
----
 
==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.
 
<br clear=all>


----
----


==September 19, 2022: ''The Baum Bugle'', Autumn 2022 Issue==
==''Wicked'' and ''Wicked: For Good'' Accolades and Awards==
The latest issue of '' The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is back from the printers and in mailboxes, on its way to members. Stay tuned for updates to this item to find out what's inside.
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 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accolades_received_by_Wicked_(2024_film) the Wikipedia page] 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 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"
* 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.)
* November 3, 2025: ''People'' Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey
* November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode


----
----


==August 6, 2022: The Oz Club Awards==
==July 19, 2025: Crotzer Wins L. Frank Baum Memorial Award==
The International Wizard of Oz Club presented its annual awards tonight, honoring excellence in writing and art, as well as its highest 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.
* The Frederick E. Otto Prize for original Oz fiction went to Suren Oganessian for the story "A Rotten Pumpkin", with J. L. Bell's "Glinda and the Glass Cat" being awarded the runner-up prize.
 
* The Warren C. Hollister Prize for non-fiction went to Ashley Fletcher for the essay "The True Power of the Ruby Slippers".
Also presented tonight were the Club's annual prizes for writing and art. This year's winners are:
* The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for art went to Ashley Fletcher for "The Rulers of the Game", with second place going to David Valentin for "Wogglebug College".
* The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:
* And the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, the highest honor an Oz fan can receive, went to Sean Patrick Duffley, Oz scholar extraordinaire and former Editor-in-Chief of the Club's journal, ''The Baum Bugle''.
** 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"


----
----


==July 15, 2022: The Winkie Award==
==June 21, 2025: The Winkie Award==
Tonight, OzCon International presented its highest honor, the Winkie Award, to Herm Bieber. Herm has contributed to many OzCons of the past, including materials and presentations on rare Oz books and Baumiana, as well as participating in many costume contests, and selling books in the dealers' room.
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 13, 2022: ''The Baum Bugle'' Spring 2022 issue==
==May 6, 2025: ''The Baum Bugle'' Winter 2024==
Even though the calendar says today is Friday the thirteenth, it's a lucky day for members of the International Wizard of Oz Club as the latest issue of the Club's journal, ''The Baum Bugle'', has started arriving in members' mailboxes.
[[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:
In this issue:
* The front cover (technical issues prevent it from being shown here) shows an altered version of Frank Kramer's front cover for ''The Shaggy Man of Oz'' in which Shaggy is not greeting the King of the Fairy Beavers, but Father Goose.
* All four covers celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of ''The Wiz'':
* The inside front cover features the cover art for the July 1898 cover of Baum's magazine ''The Show Window'', drawn by Harry Otis Kennedy.
** 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].
* As always, "Letters" features musings from Club President Jane Albright, and ''Bugle'' editor Sarah K. Crotzer giving a peek at the issue and what went into it.
** 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].
* News items in "The Bugle Bulletin":
** The inside back cover features production art for the play by Tom John.
** The opening of [https://www.wizardofozflorida.com/ a new Oz museum in Cape Canavela, Florida].
** 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.
** A new Oz-themed coffee shop in Tempe, Arizona, [https://www.brickroadtempe.com/ Brick Road Coffee].
* 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.
** A new [https://youtu.be/W3rBOBB0068 Oz-themed ad for the Turner Classic Movies channel].
* News items highlighted in "The Bugle Bulletin":
** Whoops! A report from last issue turns out to be false, as the dancer claiming his show was a tribute to his uncle, Ray Bolger, isn't related to Bolger at all.
** ''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].
** Ariana DeBose, who featured as the Scarecrow on the cover and in an article in the Spring 2020 issue of ''The Baum Bugle'', won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for playing Anita in the remake of ''West Side Story''.
** The latest auction of a pair of Ruby Slippers shatters all records for the price paid for any kind of movie memorabilia.
** "Beyond the Shifting Sands" commemorates the passing of 1997 Madison Square Garden ''Wizard of Oz'' Munchkin actress Wendy Coates; "Munchkin by Marriage" Mary Ellen St. Aubin, widow of original MGM movie Munchkin Parnell St. Aubin and a frequent guest at Oz festivals; [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Walton Tony Walton], who won Oscars, Emmys, and Tonys for his scenic and costume designs, and was Oscar nominated for his costume design and art direction on the 1978 film version of ''The Wiz''; and Club members Robert Olyn Bryant, Russ Chappell, Ron Lepanto, David Moyer, John Spruhan, and Bryl Ward.
** 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].
** "Through the Tube!" found these Oz clips on YouTube:
** Recently passed Oz contributors remembered in "Beyond the Shifting Sands":
*** [https://youtu.be/779P6lJeb-8 The disco version of ''The Wizard of Oz'' soundtrack by Meco used to recreate the story with puppets].
*** [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''.
*** Puppetworks, Inc.'s marionette production of ''The Wizard of Oz'' (which has since been removed).
*** Legendary composer and arranger Quincy Jones, who was an instrumental part of how ''The Wiz'' sounded in movie theaters.
*** Behind the scenes with [https://youtu.be/gAYAn3YpcLM the Hope Mill Theatre's production of ''The Wiz''].
* "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.
* Michael Gessel introduces "The Missing Chapters of''The Shaggy Man of Oz''", which included Dorothy's adventure with Father Goose, the title character of L. Frank Baum's first bestseller, as well as an episode with the Crystal People.
* "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''.
* Sarah K. Crotzer presents the first part of her interview with Janet K. Lee, the artist of the new graphic novel reinterpretations, [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0451480171/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Sea Sirens''] and [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0451480244/thewonderwizardo/''Sky Island''], in "Poppies and Tall Crowns".
* "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!)
* Crotzer also looks at the history of board games and their culmination in 1921's ''The Wonderful Game of Oz'' in the first part of "20th Century Racing Board Games of Oz".
* "The ''Wiz'' That Was" by Sarah K. Crotzer looks at ''The Wiz'' costumes held by the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
* In "Collector's Corner", W. Neal Thompson looks at the career and works of Harry Otis Kennedy, who illustrated L. Frank Baum's ''The Army Alphabet'' and ''The Navy Alphabet''.
* Crotzer also considers Grampa's game leg and the game you play with it in "A Few Inessential Thoughts About the Game of Scrum".
* "Oz in the Arts" sees Mark Manley reviewing ''The Wiz'' at the Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester, England.
* "Coming and Going" looks at a few short thoughts about ''Grampa in Oz''.
* Manley also interviewed Hope Mill Theatre musical director Seth Green and actor Cameron Bernard Jones (who played The Wiz himself) about their production of ''The Wiz''.
* "Oz Under Scrutiny", once again compiled by Scott Cummings, looks at what the press of 1924 thought of ''Grampa in Oz''.
* Michael Patrick Hearn found a different final panel for the ''Wonderland of Oz'' comic strip's adaptation of ''The Lost Princess of Oz'', which he first reported on in 2017.
* 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.
* Books featured in "The Bugle Review":
* 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".
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0789341018/thewonderwizardo/ ''The Art of Oz'' by Gabriel Gale and John Fricke], reviewed by Brady Schwind.
* "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.
** [https://www.lulu.com/shop/l-frank-baum/the-maid-of-arran/paperback/product-j8kymj.html?q=The+Maid+of+Arran&page=1&pageSize=4 ''The Maid of Arran'' by L. Frank Baum], the first publication of Baum's first play in book form, with many extras about the show and Baum's theatrical career.
* New products presented in "The Bugle Review":
* In "Adventures in Oz", Fred Barton looks back on his one (wo)man show, [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0057AMTK2/thewonderwizardo/ ''Miss Gulch Returns''].
** [https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0DVQSJLLX/thewonderwizardo/ ''After Oz'' by Gordon McAlpine], reviewed by Mike Penick
* The inside back cover features the color cover for the instruction booklet from the earliest edition of ''The Wonderful Game of Oz'' and the game's record at the Copyright Office.
** [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.
* The back cover shows Janet K. Lee's original cover design for ''Sea Sirens''.
** [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''.


Other items that were sent out with this issue of ''The Baum Bugle'':
Also included with this issue:
* "Oz! Online", a four-page flyer about the features and benefits of [https://www.ozclub.org/ the Club's website], including some only available to members.
* 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.
* Some of the items available to buy in the Club's shop.
* A flyer for one of the Club's latest publications, [https://www.ozclub.org/product/bibliographia-baumiana/ ''Bibliographia Baumiana''].
* A flyer for the 2022 National Oz Convention in East Aurora, New York.
* This issue's craft is a melting Evillene, based on the original Broadway run of ''The Wiz''.
* The color and cut-out craft is ''The Game of Father Goose — The Oz Club Missing Chapters Edition'', tying in with the issue's cover article.
* And in the latest issue of ''The Oz Gazette'', the newsletter for younger Oz fans (of all ages):
* And the latest edition of ''The Oz Gazette'', the newsletter aimed at younger Oz fans (no matter how old they actually are). In this issue:
** 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.
** a board game tournament in the Emerald City.
** The Scarecrow's book column looks at other books puplished in 1924, like ''Grampa in Oz''.
** A brief letter from the editor, the Scarecrow.
** 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.
** The penultimate installment of the serialized story "The Valley of the Kalidahs", featuring Toto and the Woozy.
** Finally, a little bit of verse from…the Glass Cat?
** "Meet an Oz Club Youth Member" profiles Ben W. from Washington state.
 
** "The Woggle-Bug's Contest" poses a puzzler about an Oz celebrity.
<br clear=all>
** And in "The Ozzity Report", New York City correspondent reports on sightings of Oz characters and creatures in our world!
----
 
==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 [https://cnycentral.com/news/local/mattydale-celebrates-125-years-of-the-wonderful-wizard-of-oz-with-historical-marker CNYCentral].)


----
----


==April 26, 2022: ''Wicked'' to Be Split Into Two Movies==
==April 13, 2025: Jean Marsh, 1934-2025==
John Chu, the director of the film adaptation of the ''Wicked'' musical, sent out the following notice via Twitter:
[[File:Jean_Marsh.jpeg|left]]
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''.


[[File:JohnChuWicked.jpeg|center]]
(Information courtesy [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c045dk29xqqo the BBC] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Marsh Wikipedia].)


What it boils down to is that the movie adaptation will be released as two separate movies, during the December holiday release seasons of 2024 and 2025.
<br clear=all>


----
----


==April 12, 2022: David Moyer, 1929-2022==
==March 18, 2025: Saliterman, Ruby Slipper Thief, Dies==
[[File:David_Moyer.jpeg|right]]
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.
David Moyer, long-time Oz fan and recipient of the 2006 L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, passed away today at the age of 92. He was active in the Club as far back as the 1970s, and twice served on the Board of Directors. He also edited "Oz in the News" in ''The Baum Bugle'' for many years. His career as an Egyptologist made him uniquely qualified to research and share his knowledge of Frank and Maud Baum's 1906 trip to Egypt and their cruise up the Nile. He presented his show at many Oz conventions and other sites. He was also a columnist for [https://www.kmtjournal.com/ ''KMT: A Modern Journal About Ancient Egypt'']. Earlier in his life, he also performed, both on stage and as a movie extra, which led to him playing Mombi in ''The Woggle-Bug'' and the Sultan of Samandra in ''The Yellow Knight of Oz'' at several Oz conventions.


(Information courtesy of the International Wizard of Oz Club and David Maxine. Photo courtesy David Maxine.)
(Information courtesy [https://apnews.com/article/stolen-ruby-slippers-wizard-of-oz-death-b82e6ed5049d2f11cf9a38b38e5eb463 The Associated Press].)


<br clear=all>
----
 
==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 [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''].)


----
----


==December 29, 2021: ''The Baum Bugle'', Winter 2021 Issue==
==December 13, 2024: The Baum Bugle's Celebratory 200th Issue==
[[File:Bbwinter21.jpeg|right]]
[[File:Bbautumn24.jpg|center|800 px]]
The final issue for 2021 of ''The Baum Bugle'', the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is back from the printers and on its way to Club members. In years past, this is the issue for which membership ends, and it's time to renew, but this time…well, read on to find out why this is changing.
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:
In this issue:
* Celebrating one hundred years of ''The Royal Book of Oz'' and Ruth Plumly Thompson's ascension to becoming the Royal Historian of Oz, the front cover reworks the original cover of ''Royal Book''. The inside front cover reproduces the color plate of the Scarecrow crossing the river on the A-B-Sea Serpent from the same book.
* 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
* In "Letters":
* The inside front cover reproduces Maxfield Parrish's cover for the January 1917 issue of ''Metropolitan''.
** Oz Club President Jane Albright announces a change in how Club membership works. Instead of getting all three issues of ''The Baum Bugle'' for that calendar year, no matter when you join, you now get the next three issues. This has come about due to changes in how members join and renew, and the needs of printing issues. Plus, all kinds of new features in [https://www.ozclub.org/ the Club's newly redesigned website]
* 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.
** ''Bugle'' editor Sara K. Crotzer pulls back the curtain to show what went into the making of this issue.
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":
* In "The Bugle Bulletin":
** The casting of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda in the forthcoming film version of the ''Wicked'' musical.
** 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 opening of [https://www.wizardofozflorida.com/ a new ''Wizard of Oz'' museum] in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
** 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.
** A new one-woman show about the actress immortalized as the Wicked Witch of the West, ''My Witch: Margaret Hamilton's Stories of Maine, Hollywood and Beyond!'' premiering over Halloween weekend in Freeport, Maine.
** 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.
** Dancer David Bolger's tribute to his uncle, Ray Bolger, at the Dublin Theatre Festival in October.
** The stolen pair of Ruby Slippers, now recovered, are on tour and will go up for auction in December.
** [https://www.pavscreamery.com/northcanton/shop/ Pav's Creamery in North Canton, Ohio] unveils a mural of Marilyn Monroe, Bob Marley, and, of course, Judy Garland as Dorothy eating ice cream.
** The latest revival of ''The Wiz'' surpasses one hundred performances on Broadway.
** "Through the Tube!" features three YouTube videos by the Sheet Music Singer of music from old Oz stage shows: [https://youtu.be/nqRqqOLAKIQ "The Scarecrow Song"] from ''The Wizard of Oz'' (1902), [https://youtu.be/0gReR_2xPgs "Mr. H. M. Woggle Bug, T. E."] from ''The Woggle-Bug'' (1905), and [https://youtu.be/NSVERb4Waqg "The Clockwork Man"] from ''The Tik-Tok Man of Oz'' (1913).
** The release of the first ''Wicked'' movie is moved up to November 22, 2024.
* In "Awards and Honors", the appreciation of the 2021 winner of the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, Lynn Beltz, sadly also became her obituary, as she died unexpectedly in November. She is feted and remembered by Angelica Shirley Carpenter, Jane Albright, and Sarah K. Crotzer.
** ''Marvelous: A Musical Opera'' based on ''The Marvelous Land of Oz'' premieres in Sisterville, West Virginia on April 5, 2025
* "Ozma's Honor Roll" acknowledges those members of the Oz Club who have given additional funds above their membership dues to enhance the Club's coffers.
** "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.
* Garrett Kilgore writes an appreciation of what is not the most beloved book among all Oz fans in "'We'll Let Him Adopt Us': Found Family in ''The Royal Book of Oz''".
* 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".
* Scott Cummings compiles some contemporary newspaper and magazine reviews of ''The Royal Book of Oz'' in the latest installment of "OzUnder Scrutiny".
* 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 Hanff examines how the story of Oz transitioned from one writer to another and gained a new lease on life in "Rewriting History: How Oz Was Saved for a New Generation".
* 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".
* "Coming and Going" presents short mini-essays from Nick Campbell, Sarah K. Crotzer, Scott Cummings, and Peter E. Hanff about what may have influenced Ruth Plumly Thompson to create some of the elements in ''The Royal Book of Oz''.
* J. L. Bell examines the development of cartography in the Oz books in the award-winning "The Inspiring Maps of Oz".
* Ryan Bunch presents "The Scarecrow of Oz", a song by Ruth Plumly Thompson and Norman Sherrard that was part of the advertising playlet ''A Day in Oz''.
* "Keepers of the Record" presents reminiscences of three previous ''Bugle'' editors:
* "The ''Royal Book of Oz'' Quiz", created by Stephen J. Teller for one of the Club's conventions in earlier times.
** "A Brief Reminiscence of My ''Bugle'' Editorship, 1996-2000" by William Stillman.
* In "Collector's Corner", W. Neal Thompson looks at the career and collectibility of Frank Ver Beck, the illustrator of L. Frank Baum's ''A New Wonderland''/''The Magical Monarch of Mo''.
** "Notes from an Old ''Bugle'' Editor" by Michael Gessel.
* Gina Wickwar pays tribute to the Comfortable Camel and the Doubtful Dromedary, introduced in ''The Royal Book of Oz'', by remembering the times she's been on camels in "Camels Camels Everywhere…And Not a Drop to Drink".
** "The Call of a ''Bugle''—and Where It Led" by John Fricke.
* Ruth Berman reexamines the links between John Steinbeck and Oz, a topic she first brought up in the previous issue of the ''Bugle'', in "When Pigs Have Wings".
* "How It Began (Again)" looks at some mocked-up dummy pages, created by Dick Martin, for the Spring 1979 issue of the ''Bugle''.
* Reviewed, or at least noted, in "The Bugle Review":
* The inside back cover reproduces the earliest known map of Oz, a slide from the 1908 multimedia show ''The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays''.
** [https://bookshop.org/books/doctor-who-the-doctor-of-oz/9781405948005 ''Doctor Who: The Wonderful Doctor of Oz'' by Jacqueline Rayner], reviewed by Nick Campbell.
** [https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Wonderful-Wizard-of-Oz-Audiobook/B086N47PZS ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' audio play, adapted by Paul Magrs], reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.
** [https://bookshop.org/books/the-art-of-decorating-dry-goods-windows-and-interiors/9781667199252 ''The Art of Decorating Dry Goods, Windows, and Interiors'' by L. Frank Baum], a reprint of the first edition of this rare book.
** [https://bookshop.org/books/beyond-the-yellow-brick-road-unlocking-the-promises-of-god/9781951129477 ''Beyond the Yellow Brick Road: Unlocking the Promise of God'' by Juan Martinez]].
** [https://bookshop.org/books/the-black-rainbow-of-oz-founded-on-and-continuing-the-famous-oz-stories-by-l-frank-baum/9798648747173 ''The Black Rainbow of Oz'' by David M. Keyes].
** [https://bookshop.org/books/dorothy-vs-alice-crucify-the-scarecrow/9781698482217 ''Dorothy vs. Alice: Crucify the Scarecrow''], [https://www.amazon.com/Dorothy-vs-Alice-Lion-Under/dp/B08L6165TB/ ''Dorothy vs. Alice: Lion Six Feet Under''], and [https://www.amazon.com/Dorothy-vs-Alice-Rust-Peace/dp/B08L62PGPF/ ''Dorothy vs. Alice: Tin Man Rust in Peace''] by Lotus Rose.
** [https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/ken-romer/dorothy-and-the-wooden-soldiers-of-oz/paperback/product-755y92.html?page=1&pageSize=4 ''Dorothy and the Wooden Soldiers of Oz'' by Ken Romer], a reprint of the very limited edition 1987 book.
** ''Dunkiton Press'' #29: Mice #3, the latest reprint of Oz-related material from newspaper archives from [http://thewizardofoz.info/wiki/Dunkiton_Press Dunkiton Press].
** [https://bookshop.org/books/emerald-city-9798510277494/9798510277494 ''Emerald City'', edited by Stacey Jaine McIntosh].
** The ''Faeries of Oz'' series by Candace Robinson and Amber R. Duell: [https://www.amazon.com/Tin-Faeries-Oz-Amber-Duell/dp/1953238041/ Book One: ''Tin''], [https://www.amazon.com/Crow-Amber-R-Duell/dp/195323805X/ Book Two: ,''Crow''], [https://www.amazon.com/Ozma-Faeries-Oz-Amber-Duell/dp/1953238068/ Book Three: ''Ozma''], and [https://www.amazon.com/Tik-Tok-Faeries-Oz-Amber-Duell/dp/1953238424/ Book Four: ''Tik-Tok''].
** [https://bookshop.org/books/falling-into-oz-a-scifi-alien-fairy-tale-romance/9798718714227 ''Falling Into Oz'' by C. L. Riley].
** [https://bookshop.org/books/goldey-goosey-of-oz/9781734951523 ''Goldey Goosey of Oz'' by Ron Baxley, Jr.]
** [https://bookshop.org/books/the-hedgehog-of-oz/9781534467590 ''The Hedgehog of Oz'' by Cory Leonardo].
** The ''Heirs of Oz'' series by Kendra Moreno: [https://www.amazon.com/Heartless-Tin-Man-Heirs-Book-ebook/dp/B08MYC6TMC/ Book 1: ''Heartless as a Tin Man''] and [https://www.amazon.com/Empty-Scarecrow-Heirs-Oz-Book-ebook/dp/B08YQTHP66/ Book 2: ''Empty As a Scarecrow'']. (Two more books, not noted by the ''Bugle'', are also available: [https://www.amazon.com/Cowardly-Lion-Heirs-Oz-Book-ebook/dp/B099P24C3V/ Book 3: ''Cowardly As a Lion''] and [https://www.amazon.com/Vengeful-Beauty-Heirs-Oz-Book-ebook/dp/B09K4HZT3Y/ Book 4: ''Vengeful As a Beauty''].)
** [https://www.amazon.com/Hopeless-Robin-Endicott/dp/B08PLSVRS5/ ''Hopeless: Dorothy in Oz'' #1 by Robin Endicott].
** [https://www.amazon.com/Journal-Rita-Diggs-Missing-Vessels/dp/B08Y5KRTMN/ ''Journal of Rita Diggs: Empty Vessels'' by Abigail Rodriguez].
** [https://bookshop.org/books/lights-camera-witchcraft-a-critical-history-of-witches-in-american-film-and-television/9780738768533 ''Lights, Camera, Witchcraft: A critical History of Witches in American Film and Television'' by Heather Greene].
** [https://www.amazon.com/Munchkin-Diary-Personal-Yellow-Brick/dp/1736205609/ ''The Munchkin Diary: My Personal Yellow Brick Road'' by Betty Ann Bruno]—yes, Bruno was a child background Munchkin in The Movie, making her one of the last surviving cast members.
** [https://bookshop.org/books/oscar-diggs-the-wizard-of-oz/9781684338443 ''Oscar Diggs, The Wizard of Oz'' by Scott B. Blanke].
** [https://bookshop.org/books/o-z-doesn-t-diggs-g-c-c-at-emerald-city/9781734951530 ''O. Z. Doesn't Diggs G. C. C. at the Emerald City'' by Ron Baxley, Jr.]
** [https://bookshop.org/books/oz-will-fall-wicked-rebirth/9781794883307 ''Oz Will Fall: Wicked Rebirth'' by John Malone and Nicole Delgado] (a second book, [https://bookshop.org/books/oz-will-fall-the-royal-marriage/9781365865435 ''Oz Will Fall: The Royal Marriage''] was not noted by the ''Bugle'').
** [https://www.amazon.com/OZtory-Verse-Wonderful-Wizard-Oz/dp/1736345117/ ''Oztory in Verse: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' by Ronald K. Ford].
** [https://bookshop.org/books/the-painted-queen-of-oz/9798589397048 ''The Painted Queen of Oz'' by Tarl Telford].
** [https://bookshop.org/books/the-rubber-ostriches-of-oz/9781716458446 ''The Rubber Ostriches of Oz'' by Marin Elizabeth Xiques and Chris Dulabone].
** [https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/marin-elizabeth-xiques/the-silver-shoes-of-oz/paperback/product-1jwjd9rk.html?page=1&pageSize=4 ''The Silver Shoes of Oz'' (second edition) by Marin Elizabeth Xiques].
** [http://nikidik.com/ ''The Spellcasters of Oz'' by Philip John Levin].
** [https://graythorn-publishing.square.site/product/straw-song/22?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false ''Straw Song'' by K. A. Silva].
** [https://bookshop.org/books/the-wizard-of-bots-10/9781534486393 ''Bots: The Wizard of Bots'' by Russ Bolts].
** [https://www.amazon.com/Wizard-That-Was-Australian-Musical/dp/B08M2GS28F/ ''The Wizard That Was: An Australian School Musical'' by Greg Tuck].
** [https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/millie-hardy-sims/the-wonderful-wizard-of-oz-a-play/paperback/product-q7kmye.html?page=1&pageSize=4 ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: A Play in Two Acts for Actors'' by Millie Hardy-Sims].
* The inside front cover reproduces Michael Herring's cover art for the 1985 Del Rey edition of ''The Royal Book of Oz''.
* And the back cover is Frank Ver Beck's "The Vegetarians", an illustration from the 1910 book ''Ver Beck's Bears in Mother Goose-Land''.


Other goodies are also enclosed, in addition to the ''Bugle'':
Also included with this issue:
* A flyer for many books and other items [https://www.ozclub.org/shop/ available in the Oz Club shop].
* The craft project is a map of Oz to color.
* A plea to renew, especially in light of the change in renewal policy.
* In Issue No. 20 of ''The Oz Gazette'', the newsletter for younger Oz fans (of all ages):
* A Scarecrow marionette to color, cut out, and assemble.
** 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.
* And in the twelfth issue of the revival of ''The Oz Gazette'', the newsletter for younger Oz fans (no matter what their ages):
** Polychrome reveals a puzzle where weather-related clues help you to unscramble Oz place names.
** New York Oz fan Katie Jones, lost and asking for help in the last few issues, finally makes it to the Emerald City!
** Scraps opines on issues of writing Oz poetry.
** The editor, the Scarecrow, writes about friendship among Oz fans.
** The Scarecrow gives story recommendations:
** The story of how Ruth Plumly Thompson succeeded L. Frank Baum as Royal Historian of Oz.
*** [https://www.amazon.com/Wizard-Meg-McLaren-illustrator-Sam/dp/1405286296/ ''The Wizard of Oz'', adapted by Meg McLaren and Sam Hay]
** An overview of the characters and places Thompson added to the story of Oz.
*** "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].
** Thompson's poem, "A Christmas Wish".
*** [https://bookshop.org/p/books/snow-queen-hb-hans-christian-andersen/6431554?ean=9780062209504 ''The Snow Queen'' by Hans Christian Andersen].
** Holiday greetings (?) from the Nome King.
** And throughout the issue, mysterious figures seem to be scouting out the country for nefarious purposes. But is someone scouting them out in turn?
** Ruth Plumly Thompson's map of Oz.
** An interview with Sir Hokus of Pokes.
** The Wogglebug's contest.
** A winter weather report from the new ''Gazette'' meteorologist, Polychrome.


For another look at this issue, the LA Quadling has [https://youtu.be/4nE7PL4Alw4 a video overview].
----


----
==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.


==November 20, 2021: Lynn Beltz 1953-2021==
Other Oz items available in the auction:
[[File:Lynn Beltz.jpeg|center]]
* 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
Lynn Beltz, former Vice President and member of the Board of Directors of the International Wizard of Oz Club, passed away suddenly today from natural causes in her condo in St. Louis. She was 68. Reintroduced to Oz when finding tho books in college, she first came to Oz fandom at the Oogaboo Rendezvous events in the Seattle area, but soon became a regular at the Winkie Convention and other events around the country. After organizing games and support at Club conventions and promoting the Club at other events, she became more involved with the running of the Club, including organizing Club publications and donated items, criss-crossing the country to empty and consolidate warehouse storage lockers. Many of the items she recovered ended up in Oz Club auctions, or were given away to help recruit new members. The Club has seen few boosters like her, and she will be missed.
* 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


She is survived by her husband, Michael, two sisters and a brother, and numerous nieces, nephews, and their families.
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''.


(Photo courtesy of Bill Beem.)
(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].)
 
<br clear=all>


----
----


==Rumor Control==
==December 2, 2024: Paul Maslansky 1933-2024==
(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.)
Longtime Hollywood producer Paul Maslansky died today in a hospital in San Robles, California. He was 91. His first credit was for the 1964 horror film ''Castle of the Living Dead'' with Christopher Lee, and he worked on many films in the 1970s and '80s. His biggest success was the ''Police Academy'' series, beginning in 1984 with the first movie which spawned several other movies, a television series, and an animated series. Another of his credits at the time was ''Return to Oz''. He is survived by his long-time partner Sally Emr, three children, and two grandchildren.
 
(Information courtesy [https://variety.com/2024/film/news/paul-maslansky-dead-police-academy-1236242106/ ''Variety''] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Maslansky Wikipedia].)


----
----


The Spanish branch of Netflix is making an Oz-inspired movie, [https://variety.com/2021/film/global/netflix-rainbow-paco-leon-telecinco-cinema-1235035207/ ''Rainbow''], featuring a whole slew of Spanish stars. No word yet on a release date, or if it will be available in markets outside Spain (but knowing Netflix, the latter is likely).
==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.)


----
----


The previously announced release date for the movie adaptation of the Broadway musical version of ''Wicked'' turns out to have been premature—''again''. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic shuffling release schedules around, the original first-postponed December 22, 2021 release date was given over to ''Sing 2''. So the ''Wicked'' movie is on hold again, but it is still in development, although it has no definitive release date yet. The delay was so long that director Stephen Daldrey left the project on October 20, 2020. On February 2, 2021, Jon M. Chu, director of <i>Crazy Rich Asians</i> and <i>In the Heights</i> was announced as the new director.
''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].


----
----
Line 245: Line 422:


*''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 21:59, 21 November 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.)

Colorbar.gif
Home.gif
"There's no place like the home page."
Colorbar.gif

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

Colorbar.gif

November 13, 2025: The Baum Bugle Autumn 2025 Issue

Bbautumn25.jpg

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.


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

Bbspring25.png

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.


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 page 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 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"
  • 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.)
  • November 3, 2025: People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive: Jonathan Bailey
  • November 4, 2025: Media Access Awards, Christopher Reeve Acting Award: Marissa Bode

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

Bbwinter24.png

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

Jean Marsh.jpeg

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

Bbautumn24.jpg

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

Ruby Slippers 2024.jpeg

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.)


December 2, 2024: Paul Maslansky 1933-2024

Longtime Hollywood producer Paul Maslansky died today in a hospital in San Robles, California. He was 91. His first credit was for the 1964 horror film Castle of the Living Dead with Christopher Lee, and he worked on many films in the 1970s and '80s. His biggest success was the Police Academy series, beginning in 1984 with the first movie which spawned several other movies, a television series, and an animated series. Another of his credits at the time was Return to Oz. He is survived by his long-time partner Sally Emr, three children, and two grandchildren.

(Information courtesy Variety and Wikipedia.)

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.)

Colorbar.gif
Home.gif
"There's no place like the home page."
Retrieved from "http://thewizardofoz.info/w/index.php?title=Oz_News&oldid=11430"