Oz News: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 20:16, 19 March 2025

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

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

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

The following are pending nominations:

March 27, 2025: GLAAD Media Awards, Outstanding Film — Wide Theatrical Release: Wicked

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

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:
  - The Wizard of Oz, adapted by Meg McLaren and Sam Hay
  - "Dorothy and the Mushroom People" by Eric Shanower, from The Salt Sorcerer of Oz and Other Stories.
  - The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen.
- And throughout the issue, mysterious figures seem to be scouting out the country for nefarious purposes. But is someone scouting them out in turn?

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

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 known 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.)

November 3, 2024: Quincy Jones, 1933-2024

Quincy Jones, the EGOT-winning musician and producer, passed away today at the age of 91. Born in 1933 in Chicago, Jones graduated from Garfield High School in Seattle (where the performing arts center is named for him). He soon started working with jazz bands all over the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He also worked in the early days of television with such artists as Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, and Elvis Presley. He worked with Frank Sinatra and the Count Basie Orchestra on an album, and then broke into the movies when he composed the music for The Pawnbroker. He would go on to work on movies such as In the Heat of the Night, In Cold Blood, The Italian Job, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, Cactus Flower, and both versions of The Color Purple. For television, he composed music for the original Ironside, Sanford and Son, and the original Roots (for which he earned his Emmy Award). Later, as a producer, he oversaw shows including The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and its successor, Bel Air, and MadTV. He won 28 Grammy Awards, the most for any producer and the third most of all time, including Album of the Year in 2023 for Harry's House. He won a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical in 2016 as a producer for The Color Purple, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have given him two of their highest honors, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1995 and the Academy Honorary Award in 2024 (which will now be presented posthumously). Other accomplishments have included the Grammy Legend Award, the Kennedy Center Honors, the BET Humanitarian Award, the National Medal of Arts, and the Grand Commandeur de Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the government of France.

In comparison to everything else, his contributions to Oz may not have had as much impact, but he was a crucial part of the 1978 film version of The Wiz, where he was musical supervisor and producer. He also contributed new music, including for the songs "Can I Go On?" and "Is This What Feeling Gets? (Dorothy's Theme)". He also appeared onscreen in an uncredited cameo as the pianist in the Emerald City. It was during The Wiz that Quincy Jones first met with Michael Jackson, and he was so impressed with Jackson's work ethic playing the Scarecrow that Jones agreed to produce Jackson's forthcoming solo album Off the Wall. They would later work together on two more Jackson albums, Thriller and Bad. Jones would also produce and conduct on a song Jackson co-wrote, the 1985 charity anthem "We Are the World".

(Information courtesy The Associated Press and Wikipedia. Photo courtesy The International Wizard of Oz Club's Facebook page.)

September 30, 2024: Ken Page, 1954-2024

Ken Page, the character actor known for his work on stage and television, and in movies and video games, passed away in his sleep today at his home in St. Louis. He was 70. Soon after graduating college, he started his acting career at the famed Muny outdoor theater of St. Louis. He made his Broadway debut as Ted Ross's understudy as the Cowardly Lion in the original production of The Wiz, a role he then took over after Ross left the show. He went on to play roles in shows such as Guys and Dolls, Ain't Misbehavin' and Cats (as Old Deuteronomy) on Broadway, and playing the Cowardly Lion again in the Madison Square Garden production of The Wizard of Oz. He would later return to the Muny to play both the Cowardly Lion and the Wizard in different productions of The Wizard of Oz. He was also the voice of Oogie Boogie in The Nightmare Before Christmas, a role he reprised in video games, concerts, and other presentations. He won a Theatre World Award in 1976, and a Drama Desk Award in 1978.

(Information courtesy The Oz Wiki and Wikipedia.)

September 28, 2024: Ryan Bunch Receives 2024 L. Frank Baum Memorial Award; Oz Club Contest Winners

Tonight, the L. Frank Baum Memorial Award, the highest honor that the International Wizard of Oz Club bestows, went to Ryan Bunch. Currently President of the Club, he has also served on the Board of Directors and as Vice-President. He has also chaired conventions and written for the Club's journal, The Baum Bugle. His recent book, Oz and the Musical, examines how different dramatic interpretations of Oz on stage demonstrate the evolution of musical theater.

Also tonight, the winners of the Oz Club's annual writing and art contests were announced:

The Fred Otto Prize for Fiction:
- First place, "The Fairy King of Oz" by Jesse Jury
- Second place, "The Final Fate of the Phanfasms" by Aaron Solomon Adelman
The C. Warren Hollister Prize for Non-Fiction:
- First place, "Ozma's Enduring Appeal 120 Years Later" by Leighton Suen
- Second place, "Puzzle Adventures in Oz" by Tyler B. Wright
The Rob Roy MacVeigh Prize for Art:
- First place, "A Gathering of Ozians" by Rob Lauer
- Second place, "Glinda" by David Valentin

July 20, 2024: The 2024 Winkie Award

Tonight, the 2024 edition of the Winkie Award was presented by OzCon International to Cindy Ragni. Cindy has been a long-time supporter of OzCon, presenting on many topics. In recent years, she has also coordinated the dealers' room (all while also running her own space in it). Her contributions were recognized by her fellow OzCon members, who voted that she receive the convention's highest award.

June 25, 2024: Bill Cobbs 1934-2024

Bill Cobbs, the Emmy Award-winning character actor passed away today at his home in Riverside, California. He was 90. Born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1934, Wilbert Francisco Hobbs was an Air Force radio technician for eight years, then went on to sell office supplies for IBM and cars. In 1970, at the age of 36, he went to New York City to try his hand at acting. Like most in the profession he struggled at first, but eventually he broke into small theatrical productions. He also started getting small roles in films and on television. His films included Air Bud, the Night at the Museum series, The Hudsucker Proxy, and That Thing You Do. On television, he was a regular on I'll Fly Away and Go On, and had guest appearances on such shows as The Drew Carey Show, Jag, Star Trek: Enterprise (where he played the inventor of the transporter), One Tree Hill, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Rugrats. He won an Emmy Award in 2020 for Outstanding Limited Performance in a Daytime Program for Dino Dana. But to Oz fans, he will be remembered as Master Tinker in Oz the Great and Powerful.

(information courtesy Wikipedia.)

June 3, 2024: The Baum Bugle Spring 2024

The first issue of the year of The Baum Bugle, the journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club, is now making its way into members' mailboxes. This issue celebrates Oz in the 1950s, a decade not usually known for being terribly Ozzy.

In this issue:

The front cover assembles some of Dale Ulrey's artwork from her interpretations of The Wizard of Oz, The Tin Woodman of Oz, and Jaglon and the Tiger Fairies.
The inside front cover reproduces an original piece by Ulrey for Fred Meyer.
"Letters" sees Oz Club President Ryan Bunch extoll [the upcoming 2024 Oz National Convention] in Charlotte, North Carolina, while Bugle editor-in-chief Sarah K. Crotzer tells about the happy coincidences that brought this issue together.
News items from "The Bugle Bulletin":
- Brady Schwind of the Lost Art of Oz project reveals the discovery of five of the original paintings that became color plates in Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz.
- Another suspect has been charged in the 2005 theft of the Ruby Slippers in Minnesota, and the now-recovered pair will be auctioned off in December.
- The first teaser trailer for Wicked debuts during the Super Bowl broadcast.
- The current revival of The Wiz opens on Broadway.
- A new Wizard of Oz precinct is opening later this year at the Warner Bros. Movie World amusement park in Gold Coast, Australia.
- Gregory Maguire is writing an eighth book set in his version of Oz, this time a prequel: Elphie: A Wicked Childhood, due to be published in October.
- A decoupaged lion at the Universal City Public Library in Universal City, Missouri includes pages from several Oz books on its hide.
- The perpetrator of Oz-themed graffiti in Birmingham, England comes forward.
- Oz has appeared recently in television shows such as Saturday Night Live, The Masked Singer, and Jeopardy!
- A claim for the Judy Garland dress found at Catholic University of America has been denied, and the school can put it up for auction.
- The Dassel History Center in Dassel, Minnesota, honors hometown girl Hildred Olson, a Munchkin in the famous film version of The Wizard of Oz.
- Recently passed Oz luminaries remembered in "Beyond the Shifting Sands" are actor Hinton Battle, who originated the role of the Scarecrow in The Wiz; Sergey Stefanovich Sukhinov, who wrote a number of books continuing the saga of Russia's counterpart to Oz, Magic Land; and Oz Club member Virginia Fowler.
- Now available on YouTube:
  - The Will.of.Oz, an homage to The Wizard of Oz performed to the music of the Black Eyed Peas.
  - "Oh, my!" another musical tribute to Oz.
  - "The Bricklayer", a music video by indie rockers Mylo Bybee.
In "Somewhere Over the Rainbow I Wake Up Screaming", Sarah K. Crotzer discovers an early use of "Over the Rainbow" as a movie leitmotif in one of the earliest examples of film noir, 1941's https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Wake_Up_Screaming I Wake Up Screaming].
In "Discovering Dale Ulrey", Jane Albright uncovers the life and career of the artist Reilly and Lee wanted to reillustrate the Oz books, and why she only did it for two of the books.
Oz games collector and expert Sara K. Crotzer uses "Collectors' Corner" to examine The Wonderful Wizard of Oz game issued by E. E. Fairchild in 1957. (The board is reprinted in color on the inside back cover.)
In "Oz in the Arts", Anthony Whitaker reviews the current national production of The Wiz during its Chicago stop last winter, before it made it to Broadway.
"The Bugle Review" features:
- The Witch of Maracoor by Gregory Maguire, reviewed by Alan Wise.
- After forty years, the updated and revised second edition of the bibliography Oz in Canada by C. J. Hinke, reviewed by Cynthia Ragni.
- The graphic novel Tin Man by Justin Madison, reviewed by J. L. Bell.
- The game Lands of Oz, designed by Charlie Hoopes with art by Zachery Tullsen, reviewed by Sarah K. Crotzer.
"Adventures in Oz" sees Jane Albright interviewing original Mousketeer Bobby Burgess about his life and career, including his role as the Scarecrow in The Rainbow Road to Oz.
The back cover reprints a portrait of the Wizard from Dale Ulrey's dust jacket for Reilly and Lee's 1956 edition of The Wizard of Oz.

Also included with this issue:

An art project that allows you to create your own moving Oz pictures.
The latest edition of The Oz Gazette, the newspaper of all that's happening in Oz:
- Ryan Bunch, the new President of the International Wizard of Oz Club, makes his first diplomatic visit to the Emerald City.
- Editor Katie Jones tells what's going on in this issue.
- Dorothy presents a brief history of Oz newspapers, on both sides of the Deadly Desert.
- Two editors meet as Katie Jones interviews Sarah K. Crotzer of The Baum Bugle.
- "Emerald City Book Report" turns a page on [The Ozmapolitan of Oz].
- Ozmapolitan of Oz author and artist Dick Martin gets a write-up.
- The latest excerpt from The Royal Book of Oz (the one in Oz, not the one you can buy in stores here) is about the Tin Woodman himself, Nick Chopper.

March 18, 2024: Second Suspect Charged in Theft of the Ruby Slippers; Slippers Go On Tour Before Auction

A second suspect has been charged in the 2005 theft of a pair of the Ruby Slippers from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids. Minnesota. Jerry Sal Saliterman, 76, of Crystal, Minnesota was arraigned in federal court in St. Paul, and charged with felony theft of a major artwork and witness tampering, the latter a threat to distribute graphic videos of a woman to prevent her from talking to the FBI. As Saliterman is in a wheelchair and uses an oxygen tank, he was not deemed a flight risk and released on his own recognizance. His attorney intends to file a plea of not guilty. Details about the charges, or Saliterman's connection to Terry John Martin, who pled guilty to stealing the Ruby Slippers late last year, are still unknown at this time.

In related news, Michael Shaw, the owner of the Ruby Slippers at the time of the theft (he had loaned them to the museum) has bought back the Ruby Slippers from his insurance company, and received them in February. He has now turned them over to Heritage Actions, a firm that specializes in selling movie memorabilia and other rare items, for safekeeping and consignment. Heritage plans to put the Slippers on display in an international tour before auctioning them off in December this year.

(Information courtesy Breakingnews.ie and Minnesota Public Radio.)

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 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.)