From lino cutting to surfing to childrens mental health, their hobbies and interests range far and wide. Luft said, "you couldn't lock them up for long because they were needed on the set. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. To make this happen, a pipe was attached to the bicycle seat saddle on the broomstick. This last epic was one of the few instances that Curtis was cast as a good guy; many of his ( more) Ever wonder how he would have thought of the name 'Oz'? View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. Feiner notes that the original Technicolor imagery can be re-created by making separate passes with each of the three strips directly onto an answer print. "For nearly 40 years this story has given faithful service to the Young in Heart; and Time has been powerless to put its kindly philosophy out of fashion. A cyclone actually came and killed 31 people in 1893 and destroyed two towns. But the costumes were so unhandy.". Something for everyone interested in hair, makeup, style, and body positivity. He stumbled upon the marking of his filing cabinet, and the last drawer was marked 'O to Z,' hence the name Oz came into being. WebCurtis' big movie season was 1938-39: he was cast in The Wizard of Oz (1939) (albeit with voice dubbed by Pinto Colvig) and as the cowboy hero of the all-dwarf western The Terror of Tiny Town (1938). Principal photography of this fantastic adventure story began on October 13 with Richard Thorpe directing. The Kansas scenes at the beginning, directed by King Vidor, were photographed in black-and-white. "When we scanned our dupe at full film resolution, there was no loss in image quality. During the process, one of the trap doors was stuck; consequently, Hamilton received second-degree burns on her face and third-degree burns on her hands. The slap scene between Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion has a story behind it. Shirley Temple had signed a contract with 20th Century Fox. Fleming was one five directors who worked on Oz , but he left before it finished to take over, The Wizard of Oz | Fleming with actors Billy Curtis (left) and Charlie Becker (right). The wires had to be kept taut because kinks caused them to break. Fantasy was still a hard sell in the Thirties, but it became easier in 1937 following the immense success of Walt Disney's first feature-length cartoon, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The Wizard of Oz | Harry Earles, Jerry Maren, and Jackie Gerlich, who became the Lollipop Guild kids in Munchkinland. The vivid colors came from dyes added during this process. Margaret Hamilton was a character actress who played a lot of housemaids. A commercial artist from Massachusetts, Newcombe entered the movie field in 1922 by producing an art film entitled The Enchanted City. It would be a crime to cut corners and do anything in a sub-standard manner.". ", Sid Luft also wrote in his memoir that the older male Munchkin actors "thought they could get away with anything because they were so small." It's a hazardous journey. There was a trap door on set that didn't open fast enough, so Hamilton got caught in the flames. Her screen test convinced everyone that she was ideal for the part. The Wizard of Oz The original look involved a blonde wig and makeup, but this was soon changed. The dancing Scarecrow sequence was an outtake stored on 250 feet of film less than three minutes of screen time in the CRI (Color Reversal Intermediate) format. Other writers involved were Herman J. Mankiewicz, Irving Brecher, Robert Pirosh, George Seaton, Herbert Fields, Jack Mintz and Ogden Nash. The MGM Optical Department photographed the film's titles. Casting Garland was a risk, but no one ever doubted her voice. Maren now rests in the Court of Remembrance in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood, right below actress Sandra Dee, Decker said. Discover Billy Curtis's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. While shooting for an iconic scene where the wicked of the west, Margaret Hamilton, had to make a grand entrance, which involved fire. ", In the memoir Judy and I: My Life with Judy Garland, Judy's ex-husband revealed that a lot of the older male Munchkin actors were "naughty." A look at, say, The Adventures of Robin Hood was sufficient to convert many naysayers. And if you're curious, one of the costumes for the Cowardly Lion sold for over $3 million at a New York auction a few years ago. In that time, the 1970s, to be more precise, Kurt Warner was the set designer, and he also assisted in wardrobe management in Hollywood during the 1970s. Fleming with actors Billy Curtis (left) and Charlie Becker (right). Another was built, and this time it was reinforced throughout with piano wire. WebPlayed one of the Munchkins in the film "The Wizard of Oz" CREDITS Broadway; Every Man for Himself (Dec 09, 1940 - Dec 11, Curtis [Little Boy] PlayOriginal. The physical and verbal abuse that Garland went through on and off set was absolutely wild. On the paper attached to the frame, he wrote, "With this pencil, I wrote the manuscript of The Emerald City." Adjusted for inflation, that's just over $900 in today's world. Stories of randy Munchkinland behavior, like the anecdotes Judy Garland told frequently in her later years, were more publicity than reality. Munchkin Father. Billy Curtis The Wizard of Oz | Casting Garland was a risk, but no one ever doubted her voice. He was paid $50 a week; the dog that playedToto, meanwhile, got $125. His wife, actress Elizabeth Barrington, died in 2011. One of his most unusual roles was as the smaller version of "The Thing" (replacing James Arness) in the creature's final scene in The Thing from Another World (1951). The book 'Amazing Wizard of Oz' was published in July 1900, and the film was released in 1939. The only way to do that is to compare the processed images on the computer screen to a matching frame of the source material. To make this happen, a pipe was attached to the bicycle seat saddle on the broomstick, but during one of the practice runs the pipe exploded: "I felt as though my scalp was coming off. The green makeup contained copper, which, if ingested, could prove to be fatal. At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. The McDonalds character, Mayor McCheese, was played by Billy, from its creation until his death in 1988. We have estimated Buddy Esben was to play the role, but while nearing the end of the shoot for the role, his lungs failed, and he was rushed to the hospital. Feiner speculates that MGM decided to rid its lot of nitrate-based film sometime in the late Sixties or early Seventies. Actor Age Check - How old was Billie Burke in The The final cost was $2,777,000. Danko made only $35 for completing the broomstick stunt and $790 for everything else she did in the movie. The Wizard of Oz | Jack Haley was the last one to join the cast. Fields' Wizard would've been more of a con-man while Morgan played him as a frightened little humbug. Amen. In 1936, he replaced James Basevi as special effects chief in charge of miniatures, projection process and mechanical effects. He started writing this book in 1898, but he was the author of two other books before this. The movie rights were fought over between several studios, but MGM ultimately got the rights. Because today at least, it washes off. Figuring out how to color the horses in Emerald City was an extremely difficult task, and the Adjusted for inflation, that's $898 by 2021's standards. This article contains incorrect information, This article doesnt have the information Im looking for. A miniature of the Kansas farm, scaled at 3/4" to 1', was built on Stage 14. Encouraged by stock company actress Shirley Booth to take a little person role in a stage production, Curtis soon became a professional actor, with numerous Broadway musical productions to his credit. We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. However, by the late 20th century the 1939 film Many have claimed that Pink Floyd's album, 'Dark Side of the Moon,' was made with the film in mind and is synchronized with the scenes in the classic film. Seconds after the mishap, she looked down at her hand and saw the damage: "From the wrist to the fingernails, there was no skin on the hand. ", MGM Labs had set up a production line to copy the nitrate film onto CRIs, recording from the emulsion side rather than the base side. Still, it took me about a day to discover what had happened. Feiner opted to make a contact liquid-gate dupe negative of the fine-grain IP, which eliminated the worst of the abrasions and emulsion digs. He was 98. In his palace, Toto pulls aside a curtain, revealing a man operating levers that create the illusion of the Wizard. LeRoy wanted Gale Sondergaard to play the Wicked Witch as a glamorous villainess, but the studio chiefs overruled him, demanding a traditional witch. Additionally, The production company was Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). In the famous poppy field scenes of the movie where a snowstorm was shown, the snow was not snow but asbestos. Billy Curtis' career thrived into the 1970s, notably with solid parts in the Clint Eastwood western High Plains Drifter (1973) and the crime-caper melodrama Little Cigars (1973), in which he had second billing as a diminutive criminal mastermind. Each model required two wires for the bodies and two for flapping the wings. It is basically a morality film that teaches if you have hope, anything is possible. The Wizard of Oz | Producer Mervyn LeRoy helped persuade MGM's Louis B. Mayer to acquire the rights to L. Frank Baum's book and played a crucial role in the, The Wizard of Oz | The film opened in New York on Aug. 17, 1939. Company Credits The Wizard of Oz was highly successful in its New York run at the Capitol most of the New York critics hated it, but who cared? But the costumes were so unhandy. A silent version of the book was made in 1910 by Selig Polyscope Company, which, if you want to have a look at it, is available on the internet. LeRoy wanted Ed Wynn, who felt that the part was too small. The picture was produced in 1938-39, with the Great Depression slowly grinding to a close and the specter of global war looming on the horizon. This film was previously released on home video in a very truncated version with all the naughty bits removed. The supporters of this myth believe that in one of the scenes where Dorothy and the Tin Man are walking down the Yellow Brick Road, a dark shadow moving in the background is of an actor who hanged himself on the set. A modern fairy tale with a distinctly American setting, a delightfully levelheaded and assertive heroine, and engaging fantasy characters, the story was enormously popular and became a classic of childrens literature. She made, According to Judy Garland's biographer, her, And the "snowstorm" that took place in the poppy field scene was actually. Apparently they spent most of their time after work at bars and "were disorderly as hell, yelling and screaming." His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. Scroll to Crew. Before Dorothy can break in her new heels, however, the Wicked Witch of the West swears vengeance. Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action. Did the Wicked Witch of the West have toxic makeup on? Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. He replaced Buddy Ebsen two weeks into filming after the original Tin Man fell ill. It was rigged to move the full length of the 200' stage. On some sets, as many as eight cameras about a third of Technicolor's inventory were used, with one getting the overall scene while others were hidden among the scenery for tighter shots. Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, and director Rob Marshall share the tale behind making their underwater musical with a groundbreaking Disney princess. He was 98. One would think it to be Judy Garland, but she only made $500 per week. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. Margaret Pellegrini, one of the last surviving Munchkin actors, said, "It was the first time I'd ever had anybody help me go to the bathroom. We have covered the most interesting facts about the film. Oscars honor classic on Sunday; take a trip back in time with historic vintage pics, Credit: Digitized by the Margaret Herrick Library Digital Studio. Here are some creepy facts about the Wizard of Oz. Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best destinations around the world with Bring Me! Luft recalled one event in particular, claiming, "The next day, on the set, hungover, they would make Judy's life miserable by putting their hands under her dressThe men were 40 or more years old. After reciting this magical mantra, Dorothy awakens in her bed, surrounded by her aunt and uncle, the three farmhands who bear an uncanny resemblance to the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion and Professor Marvel, whom we realize is the Wizard. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz The Wizard of Oz | The film opened in New York on Aug. 17, 1939. With Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney hosting screenings at Loew's Capitol Theater, it set house The film opened in New York on Aug. 17, 1939. With Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney hosting screenings at Loew's Capitol Theater, it set house records. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Offers may be subject to change without notice. The set and actors were photographed separately, and the two films were then printed together as a simple double exposure without protection mattes, which lent the ball an ethereal quality. Technical Specs, See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro, makeup artist: Margaret Hamilton (uncredited), executive in charge of production (uncredited), supervising re-recording mixer (uncredited), senior special effects technician (uncredited), stereoscopic production manager (3D version 2013), managing director: stereoscopic conversion (3D version 2013), stereoscopic compositor (3D version 2013), stereo conversion producer: Prime Focus (as Scott Farrar) (3D Version 2013), stereo conversion supervisor (3D version 2013), technical support (1998 release, credited on theatrical prints only), director of global development: Prime Focus (3D version 2013), lead digital film restoration artist (2009 restoration), digital paint artist (1998 restoration) (uncredited), digital compositor (1998 restoration) (uncredited), digital paint artist: 1998 restoration (uncredited), camera operator: digital restoration (uncredited), digital production coordinator (1998 restoration) (uncredited), director of photography: visual effects unit (uncredited) / special photographic effects (uncredited), visual effects supervisor (1998 restoration) (uncredited), assistant visual effects supervisor (uncredited), lead digital compositor (1998 restoration) (uncredited), director of matte painting staff (uncredited), director of global development at prime focus (uncredited), senior stereoscopic supervisor: Prime Focus (uncredited), camera operator: visual effects unit (uncredited), roto supervisor: 3D version 2013 (uncredited), stunt double: Margaret Hamilton (uncredited), associate: Technicolor photography (as Allen Davey), still photographer: Kodachrome stills (uncredited), camera technician: Technicolor (uncredited), assistant camera: Technicolor (uncredited), orchestrator: Munchkinland musical sequence (uncredited), music pre-recording supervisor (uncredited), singing voice: Lollipop Guild (uncredited), composer: original incidental music (uncredited) / conductor (uncredited), orchestral and vocal arrangments (uncredited), choreographer: scarecrow's dance (scenes deleted) (uncredited), dance stand-in: Judy Garland (uncredited), agent: Leo Feist Music Publishing (uncredited), assistant choreographer (uncredited) / assistant: Mr. Connolly (uncredited), handler: Cowardly Lion's tail (uncredited), dog owner and trainer: Terry (uncredited).