1 Dorothy's dress was actually pink. The Wizard, like everybody else, was just trying to survive and was really subservient to the power of the Wicked Witches of the East and West. BY PAUL MITCHELL. Capra tapped the steady Lionel Barrymore to portray the miserly banker, Mr. Potter and mainstay Jimmy Stewart played the part of George Bailey. 49-63.. Henry was given the job of being Keeper of the Jewels in Ozma's treasure hoard for the purpose of keeping him occupied. The film is still renowned for its practical effects, songs like Over The Rainbow, and 16-year-old Judy Garland's star-making performance as Dorothy. But in both cases, Dorothy is instantly hailed as a conquering heroine, just as the Wizard was when he touched down in Oz. Once again, the rest of the novel was likely removed due to time constraints. In the Oscar-winning movie You Can't Take It With You, Lionel Barrymore played the role which Travers had portrayed on Broadway. In the 1985 film Return to Oz, Uncle Henry's wife Emily is called "Mrs. Blue," implying that his full name is Henry Blue. On the other hand, its been pointed out that Baum was not a Populist himself, and theres no clear reason why he would encode their message into his book. By . It doesn't really affect the story, but her appearance in the book is described as even more grotesque than Hamilton's iconic green makeup and prosthetics. Upon arriving there, Dorothy and her companions are forced to don pairs of glasses that are fastened at the back by a lock which is kept by the Gate Guardian. Henry Littlefield, an American author, educator, and historian, believes that the scenes in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz have a deeper meaning in contrast to the seemingly simple plot. The script scoffs at the idea that power and prosperity come to those who merit them, even when it is dealing with Dorothy herself. That point is highlighted when he asks Dorothy to go kill the Wicked Witch of the West for him. Find out what caused the downfall of this simple yet visually appealing game and why it's no longer a favorite among players. Oct 21, 2021 Since its premiere way back on August 25, 1939, viewers have been enchanted by the movie The Wizard of Oz. Still, regardless of Braum's true intentions, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz remains as one of the world's greatest children's stories known all around the world. 1921 Locust Yearbook Public Domain Photo Wikimedia. Bert Lahr in his costume as the Cowardly Lion in Victor Flemings 1939 The Wizard of Oz. Travers didn't live long enough to see his character "Clarence" become so revered. As with any book to film adaptation, certain things are going to be added, changed, or cut out entirely. In the book, however, Glinda is actually the Good Witch of the South, and isn't seen until the very end of the novel. He and Aunt Em have a farmworker named Amos (voiced by Larry Storch) who does not have an alter ego in Oz. Henry Travers, who played the elderly angel that serves as Stewart's muse in the film, was in his 70s -- and was born in 1874. Now that the longest-reigning monarch in British history has died, what happens next? It's a tragedy that Judy Garland was considered one of Hollywood's finest starlets and yet, she passed away abruptly at the age of 47. The studio ended up being furious at Ebsen and cast Jack Hayley instead. . A bumbling sawmill employee tries to win the hand of the owner's daughter while staying out of . If you would like to comment on this story or anything else you have seen on BBC Culture, head over to ourFacebookpage or message us onTwitter. Professor Marvel and the three farmhands simply do not exist, and the tornado appears almost immediately after opening the front cover. Alfred Hitchcock used Travers as a Comic relief in Shadow of a Doubt (1943), where he played a bank clerk with a passion for criminal magazines. His reading of the book sees The Wizard of Oz as an allegory about American monetary policy of the time - with implications for what came later as a result of conflict over maintaining the gold standard and the " Free Silver" movement of the day. By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. the actor who played Uncle Henry She, Uncle Henry , and two farmhands are swept to Oz by a tornado. 1900. A one-stop-shop for all things video games. The pig-tailed Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) is so wholesome, the Harburg and Arlen songs are so delightful, and the Technicolor adventures are so exciting that its still easy to mistake The Wizard of Oz for traditional family entertainment, 80 years on from its release in August 1939. Due to Oz residents never really dying in entirety, the "new" Witch in Oz had Henry in unconscious stasis, after his Earthly soul had died. 10 Things From The Wizard Of Oz That Wouldn't Fly Today, 10 Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The Wizard Of Oz, Jerry Maren, the last surviving Munchkin actor at the time, discussed these claims with writers and reporters, Margaret Hamilton's portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West, Hamilton suffered a second-degree burn on her face and a third-degree burn on her hand, role seemed like a dream come true for young Judy Garland, chicken soup, black coffee, and four packs of cigarettes a day, what's surprising is that Judy Garland was paid less than her male co-stars, The Wizard Of Oz: 10 Things Fans Didn't Know About The Cast, Additionally, they also made her take 'pep pills'to control her appetite, Buddy Ebsen was originally cast as the Tin Man, but the makeup was such that he was breathing in pure aluminuminto his lungs, 5 Craziest Wizard Of Oz Fan Theories (& 5 That Totally Make Sense), A scene featuring snow in a poppy field featured clouds of lethal asbestos, 10 Most Iconic Pets In Movie History, Ranked, Wizard Of Oz: 10 Things Fans Never Understood About The Movie. Shortly after Stewart won what would be his only Oscar for his role in The Philadelphia Story (1940), he was drafted into the U.S. Army at age 32 but was too skinny to pass the physical. What's sad is the lack of financial compensation for the actor after the accident. On the long journey to the Emerald City, Dorothy and Toto are joined by the Scarecrow, who wishes he had brains; the Tin Woodman, who longs for a heart; and the Cowardly Lion, who seeks courage. Take a look at what he uncovered. Ray Bolger as the Scarecrow, The Wizard of Oz (1939). 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", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Henry_Travers&oldid=1129578831, Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale), Articles with dead external links from December 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 December 2022, at 04:39. In fact, the Good Witch of the North has a different name according to the other Oz novels. https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Wonderful-Wizard-of-Oz, Internet Archive - "The wonderful wizard of Oz", National Public Radio - Following The Yellow Brick Road Back To The Origins Of 'Oz'. They are still in the house when the cyclone carries it away for a long journey. But for all of its similarities to the Disney film, MGMs version was more of an anti-fairy tale than a fairy tale. He died in 1869. Some of these differences, however, go beyond minor tweaks. In the novel however, the WItch doesn't care as much. The Secret Behind "The Wizard of Oz" according to Henry Littlefield, Varsity Tennis: A Wrap up to a Memorable Season, Richter: The Darker Meaning of the Abstract Beauty. Wizard of Oz (1925) This 1925 loose adaptation of L. Frank Baum's classic tale stars forgotten silent screen comic Larry Semon, and is notable for an early appearance by Oliver Hardy as the Tin Man. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Fans of "The Wizard of Oz" have another chance to walk down the yellow brick road in theaters, this time to celebrate what would have been Judy Garland's 100th birthday . "The Wizard of Oz," the Last Munchkin, and the Little People Left Behind By Matt Weinstock July 11, 2018 When the last lingering Munchkin from "The Wizard of Oz," Jerry Maren, died in May,. The witch wants Dorothys shoes, which she knows carry powerful magic. After precariously navigating a kingdom made entirely of fine china, the companions find themselves at the mercy of a race of creatures known as the Hammerheads, and are aided by the Flying Monkeys. This leads them to elect him King of the Beasts. The Wizard of Oz over the years has become one of the truly classic movies among children and adults alike. " the best safety of the frontier settlements will be secured by the total annihilation of the few remaining Indians. [6] He played character roles almost from the beginning of his acting career in 1894, often figures who were much older than himself. RELATED: The Wizard Of Oz: 10 Things Fans Didn't Know About The Cast. - The films that defined Generation X. Another extreme instance was when director Victor Fleming slapped the actressbecause she was giggling in a particular scene. The film doesnt send audiences over the rainbow to a mythical past, but to a garish parody of the noisy, industrialised present. The film is still renowned for its practical effects, songs like Over The Rainbow, and 16-year-old Judy Garland's star-making performance as Dorothy. Much like the film's other elements, the makeup team's prosthetic work was also quite dangerous. The name "Gale" appears on the mailbox and Miss Almira Gulch (Wicked Witch's alter ego) addresses him as "Mr. Gale". The story is about a young girl named Dorothy and is set in the magical Land of Oz where she and her pet dog Toto are swept away from their home by a tornado. Travers got fourth billing behind actress Donna Reed who played Georges wife, Mary. The two characters were likely combined into one for the movie due to time constraints. This change makes perfect sense because it would be difficult to create a one-eyed character given the technology of the time. Actress Judy Garland was seventeen years old at the time of the film's release, so Dorothy is more than likely around the same age. Dorothy solved this problem for them by bringing them to live with her in the Emerald City, as permanent guests of Princess Ozma. For an industry that has been largely unfair to people with physical differences, it's a shame that a dog made more money than the little people who had to wear multiple costumes and perform song and dance routines. In the movie however, the city really is green, likely for the same reason as the silver slippers being red: the filmmakers wanted to show off the capabilities of Technicolor. This causes Dorothy to despair at apparently being left in Oz forever. He died in 1965 at the age of 91. Dorothy arrives at her farmhouse and chats with three farmhands, HIckory (Jack Haley), Hunk (Ray Bolger), and Zeke (Bert Lahr). In an article entitled "The 'Wizard of Oz' as a Monetary Allegory" (1990), Hugh Rockoff examined the analogies between Baum's use of imagery and the monetary politics of the Populist era. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is one of the most famous children's books of all time. By Glinda of Oz, he has become one of Ozma's closest advisers, having taught his agricultural abilities to Ozite farmers, getting them producing surplus for the Emerald City storehouses. He is a big fan of pets and animal care. Oz in the film is a modernist mass of neon-striped skyscrapers that is blatantly artificial (Credit: Alamy). Wednesday, March 1, 2023 - 6:01 pm. Discover the characters and themes at the heart of the memorable story. Before the Wizard disappears, he hands the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr) and the Tin Man (Jack Haley) their suitably gimcrack prizes a scroll, a medal and a clock while assuring them that they are as accomplished as anyone back where I come from. Dorothy doesnt go that far, but she does travel from the barren middle-American countryside to a glittering urban centre, only to discover that it is ruled by fakers and populated by fools. Think about that. After their house was famously carried off to the Land of Oz by a tornado in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Henry mortgaged his farm in order to rebuild. When it comes to Screen Rant, he writes lists on a wide array of subjects ranging from international films to mainstream Netflix series and comic book trivia. They face many trials along their route, but they overcome them all, often because of the Scarecrows good sense, the Tin Woodmans kindness, and the bravery of the Cowardly Lion. . The films Technicolor adventures are so engaging its easy to mistake The Wizard of Oz for traditional family entertainment (Credit: Alamy). 1 h 35 min. Updates? This meant that he was present to observe the rise of the Populist movement among farmers of the West, and their formation of the Peoples Party to address a variety of economic issues in the country. In the VeggieTales episode The Wonderful Wizard of Ha's, Uncle Henry and his wife Aunt Em were substituted by a father (Dad Asparagus) to retell The Prodigal Son, a biblical parable from the Gospel. Travers didnt live long enough to see his character Clarence become so revered. Struggling with the mental and societal pressures of early stardom, Garland's adulthood was riddled with substance abuse and alcoholism. Uncle Henry is a fictional character from The Oz Books by L. Frank Baum. We are, once again, welcoming new teachers in this 2022-2023 school year! RELATED: 10 Best Horror Villains of the 20th Century. T hursday marks 80 years since the Aug. 15, 1939, Hollywood premiere of the film classic The Wizard of Oz, the story of a tornado that hits Kansas and transports a young girl named Dorothy,. Munchkins are ordinary people oppressed by the witches of the East, banks, and monopolies. His best known role was the guardian angel Clarence Odbody in the 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life. Children like it because it is a good story, full of fun characters and exciting adventures. Dorothy, the main character in the novel, is said to represent the average American. Apart from the abuse that Judy Garland endured, there are plenty of other things in The Wizard of Oz that wouldn't fly today, including racism. He is played by Matt Clark opposite Piper Laurie. The companions head to the land of the Winkies, ruled by the Wicked Witch of the West. A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Culture, Capital and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday. 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