EPISODE 84 - “THE MAKING OF MAGIC: BEHIND THE SCENES ON THE WIZARD OF OZ - PART 1” - 4/21/2025

Perhaps one of the most beloved movies of all time, the MGM classic The Wizard of Oz debuted in that magical year of 1939. Based on the popular children’s books by Frank L. Baum, it tells the story of a Kansas farm girl, Dorothy Gale, who, along with her devoted dog Toto, is transported to the magical land of Oz. This beloved classic has become such a touchstone in pop culture that phrases like “There’s no place like home,” “Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore,” and “I’ll get you, my pretty” have entered our collective lexicon. This week, we offer the first of a two part episode that explores the making of this MGM classic film. 

SHOW NOTES: 

Sources:

Adapting The Wizard of Oz: Musical Versions From Baum to MGM and Beyond (2019), by Danielle Burkett & Dominic McHugh;

The Wizard of Oz FAQ: All that’s Left to Know About Life According to Oz (2014), by David J. Hogan;

Before The Rainbow (2000), by Mark Evan Schwartz;

Somewhere Over the Rainbow: Harold Arlen (1999) Documentary, Dir. Don McGlynn;

The Munchkins of Oz (1996), by Stephen Coz;

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic (1990) Documentary, Dir. Jack Haley, Jr;

The Making of The Wizard of Oz: Movie Magic and Studio Power in the Prime of MGM -- and the Miracle of Production (1989), by Aljean Harmetz;

“The Comedians of Oz,” Winter 1986-87, by Celia Catlett Anderson, Studies in American Humor;

The Wizard of Oz: An American Fairy Tale, Library of Congress

Wizard Of Oz Scarecrow Dance (Deleted Scene), InternetArchive.org 

Harold Arlen: Happy with the Blues (1961), by Edward Jablonski;

Wikipedia.com;

TCM.com;

IBDB.com;

IMDBPro.com;

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