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From: hobbit@sunybcs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.movies
Subject: Re: Wizard of Oz
Message-ID: <68@sunybcs.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 26-Jun-84 08:57:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: sunybcs.68
Posted: Tue Jun 26 08:57:01 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 30-Jun-84 07:07:40 EDT
References: <189@ihima.UUCP> loral.194, <430@hogpc.UUCP>, <182@sdchema.UUCP>
Organization: SUNY/Buffalo Computer Science
Lines: 48

[You'd have to be a little 'off' to see the Wizard....]

I don't remember who was suppose to play the Great Oz first, but...

All of the main characters except the Cowardly Lion were Second Choices!!

Character             Original          Final
Wicked Witch          ???               Margret Hamilton
Dorothy               Shirley Temple    Judy Garland
Scarecrow             ???               Ray Bolger
Tin Man               Ray Bolger,
                      Buddy Epson       Jack (?)
Lion                  Bert Lahr all the way across!!

The first choice for the Wicked Witch and Buddy Epson were both allergic
to the makeup being used in the filming.  Also, Ray Bolger was originally
to play the Tin Man, but he asked to play the Scarecrow instead.

Other problems: Margret Hamilton's costume caught fire in one scene, and
she was fortunate that they got the makeup off her quickly, as it could have
permanently disfigured her.  Bert Lahr lost a LOT of weight in that costume
during the filming as well.

By the way, the coat the 'Wizard' wears in the last scenes actually belonged
to L. Frank Baum at one time!  His wife had donated it to a second-hand shop
where the costume department picked it up!!

Trivia Question (don't we have enough already??):

What musical number was cut from the final version of the film?

(Not "Over the Rainbow", which almost didn't make it in, since MGM thought
that none of their stars should be seen singing in a barnyard......)

PS -- A friend of mine here at Univ. of Buffalo (UB) once wrote a version of
the story with the song:

"We're off to see the Wizard ... of UB.  We here he is a Wiz of a Wiz
                         When he's not at the Faculty Club..."

				Oh joy!  Rapture!
-- 
				-The Parker Hobbit
				 a.k.a. Thomas R. Pellitieri

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