How Many Oz In 5 Gallons Of Water

From offscreen friendships and jarring pay inequality to the special effects and makeup tricks that brought some of the world's favorite moving-picture show characters to life, The Magician of Oz (1939) had so much going on behind the emerald curtain and the Technicolor gloss of an astonishing fantasy world.

In honor of the 80th anniversary of the motion-picture show, follow the yellowish brick slideshow to peek backside that drapery and larn more about the secrets and fun facts that brand the honey moving-picture show a timeless classic.

Margaret Hamilton Was a Fan Before the Flick

Every bit a self-proclaimed lifelong fan of Fifty. Frank Baum'south Oz serial, Margaret Hamilton was thrilled to be considered for a role in the 1939 flick adaptation. Hamilton called her amanuensis to ask which character the producers wanted her to play, and her agent famously said, "The witch — who else?"

Hamilton, a single mother, fought MGM for an agreed upon amount of guaranteed work time. Three days earlier filming began, the studio agreed to a five-week deal. In the end, Hamilton was on set for three months, only many of her scenes were cutting for being besides scary for audiences.

Sure, Dorothy Gale doesn't need prosthetics or aluminum makeup, but that doesn't mean Judy Garland wasn't put through the costume department wringer. Although she was immature at the time, the 16-year-one-time Garland had to vesture a corset-like device and so she looked more similar a preadolescent child.

Manager Richard Thorpe suggested Garland habiliment a blonde wig and loads of "baby-doll" makeup (as any preadolescent girl would…?). Luckily, that vision of the graphic symbol changed. After MGM fired Thorpe, the intermediate director George Cukor nixed the heavy makeup and wig. Instead, he told Garland to be herself. Smart move.

The "Skywriting" Scene Employed Some Great Movie Magic

The Wizard of Oz employs a lot of neat film tricks, and some of the near unique were used in the skywriting scene. In it, the Wicked Witch (Margaret Hamilton) flies above the Emerald City, leaving the phrase "Surrender Dorothy" in her wake in blackness fume.

Using a hypodermic needle, the special effects team spread blackness ink across the lesser of a glass tank that was filled with a thick, tinted liquid (some speculate milk). They wrote the phrase in contrary and filmed the scene from beneath. Initially, the skywriting concluded with the ominous "Or Die — W W Westward."

The "Snow" in the Poppy Field Was Actually Dangerous

1 of the Wicked Witch'southward last-ditch efforts to impede Dorothy's quest to meet the Wonderful Wizard of Oz involves a poppy field and some magical slumber-inducing snow. While many like to joke that the poppies and their drowsiness are the result of opium (a component of poppies), the scene has a much more blatant toxic connection than that.

Photo Courtesy: MGM Studios/Courtesy of Getty Images

All that magical snow? It's actually 100% industrial-course chrysotile asbestos. Even though the wellness risks associated with the material were known at the fourth dimension, it was still Hollywood's preferred option for faux snow. Our advice to Dorothy? Don't catch any snowflakes on your natural language.

Scarecrow's Makeup Stuck Around for Awhile

In the end, Ray Bolger (Scarecrow) was probably grateful for Buddy Ebsen (the original Tin can Human'due south) willingness to merchandise parts with him for more than reasons than i. The Tin can Human being'southward aluminum makeup caused a huge amount of problems for Ebsen, who was replaced past Jack Haley.

Although Bolger's makeup experience was improve than Ebsen's, he still had some issues. The Scarecrow's makeup consisted of a rubber prosthetic, complete with a woven design that mimicked the look of burlap. Afterwards the film wrapped, the prosthetic left patterns on Bolger's face that took more than than a twelvemonth to fade.

Margaret Hamilton Was Burned On Set

In a outburst of flames and reddish smoke, the Wicked Witch (Margaret Hamilton) vanishes from Munchkinland. Although the scene is terrifying for viewers, it may have instilled more fright for Hamilton. On the starting time take, the smoke rose from a subconscious trapdoor besides early.

For the 2nd take, Hamilton stood on the trapdoor as planned, but her cape snagged on the platform when the fire flared up. Her copper-containing makeup heated up instantly, causing 2d- and 3rd-degree burns on her easily and face. To make matters worse, the coiffure tried to remedy her burns with (an fifty-fifty more than painful) acetone solvent.

The Flying Monkeys Became Falling Monkeys

The Wicked Witch's legion of flying monkeys — or Winged Monkeys as they're called in the source textile — take certainly been a source of terror for generations. Almost equally scary every bit the Witch herself, these henchmen soar onto the scene to kidnap Dorothy and Toto — cheers to the magic of piano wires.

Still, the aerial stunt went awry when several of the piano wires snapped, sending actors plummeting a few feet to the soundstage floor. To create such a vast troupe of monkeys (and cut down on human marionettes), filmmakers made miniature condom monkeys to help populate the sky.

"Over the Rainbow" Was Almost on the Cutting Room Floor

To no i's surprise, the American Film Institute ranked "Over the Rainbow" #i on a list of 100 Greatest Songs in American Films. But what may surprise you? The (arguably) near iconic song of Judy Garland'due south career was nearly cut from the film.

Studio execs at MGM thought the song fabricated the Kansas scenes too long. Moreover, filmmakers were concerned that children wouldn't understand the song'southward meaning. Luckily, this unfounded business melted like lemon drops. Unfortunately, Garland's tearful reprise of the song was left on the cutting room floor.

The Tin Man Costume Didn't Allow Jack Haley to Rest Like shooting fish in a barrel

Although Bert Lahr had to schlep around in a ninety-pound king of beasts costume, Jack Haley didn't accept it piece of cake either. From the lingering concerns about the aluminum paste-based makeup on his face and hands to the minimal flexibility of the "tin" torso and arms, Haley faced some challenges.

Reportedly, his costume was then strong that he had to lean confronting a board to rest properly. Many years subsequently, actor Anthony Daniels, known for playing the protocol droid C-3PO in the Star Wars films, had the aforementioned effect with his rigid costume. It seems even fantasy and sci-fi can't help folks escape all their issues.

The Original Tin Man Was Rushed to the Hospital

Initially, Buddy Ebsen was cast as the Scarecrow, merely traded parts with Ray Bolger. Still, Ebsen's new character, the Tin Human being, caused him a slew of bug. Namely, the character'southward silver makeup contained a harmful aluminum dust that coated Ebsen's lungs.

Photo Courtesy: John Springer Drove/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

To make matters worse, Ebsen had an allergic reaction, and, unable to exhale, he was rushed to the hospital. MGM recast the role with Jack Haley (and changed upward the makeup), but didn't explain why Ebsen "dropped out." Although Ebsen didn't announced in the concluding film, his vocals can be heard in "We're Off to Meet the Wizard."

A Stocking & Some Miniatures Gave U.s.a. the Tornado

The tornado that strikes the Gale homestead is full of practical special effects that actually hold upward. The funnel itself was actually a 35-foot long stocking made of muslin. The special furnishings squad spun it effectually miniatures that resembled the farms and fields of Kansas. Against the painted backdrop, the tornado looks menacing.

The Gale business firm, which falls from the sky and into Oz, is only a miniature house that was dropped onto a sky painting. Filmmakers and so reversed the footage to get in wait like the house was falling out of the clouds.

Hollywood Didn't Pay Up Then Either

Pay inequality has always been an issue in Hollywood. For instance, Adriana Caselotti, vocalisation of the titular character in Walt Disney'southward Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs (1937), made $970 for her performance, though the film went on to make roughly $8 million.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Judy Garland'south pay was better than Caselotti'south — playing Dorothy earned her $500 a week — merely information technology even so didn't reflect the film's success. Even more than discouraging, the folks who portrayed the citizens of Munchkinland were paid a mere $fifty per week. (Meanwhile, Terry the domestic dog earned $125 per calendar week every bit Toto. A real yikes.)

Bert Lahr'south Panthera leo Costume Was Taxing

Originally, MGM idea information technology might bandage its mascot — the bodily lion used in the studio's title card — as the cowardly character. Fortunately, for the safety of the actors and the beast, the filmmakers decided to bandage actor Bert Lahr as the anthropomorphic character instead.

To make a convincing brute, the costume department fashioned Lahr a 90-pound outfit fabricated from real lion skin. Yet, the arc lights used on ready made things a steamy 100 degrees during filming, which meant Lahr did a lot of sweating unrelated to his character's nerves. Each night, two stagehands dried the costume for the side by side solar day.

The Initial Box Function Returns Were Uneven

The film started shooting in October of 1938 merely didn't wrap until March of 1939, racking upwardly an unheard of $2,777,000 in costs. That's nearly $50 1000000 adjusted for inflation. Upon its initial release, the picture show merely earned $3 one thousand thousand at the box office — about $51.8 million by today's standards.

Although that seems impressive for a Depression-era film, recall that Disney fabricated $8 million with Snowfall White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). The Magician of Oz'southward modest success in the U.S. barely covered production and film rights' costs — MGM paid $75,000 to the publisher for those — but success overseas fortunately bolstered the pic's returns.

The Dark Side of Oz in a Time Before "Me Likewise"

Judy Garland was just 16 years onetime when she was bandage as Dorothy. Insecure and lonesome, she became fond to amphetamines and barbiturates, which were frequently given to immature actors to help them sleep after studios shot them up with adrenaline and then they could work long hours.

The spotlight — and her damaging contract with MGM — didn't help, leading to lifelong struggles with an eating disorder and alcoholism. Co-ordinate to a writer for Express, "[Garland] was molested by older men, including studio chiefs [and head Louis B. Mayer], who considered her little more than their 'belongings.'" Moreover, MGM forced Garland to stick to a wildly unhealthy diet of cigarettes, coffee and craven soup.

The Voice of Snow White Had a Cameo

A few years before The Wizard of Oz debuted, Walt Disney'southward characteristic-length animated movie Snow White and the Vii Dwarfs (1937) became a nail-hit. Not only did the motion-picture show revolutionize the blitheness industry, information technology also reinvigorated the fantasy genre.

Disney wanted to follow up Snowfall White — and so the near successful film of all time — with an adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, simply MGM owned the rights. By happenstance, Adriana Caselotti, who voiced Snow White, had an uncredited function in Oz. During the Tin can Homo's "If I Only Had a Heart," Caselotti speaks her sole line, "Wherefore art k Romeo?"

The Ruby Slippers Are Props & Treasured Artifacts

Keeping in line with the book, Dorothy's iconic footwear was originally silver, only screenwriter Noel Langley felt the scarlet color would really popular in glorious Technicolor. Designed by MGM's chief costume designer Gilbert Adrian, the shoes are each covered in about ii,300 sequins.

Photo Courtesy: Larry Marano/FilmMagic/Getty Images

1 of the remaining pairs is on view in the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. Since the brandish is so heavily trafficked, the museum has replaced the carpeting there several times. Another pair were stolen from Minnesota's Judy Garland Museum in 2005, but the FBI recovered the slippers for the institution in 2018.

Only One Sequence Was Filmed "On Location"

The Wizard of Oz is your archetype gamble story, and Dorothy'southward quest leads her from a Kansas farm to some other world — consummate with corn fields, poppy-filled meadows and forests. Notwithstanding, despite all these scenic locations, nearly all the scenes were shot on a soundstage.

As was customary at the time, immense, detailed backdrops were painted by studio artists, making it possible for filmmakers to transport audiences to far away places without filming on location. In fact, the only location footage in the picture show is the opening title sequence — those clouds are 100% the real bargain.

A Second Toto Was Brought In

Toto, played primarily by Terry, is one of the about dearest dogs in film history. Terry was famously not a huge fan of special effects and can often be seen running out of a shot when something loud or alarming happens — like when the Tin Man spouts out all of that steam.

Subsequently one of the Witch's guards accidentally stepped on her, Terry was on bedrest for two weeks. Filmmakers went through two doubles to detect one that resembled the original canine actor more closely.

Fun fact: Judy Garland was so fond of Terry that she wanted to adopt the dog.

Margaret Hamilton "Mourns the Wicked" Witch

In addition to being a huge fan of the Oz books, Margaret Hamilton also believed her grapheme was more than simply your run-of-the-manufacturing plant evil villain. More than than 35 years after the flick debuted, Hamilton, donning her Witch'south costume to show kids information technology was make-believe, appeared on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, where Fred Rogers interviewed her about the character.

According to Hamilton, the so-chosen Wicked Witch relished everything she did, just she was also a deplorable, lonely figure. In short, things never went well for the frustrated Witch. Oddly enough, the Broadway musical Wicked also takes this approach to the Witch's character.

The "Horse of a Dissimilar Color" Was Made Possible Thanks to a Nutrient Product

In 1939, audiences were just as amazed as Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin can Man and the Cowardly Panthera leo when the horse in Emerald City took on a rainbow of colors. This "horse of a different color" was made possible thanks to a surprising nutrient item…

Jell-O crystals were used to colour the horses, which meant filmmakers had to move apace — the animals were eager to lick up the sweet treat. But the colorful steed isn't the only interesting component in this fan-favorite scene. The equus caballus-drawn carriage was once endemic past President Abraham Lincoln and now resides at the Judy Garland Museum.

The Makeup Department Hired Actress Hands

From the citizens of Munchkinland and Emerald Metropolis to the Witch'south flying monkeys, then many actors had to undergo a makeup transformation in order to give life to this fantasy film. To keep up with the daily demands, MGM called upon workers from the studio mailroom and courier service to manage makeup stations.

Since most of the Ozian ensemble required prosthetics, makeup artists — and "makeshift" artists — formed a kind of costuming assembly line. Nearly actors had to make it before 5:00 in the morning — half-dozen days a week! — to begin the intensive process.

Memorable (& Oft Misquoted) Lines Fill the Film

The flick is brimming-full of iconic, memorable songs, and it has the cracking fortune of beingness responsible for some of the most quoted lines in movie history likewise. In 2007, Premiere compiled a listing of "The 100 Greatest Moving picture Lines" and placed a whopping three of the pic's lines on the list.

"Pay no attending to that human behind the curtain" was voted #24, while "There's no place like home" nabbed the 11th spot. Finally, the frequently misquoted "Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore" landed in the 62nd spot.

The Witch's Burn Employed Some Technical Wizardry (& Juice)

Clearly, the technical wizardry — or witchcraft — in the movie is incredible. Like the "horse of a unlike color" sequence, some other iconic, special effects-heavy scene harnessed the power of everyday household items to pull off fun tricks.

Shortly afterward Dorothy arrives in Munchkinland, the Wicked Witch tries to snatch the cherry slippers from the immature girl'southward feet. Nonetheless, fire strikes the Witch'southward easily, repelling her. This "fire" is actually apple juice spouting from the slippers in a sped-upwards clip to make information technology wait more than flame-like.

Technicolor Required Some Ingenuity in the Props Section

Experimenting with Technicolor was role fun and part trouble-solving for filmmakers. In order to properly capture scenes with the Technicolor camera, the soundstage needed to be lit with arc lights, which oftentimes heated the set to a toasty 100 degrees.

After the lights were fix, the experts experimented with what would wait best on moving picture, especially in colorized form. For case, the white office of Dorothy'southward dress is actually pink — simply considering it filmed amend. And the oil the Tin Human is so excited about? Information technology's actually chocolate syrup.

The Wicked Witch of the East Makes More than Than One Advent

Function of the Wicked Witch of the W's beefiness with Dorothy is that the young girl dropped a house on her sis, the Wicked Witch of the Eastward, who was the curt-lived possessor of the ruby slippers. Although Margaret Hamilton already plays both the Wicked Witch of the West and her Kansas analogue Almira Gulch, she also plays the Wicked Witch of the East — if only briefly.

During the tornado sequence, an addled Dorothy looks out her bedroom window and watches Gulch transform into a witch, her shoes shimmering. For fans, this glint indicates the witch outside the window is wearing the ruby slippers. The restored version of the picture makes that shimmer even more noticeable.

The Film's Running Time Was Cut Downwardly Several Times

The offset cut of the film clocked in at a running fourth dimension of 120 minutes. Although that seems like nothing by today's Marvel pic standards, producer Mervyn LeRoy felt it was long and unwieldy and wanted to chop off 20 minutes.

Subsequently cutting the famed "Jitterbug" number and an extended Scarecrow dance sequence, the film was 112 minutes long. LeRoy held a 2d preview screening, and, later, nixed Dorothy's "Over the Rainbow" reprise, an Emerald Urban center reprise of "Ding! Dong! The Witch Is Dead," a scene where the Tin Homo becomes a human beehive (Yikes!) and a few Kansas sequences.

So Much for a "Wicked" Witch

Filmmakers accounted Margaret Hamilton'southward Wicked Witch of the West functioning too frightening for audiences and cut or trimmed many of her scenes. But not everyone thought her performance was terrifying — namely Judy Garland, who played the Wicked Witch's nemesis, Dorothy Gale.

Off-screen, the film's starring foes were actually friends. Ane story that emerged from the ready described Garland excitedly showing off a dress to Hamilton, declaring she was going to clothing it for her graduation. Unfortunately, MGM'southward Louis B. Mayer sent Garland on a press tour the day of her graduation. Upset, Hamilton phoned Mayer and chewed him out.

Giving Credit to Technicolor

In the opening credits, the text reads "Photographed in Technicolor," as opposed to the more than apt "Color Sequences by Technicolor." The phrasing of the credits makes it seem as though the entire film was shot in color. Was this done deliberately, or was information technology a minor syntactical faux pas?

It'due south widely believed this was a chip of a stunt washed to heighten the surprise of the picture turning into total three-strip Technicolor when Dorothy arrives in Oz. Posters made at the time of the film's debut made no mention of sepia tint (or "blackness-and-white"), calculation acceptance to this theory.

1 of History's Most-Watched Films

Although The Magician of Oz proved pop in theaters, another film released the same year, also directed by Victor Fleming, actually topped the box office. (You may have heard of that little movie — information technology's called Gone with the Air current.) Nonetheless, MGM's musical fantasy may have more staying power than other films of the era, thank you in part to re-releases.

The film was get-go circulate on television on Nov 3, 1956, and garnered an impressive 44 1000000 viewers. Information technology'south believed that The Wizard of Oz is one of the 10 most-watched characteristic-length movies in picture show history, largely due to the number of annual boob tube screenings, theater viewings and various format re-releases.