Drawing much of its inspiration from Baum's sequel to "The Wonderful Wizard Oz" titled "The Marvelous Land of Oz," the story was really an amalgam of the two books. You'll never hear "Over the Rainbow" the same way again!įilmation animation studios began production on this film in 1962, but due to financial difficulties, "Journey Back to Oz" was put on hold for eight years. The cast, including Judy Garland (Dorothy), Ray Bolger (Scarecrow), Jack Haley (Tin Man), Bert Lahr (Cowardly Lion), Billie Burke (Glinda) and Frank Morgan (The Wizard), all hailed from the world of vaudeville and the musical stage, putting their indelible stamp on their respective characterizations.
Harburg (the duo would also write Broadway's Bloomer Girl and Jamaica), is considered one of the most whimsical and enchanting of all film scores, with the Oscar-winning "Over the Rainbow" being a standout. The score, with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. The 1939 film version of "The Wizard of Oz" by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has been seen by countless millions thanks to its popular perennial runs on television. "The Wizard of Oz" For most people, this is where the love affair with Baum's characters begins. Montgomery as the Tin Woodman was the highlight of the show, but by all standards, the show was a hit. For most audiences, the vaudeville comedy duo of Fred Stone as the Scarecrow and David C. Among the changes: Audiences never saw The Wicked Witch of the West, The Cowardly Lion was reduced to a bit part, and the dog Toto was turned into a cow named Imogene. There were, in fact, over 60 songs in this version of "The Wizard of Oz." Baum also provided the script, which was tinkered with and changed by producers, leaving the musical with only a partial resemblance to the beloved book. Baum himself provided some of the lyrics and Paul Tietjens the music, with additional songs coming from a variety of sources. The operetta "The Wizard of Oz" ran for 293 performances on Broadway, and it played extensively around the country. The first time the characters of Oz took the stage was just two years after the book's initial release.
With the 12th anniversary of Wicked's triumphant reign on Broadway just celebrated, it is exciting to look back at the musical versions of Oz that have joyously inhabited Broadway, film and television.
There is something about this magical world that inspires a musicality that audiences have embraced again and again. Of these myriad inceptions, many have taken on musical form. "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" (1900) by Lyman Frank Baum is a beloved children's classic that has yielded many interpretations onstage and on screen.
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