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David Zaslav has officially made his way into showbiz history by casting himself into The Wizard of Oz at the Las Vegas Sphere (via The Hollywood Reporter). He will have a blink-and-miss-it cameo when viewers are immersed in the groundbreaking adaptation of the 1939 classic.

Sphere Entertainment Co. chairman James Dolan spoke about subtly enhancing the movie and replacing two background characters with his and Zaslav’s faces, which are left as Easter eggs for the audience to find.

Now, let’s look at how AI shaped the experience and everything you need to know before you visit the Sphere to watch The Wizard of Oz.

Is The Wizard of Oz...

Loni Anderson, whose beloved role as Jennifer Marlowe on “Wkrp in Cincinnati” was nominated for Emmy and Golden Globe awards, has died, her publicist confirmed Sunday. She was 79.

Anderson played the “sexy-yet-smartest-person-in-the-room receptionist” on the hit TV series about a mixed-format radio station from 1978 to 1982. She died Sunday in Los Angeles following an acute prolonged illness, surrounded by family, longtime publicist Cheryl Kagan told TheWrap.

“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother,” the family said in a statement.

Anderson starred in six TV series, seven feature films, 19 TV movies and two min-series over the years. After her diagnosis, she continued working co-starring in Lifetime’s “Ladies Of The 80’s: A Divas Christmas” with Linda Gray, Donna Mills, Morgan Fairchild and Nicollette Sheridan. The TV movie aired in late December 2023.

“Loni was a class act. Beautiful. Talented. Witty. Always a joy to be around,...

We here at /Film love movie trivia. We've dedicated so much time and energy to uncovering important truths to our favorite films, such as tracking down the exact wrestling match you can see on a television screen in "Beetlejuice" (namely, a Long Beach bout between The Whip and The Spoiler Ron Starr). There's so much that goes into filmmaking than what you see on the screen, and it's fascinating to dive deep into the process to see what intriguing tidbits can get uncovered.

It goes without saying that the internet has caused a bit of a misinformation issue in the modern age. That means someone can say something online, and everyone else just runs with it. These mistruths can either come from misunderstandings or someone just outright lying and no one bothering to fact-check. This has caused many so-called bits of movie trivia to populate the public consciousness that are unequivocally false,...

Charles Strouse, the musical composer for such Broadway hits as Bye Bye Birdie, Applause and Annie, films including Bonnie and Clyde (1967) The Night They Raided Minsky’s (1968) and All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989) and for the TV series All In The Family, died at his home in New York City on May 15. He was 96.

His death was announced by his children Benjamin, Nicholas, Victoria, and William Strouse., and was nominated for Golden Boy, Charlie & Algernon, Rags, and Nick & Nora.

Strouse was born on June 7, 1928 in New York City, the son of Ethel (Newman) and Ira Strouse. After graduating from the Eastman School of Music in 1947, he received two scholarships to Tanglewood, where he studied under composer Aaron Copland. Subsequently, Copland arranged for Strouse to get a scholarship with legendary teacher, Nadia Boulanger, in Paris.

Strouse met songwriting partner, lyricist Adams, at a party in 1949, and the duo began a longtime collaboration starting with writing songs for summer resorts in the Adirondacks. Strouse and Adams contributed material to numerous Off-Broadway musical revues, including Catch a Star, Shoestring Revue, The Littlest Revue and Kaleidoscope, and wrote specialty material for Kaye Ballard, Carol Burnett, Jane Morgan and Dick Shawn.

In 1958, Strouse and lyricist, Fred Tobias wrote the chart-topping pop song “Born Too Late” (recorded by The Poni-Tails), and it was in that same year that Strouse and Adams had their Broadway breakthrough. They were hired by producer Edward Padula to write a satirical musical about rock and roll and teen idol culture. The show, Bye Bye Birdie, became their first Tony Award-winning hit. The production starred Chita Rivera and Dick Van Dyke and won four 1961 Tony Awards including Best Musical, earning Strouse the first of his three Tony Awards.

The show introduced the world to such songs as “Put On A Happy Face,” and “A Lot of Livin’ to Do.” A 1962 movie version, starring Ann-Margret, was one of the top-grossing films of the year, and featured Margret’s now iconic performance of the film’s newly added title song, “Bye Bye Birdie.” Strouse would later win a 1996 Emmy Award for the new song, “Let’s Settle Down,” written with Adams and added for the musical’s 1995 TV adaptation, starring Jason Alexander and Vanessa Williams.

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Additional collaborations with Adams include the Mel Brooks musical All American (1962) starring Ray Bolger. Though the show was not a commercial success, it featured what would become the popular American standard “Once Upon a Time”. Golden Boy (1963), a musical adaptation of the play by Clifford Odets starred Sammy Davis Jr., garnered Strouse his second Tony Award nomination. It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane… It’s Superman! gave audiences another popular Strouse & Adams song, “You’ve Got Possibilities” (first recorded by Linda Lavin). And in 1970, when the team wrote the score for Applause (based on the film All About Eve and Mary Orr’s The Wisdom of Eve and starring Lauren Bacall), Strouse would win his second Tony Award.

Strouse’s biggest Broadway success was with collaborators Martin Charnin and Thomas Meehan on Annie (1977), based on the comic strip, “Little Orphan Annie,” by Harold Gray. The Depression-era musical about a plucky red-headed orphan girl who wins the heart of billionaire Oliver Warbucks, was one of Broadway’s biggest hits of the 1970s, winning seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and garnering Strouse his third Tony Award and a Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album. Strouse’s score included “Tomorrow,” “It’s the Hard–Knock Life,” “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile,” and “I Don’t Need Anything But You.” Annie ran for over 2,300 performances on Broadway, where it has been revived twice and has inspired hundreds of worldwide productions. It has also been adapted for two film and two television productions.

Strouse was passionate about collaboration and would earn Tony Award nominations for his scores with lyricists: David Rogers, Charlie & Algernon (1980), based on the novel Flowers for Algernon, Steven Schwartz, for Rags (1986), with book writer Joseph Stein starring Teresa Stratas, and Nick and Nora (1991), a musical based on Dashiell Hammett’s The Thin Man characters, written with Richard Maltby, Jr.

Strouse’s film scores include Bonnie and Clyde (1967) starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, There Was a Crooked Man (1970), with Henry Fonda and Kirk Douglas, Sidney Lumet’s Just Tell Me What You Want, and the animated feature All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989).

In addition to his awards, Strouse was the recipient of several honorary doctorates. He was a longtime member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, inducted in 1985, and the Theatre Hall of Fame.

Strouse also composed orchestral works, chamber music, piano concertos, and an opera. His original piano work, Concerto America, was composed in 2002 to commemorate 9/11 and premiered at The Boston Pops in 2004. His opera Nightingale (1982), starring Sarah Brightman, had a successful run in London, followed by many subsequent productions.

In 1977, Strouse founded the ASCAP Musical Theatre Workshop, through which many young composers and lyricists honed their craft and developed their work. Strouse authored the autobiography Put on a Happy Face: A Broadway Memoir, published by Union Square Press in July 2008.

In addition to his four children, Strouse is survived by eight grandchildren, Sam and Arthur Strouse, Navah Strouse, Vivian, Weston and Ever Brush, and Owen and Theodore Strouse.

A private ceremony will be held at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel in New York City.

Major spoilers for the entire story of "Wicked" — yes, the entire Broadway musical — lie ahead, so proceed down the yellow brick road with utmost caution!

Throughout "Wicked: Part One" — Jon M. Chu's delightful adaptation of Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman's acclaimed (and wildly successful) Broadway musical "Wicked" — we meet a fair number of characters whose stories will take some intense twists and turns in the movie's second half "Wicked: For Good." The most obvious, of course, is Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo), a green-skinned and ambitious young sorceress who ends up enrolled at Shiz University and will eventually become the Wicked Witch of the West; right by her side is Galinda Upland (Ariana Grande-Butera), a peppy and pink-clad student who may or may not have legitimate magical abilities and who goes on to become Glinda the Good Witch. What you may not realize, though, is that we've also already...

Massive, massive spoilers for Act 2 of the Broadway musical "Wicked" — which is being adapted into "Wicked: For Good" — lie ahead! Stop reading if you want to avoid spoilers!

In the 1939 movie "The Wizard of Oz," Judy Garland's Dorothy Gale is flanked by three companions as she travels down the yellow brick road to meet the Wizard of Oz. These friends and protectors are known as the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), and the Tin Man (Jack Haley), and while Dorothy wants to ask the Wizard to send her home, the Lion, Scarecrow, and Tin Man have agendas of their own. The Lion wants to ask him for courage, the Scarecrow would really love a brain, and as for the Tin Man, he simply wants a working heart.

You're probably familiar with these characters because, well, "The Wizard of Oz" is one of the most famous movies...

If you're not familiar with the full story of "Wicked" — as in, anything past the events of the film "Wicked: Part One" — do not keep going down the yellow brick road! Major spoilers lie ahead!

If you're even a little bit familiar with "The Wizard of Oz" — the 1939 adaptation of L. Frank Baum's novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" — you probably know the movie's four main players. You've got Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland), a girl transported from Kansas to Oz thanks to a magical tornado, who ends up meeting the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), the Tin Man (Jack Haley), and the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger) in the fantastical land. Nearly a century later, audiences returned to Oz thanks to Jon M. Chu's adaptation of the hit Broadway musical "Wicked," itself adapted from Gregory Maguire's 1995 Oz-centric prequel novel "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,...

Wage disparity in Hollywood, especially with the gender pay gap, is an ongoing concern, but in the case of The Wizard of Oz, Toto the dog made more than some of the human actors. The Wizard of Oz is a timeless masterpiece brimming with imagination and whimsy, which boasts an ensemble of cherished characters. Among them is Judy Garland's captivating portrayal of Dorothy Gale, who embarks on a journey to find her way home with her loyal companion Toto. The film's release in 1939, also known as "Hollywood's Golden Year," saw numerous classics come to the big screen.

Within this lineup, The Wizard of Oz stands out due to its delightful songs, captivating characters, and the utilization of Technicolor technology. However, there are many controversies surrounding The Wizard of Oz, including stories of dangerous makeup and workplace harassment. The film also had significant wage gaps; Terry the dog, cast as Toto,...

Quick Links The Original Actor Suffered a Disastrous Accident on Set MGM Was Keen Not to Make the Same Mistake Again The Tin Man Redefined Male Actors in Hollywood

The Wizard of Oz has charmed audiences for generations. L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel transported viewers to an extraordinary world, giving them the chance to really experience what lies over the rainbow. In 1902, the book was adapted into a musical, which gave the story an entirely new lease on life. Most notably, MGM produced the 1939 film, which has stayed with audiences for over 80 years.

Many fans will know that the production of The Wizard of Oz was teeming with hiccups, making it a phenomenon in its own right. But, a lot of audiences aren't aware that the Tin Man was recast partway through filming, placing a huge spanner in the works for MGM. But the circumstances behind the change were surprisingly...

Buddy Ebsen was forced to sign an exclusive contract with MGM for two years after Louis B. Mayer threatened to ruin his career. During this contract period, he was cast in the role of Scarecrow in the musical adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s 1900 children’s novel, The Wizard of Oz. He was all set to play the character until actor Ray Bolger swooped in and took the role for himself.

Buddy Ebsen in a still from Barnaby Jones | Credits: CBS

The film’s producer Arthur Freed, who cast Ebsen as Scarecrow, told him that he would be Tin Woodman instead of his originally intended character. That decision almost ended his Hollywood career and his life. Ebsen began experiencing body aches and shortness of breath once the filming began and the doctors determined that his makeup caused his health issues.

Buddy Ebsen’s Exit From The Wizard of Oz Role...

As Wicked hit theaters, it's interesting to see Disney's surprisingly long history with the Oz books!

The world of Oz is about to see a new spark in popularity. After two decades as one of the biggest musical hits in the world, Wicked is about to hit the big screen in part one of a two-part epic. It's a revisionist take on the property showing how Elphaba aka the Wicked Witch of the West, wasn't that bad a person and her friendship with Glinda, the Good Witch of the North.

The movie is from Universal and seems set to become a major box office hit. Yet there was a time when it looked like Disney might get their toes into the property and the history of Disney and Oz is fascinating to see!

The early Oz foray

The early days of moviemaking were tricky, yet was always interested in adapting some beloved books.

Wicked brings fans back to the magical world of Oz years before Dorothy arrived to tell the story of Elphaba, who would go on to become the Wicked Witch of the West. The film is based on the immensely popular Broadway musical which itself comes from Gregory Maguire which reimagines the lore of the original Wizard of Oz movie from 1939. While not the first film to reimagine the origins of the Wicked Witch of the West, Wicked is particularly exciting in that it hopes to recapture the magic of the original movie, which changed Hollywood forever.

The Wizard of Oz is rightfully regarded as one of the best fantasy movies of all time, marking several major "firsts" for the film industry, most notably being one of the first feature films to be released in Technicolor. The 1939 redefined what cinema could be, paving the way for the Hollywood epics and blockbusters...

Julia Louis-Dreyfus began her career in comedy, as so many comedians do, with the Second City, the stalwart and long-lived comedy troupe based in Chicago. She was only 21, but Louis-Dreyfus gave such an impressive performance at a Second City event that she was immediately asked to join the cast of "Saturday Night Live." It seems that NBC talent scouts lurk at Second City performances all the time. She starred on "SNL" from 1982 until 1985, becoming friends with writer Larry David during her tenure. A few years later, David and comedian Jerry Seinfeld created the sitcom "Seinfeld," wherein Louis-Dreyfus starred as Jerry's friend Elaine.

"Seinfeld," once might recall, was something of a hit, lasting 180 episodes over nine seasons. Louis-Dreyfus was nominated for seven Emmys, winning one. She would go on to win another Emmy for her performance in "The New Adventures of Old Christine" and an additional nine Emmys for "Veep," eight of them for acting.

The Wizard of Oz is a key part of cinema history that is still enchanting audiences today. The 1939 movie is about a young girl named Dorothy (Judy Garland) who is caught in a tornado and sent to the land of Oz. With the help of her friends Glinda the Good Witch (Billie Burke), the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), the Tin Man (Jack Haley), and the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr) Dorothy goes on a journey to meet the Wizard of Oz (Frank Morgan), find a way back home, and escape the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton).

A decided classic, The Wizard of Oz's connection to the upcoming movie musical Wicked is more complicated than one might expect. The highly anticipated new film depicts the origins of the Wicked Witch, Dorothy's primary antagonist and the person the Wizard of Oz requests Dorothy kill before he sends her back to Kansas.

The Wizard of Oz is available on many different platforms online. The 1939 fantasy musical is adapted from the L. Frank Baum children's novel of the same name, starring Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Billie Burke, and Margaret Hamilton. It was both a commercial and critical success, grossing $29.7 million against its $2.8 million budget and going on to win two Oscars, for Best Score and Best Original Song (for the iconic tune "Over the Rainbow"), in addition to three other nominations, including Best Picture.

The success of The Wizard of Oz has led to the creation of many sequels, prequels, remakes, and follow-ups in the nearly 90 years since its premiere. This includes 2024's Wicked, which is an adaptation of the stage musical adapting the prequel novel by Gregory Maguire, as well as the 1978 musical adaptation The Wiz, the 1985 sequel Return to Oz, the 2013 Sam Raimi prequel Oz the Great and Powerful,...

Quick Links Why Does Scarecrow Have a Gun? Where Did the Scarecrow Get a Gun in The Wizard of Oz? Scarecrow's Gun Might Stem from Creative Disruption on The Wizard of Oz Set The Wizard of Oz Has a Magic Bullet to Explain the Gun What Happened to Scarecrows Gun?

The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland, is universally regarded as a classic and one of the most beloved movies of all time. However, despite the movie's beloved place in many people's hearts, there is one scene in The Wizard of Oz that fans often forget: the scene in which the Scarecrow carries a gun. How the gun wound up in Scarecrow's hand is a mystery just as bizarre as the Land of Oz itself.

The scene occurs immediately after Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and Scarecrow leave the Emerald City. The group is bound for the castle...

Forget about being in Kansas because the beloved 1939 musical The Wizard of Oz is about to hit the big screen at the Sphere in Vegas. According to the NY Post, James Dolans $80 million vision to recreate The Wizard of Oz into an immersive experience at the Sphere will be a digitally-enhanced, sensory spectacle. The 102-minute film will be cut down to 80 minutes. Perhaps the most stunning part about the movie being played at the Sphere will be the films seamless transition from black and white into Technicolor when Dorothy crosses into the land of Oz. This captivating visual experience will be enhanced even further with state-of-the-art sound technology plugged into each seat, making the whooshing sound of the tornado all too real.

Since the Sphere is already prepped for concerts, the songs Dorothy sings with the other heart-warming characters like Scarecrow, Tin Man, and The Cowardly Lion will be nothing short of breathtaking.

Few films have had as lasting a cultural impact as The Wizard of Oz. A box office bomb when it was released in 1939, it quickly morphed into a beloved family classic whose most famous imagery the Yellow Brick Road, the Emerald City, the ruby red slippers have become iconic. There's hardly a person who doesn't know the story of Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland), a Kansas farm girl who's transported to a magical land and embarks on a journey home with a Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), a Tin Man (Jack Haley), and a Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), pursued along the way by the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) and guided along by the Good Witch of the East (Billie Burke). Its impact can be found across music, movies, and Broadway shows, including David Lynch's blood-soaked, sexually explicit Palme d'Or winner, Wild at Heart.

By the time the curtain rang down on CBS’ “The Judy Garland Show” on March 29, 1964, the musical variety show had, in just one season, three producers and three different formats. Despite good reviews from critics and Judy Garland’s devoted fan base, the series wasn’t felled by the mercurial Garland being difficult but by the Cartwrights — Ben, Little Joe, Adam, and Hoss — of NBC’s ratings powerhouse “Bonanza.”

Though “The Judy Garland Show” was cancelled after one season, it certainly has lived on over the past six decades. The show was included in TV Guide’s 2013 list of 60 series that were “Cancelled Too Soon.” It certainly was the series that got away. Not only was the mercurial Garland in top (and emotional) voice, but the show also featured a powerhouse of guest stars from her frequent leading man Mickey Rooney, Ray Bolger from “The Wizard of Oz” and newcomers such as Barbra Streisand.

It's well known to fans of "The Wizard of Oz" that actor Ray Bolger was originally cast to play the Tin Man and famed comedian Buddy Ebsen was cast as the Scarecrow. They swapped roles at Bolger's insistence, as Bolger had a personal attachment to the role; he was inspired to become an actor after seeing Vaudevillian Fred Stone play the part on stage when Bolger was a child. Ebsen was fine with changing roles, although he had to drop out of production due to makeup problems. The silvery Tin Man makeup contained powered aluminum and Ebsen breathed in big clouds of it, making him sick. At the time, many merely assumed Ebsen had an allergy. Ebsen was replaced with Jack Haley, and the makeup was altered to be a paste instead of a powder.

With the possible exception of "Star Wars," no film's production has been more meticulously recorded...

Hollywood's Golden Age brought fame to stars like Judy Garland, but behind the scenes, dark stories emerged. Movies like The Wizard of Oz had troubling production tales, including Garland's forced diet and pill usage. Shocking incidents behind the scenes of Golden Age films, from unsafe conditions to cast feuds, were often kept hidden.

Warning: This article contains mentions of violence, death, and the mistreatment of minors.

Hollywood's Golden Age of cinema produced some of the most legendary movies of all time, but some of these flicks had incredibly dark stories from behind the scenes. The Golden Age of Hollywood spanned from the 1920s to the 1960s, after the world of cinema began to move from silent movies and began using synchronized sound, often referred to as "talkies." During this time, some of the biggest stars in cinematic history made their debut to the world.

Hollywood's Golden Age set up its actors to become known worldwide,...

Victor Fleming's mid-film director switch saved both The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind from production troubles in 1939. The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind faced cursed productions and notorious crew changes plaguing their filming processes. Despite The Wizard of Oz's lasting legacy, Gone with the Wind emerged as the bigger hit with a higher box office haul and more Oscar wins.

The exact same behind-the-scenes change saved the classic Hollywood films The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind from troubled productions in 1939. At face value, The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind couldn't be any more different. The Wizard of Oz is a wondrous musical fantasy film that follows Kansas native Dorothy Gail's wild adventure through the magical land of Oz, and Gone with the Wind is an epic historical romance set in the American South following the torrid...

Director changes mid-film have saved classics like The Wizard of Oz and Jaws, enhancing their success. Even big-budget movies like Gone with the Wind and Spartacus have seen director changes for a better outcome. An insightful takeaway centers on the fact that sometimes a director change can save a film from failure.

There have been certain occasions when the making of a film was just not working out as planned, and it became a necessity to replace the movie’s director while production was already underway. While this was always likely a massive decision for the movie’s producers to make, it was sometimes the only way to save a film from a doomed production and ensure that the end product could make it to theaters. In some cases, the original director left the film under contentious circumstances but, for those involved, it was the only way to ensure the movie was completed.

Film prop theft is a common occurrence, leading to a proliferation in the black market and custom insurance coverage. Movie props, once deemed worthless, now hold sentimental and monetary value to private collectors and museums. The stolen Judy Garland ruby slippers were worth millions despite not being decked out in rubies, which is why the criminals stole them.

As we've followed over the last decade, the great Judy Garland shoe caper has taken its fair share of twists and turns. But none expected it would culminate in an ending straight out of a Scooby-Doo episode. It all started with the break-in at the Minnesota site displaying Judy Garlands's size-five ruby slippers from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.

The centerpiece of the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, USA, the magical slippers were on loan, a temporary stopover in Garland's hometown. They wouldn't be seen for over a decade.

The Academy Awards grew up at the 16th annual ceremony March 2, 1944. Since the first Oscar ceremony at the Hollywood Roosevelt’s Blossom Room in 1929, the Academy Awards were small banquet ceremonies for La La Land movers and shakers. But that all changed 80 years ago. World War II was in its third year and movies meant more than ever to war-weary audiences.

So, the Oscars moved to the then-Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood and bleachers were introduced giving fans a chance to see their favorites walk the red carpet. And instead of a select industry audience, attendees included members of all branches of the armed services many of whom sat in bleachers on the stage at the Chinese. The ceremony was heard locally on Kfwb; Jack Benny hosted the international broadcast for the troops on CBS Radio via shortwave. And for the first time, supporting performers finally received a full-size Academy Award.

A good movie has a subtext that gives the audience something to think about and points to a greater statement than what is actually on the screen. Then there are ordinary films that don't have much to say, but fans can't help reading more into them. Often fan theories are more entertaining than the movies themselves and add context that most certainly doesn't exist.

While deviously fun, conspiracy theories are preposterous but generally have a hint of plausibility that makes them stick. Movie conspiracy theories are just as bonkers, but substantially less dangerous, and slightly more believable. The Internet has given many gifts, like LOLCats and "Chocolate Rain," but nothing beats a wild movie fan theory.

Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” Syncs with The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz PGMusicalFantasyAdventureFamily

Young Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto are swept away by a tornado from their...

Great movie quotes capture the essence of a film and can be recognized even out of context. The circumstances and delivery of a quote can enhance its impact and popularity. Movie quotes have the power to express complex emotions and themes in a concise and memorable way.

Some movie quotes are so famous that even people who haven't seen the movies they come from will be able to recognize them instantly. The best quotes can summarize the entire thrust of a movie, revealing the themes and the tone with just a few words. Great delivery helps a quote catch on, but the circumstances are often more important. Any great movie can have outstanding quotes, as long as the script does all the work required to set up a poignant moment.

The best movie quotes can be stripped from their context and still hold meaning. This is how quotes work their way into the cultural lexicon.

The famed poppy field scene in The Wizard of Oz utilized fake snow made out of asbestos. Asbestos is an incredibly dangerous carcinogen, one which is directly linked to the development of mesothelioma. The production of The Wizard of Oz was additionally plagued with numerous health hazards, including poisoning from aluminum makeup and injuries from pyrotechnic stunts.

The snow in 1939's The Wizard of Oz was made using the toxic mineral asbestos. A lot has changed in the entertainment world since then, but this famous Judy Garland movie still inspires creativity to this day, especially with its numerous practical effects. Unfortunately, some of the tricks that the crew used were more than a little hazardous to everyone involved with the production. This included the use of asbestos.

Updated Dec. 30, 2023: This article has been updated with additional content about the utilization of asbestos in The Wizard of Oz.

The poppy...

There’s no place like prison?

A federal grand jury today indicted a man in the 2005 theft of a pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz. Terry Martin is charged with one count of stealing a major artwork — specifically facing a charge of theft of an object of cultural heritage from the care, custody or control of a museum.

The indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota in Minneapolis, did not give Martin’s age or hometown, nor did it suggest a potential maximum prison term. It alleges that he stole the revered footwear from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Mn. At the time, the slippers were insured for $1 million, but a current fair-market appraisal value the slippers at $3.5 million, the Justice Department said.

A pair of the ruby slippers from ‘The Wizard Of Oz’ on...

In 1939, Judy Garland went over the rainbow, and the world would never be the same again. Garland, who'd first gained major fame singing, dancing, and acting alongside Mickey Rooney, was suddenly catapulted to superstardom. From her roots in vaudeville, Garland had been performing her whole life, and she eventually became one of the world's most beloved stars. Her singing voice is completely unmatched, and it was backed up with intensity, passion, and unparalleled charm. Though her personal history is not without difficulty -- and Rene Zellweger won an Oscar for portraying part of that history in "Judy" -- Garland is largely remembered as one of Hollywood's most beloved actresses.

Looking through Garland's career, it was her latter years that offered opportunities for rich experimentation. Though she still appeared in musicals, after her MGM contract expired, she boldly took risks, such as starring in an animated feature and an epic courtroom drama.

The cast of The Wizard of Oz is full of iconic actors bringing L. Frank Baum's beloved characters to life. Given its classic status and its frequent inclusion on lists of the greatest movies ever made, almost everyone in the world has seen The Wizard of Oz. However, aside from its shining star, Judy Garland, not every viewer is familiar with the rest of the movie's cast or knows which other projects they've appeared in. Many of the performers in The Wizard of Oz were taken from the stages of Broadway and vaudeville, while others had lucrative film careers. Partly thanks to this movie, most are now considered screen legends.

The Wizard of Oz is one of the most famous movies ever made. It was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won the Oscars for Best Original Score, for Herbert Stothart, and Best Original Song for “Over the Rainbow.

Heads up! This piece contains Massive Spoilers for the movie Pearl. We kindly “axe” that you see the movie first and come back to read this after.

We all know the story. The story of little Dorothy Gale and the adventure she has when she’s whisked away to the wonderful land of Oz. The Wizard of Oz is one of the most timeless pieces of American literature ever produced, and the 1939 film adaptation remains one of the greatest (and most frightening) films of all time. This has caused numerous filmmakers of all genres and backgrounds to be inspired by the classic story in different ways over the years. Ti West brings it to a whole other level with his new film Pearl, the prequel to his slasher movie X that tells the story of the titular character and her descent into complete madness.

The film is littered with parallels...

Click here to read the full article.

Kenya Barris is set to do a fresh take on The Wizard of Oz for Warner Bros., The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

Barris will reimagine the Oscar-winning fantasy musical, which starred Judy Garland, Billie Burke, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr and Jack Haley. Warner Bros. Pictures owns the rights to the 1939 Hollywood classic.

Barris will also produce Wizard of Oz through his production banner, Khalabo Ink Society.

Warner Bros. was developing an animated Wizard of Oz retelling, working with veteran scribe Mark Burton. The film, from Toto’s perspective, was to be based on a children’s book by War Horse writer Michael Morpurgo, which tells the story of Dorothy’s trip through Oz through the eyes of her faithful dog.

Elsewhere, Snoop Dogg and Barris are teaming for The Underdoggs comedy for MGM, with Charles Stone to direct, and MGM and Barris are...

Carleton Carpenter, an actor whose lanky, aw-shucks cornpone good looks made him a familiar supporting presence opposite such leading ladies as Debbie Reynolds, Judy Garland and Elizabeth Taylor throughout the 1950s, died today in Warwick, New York, following years of declining health. He was 95.

His death was announced by spokesperson Kevin McAnarney.

Born Carleton Upham Carpenter in Bennington, Vermont, Carpenter served as a Seabee in the U.S. Navy during World War II, helping to build the airstrip from which the Enola Gay would later take off for its flight to Hiroshima. By the time of the 1945 atomic bombing, Carpenter had started his Broadway career with a role in David Merrick’s 1944 production Bright Boy.

Other Broadway roles would arrive in quick succession: Carpenter appeared in Three to Make Ready with Ray Bolger (1944), The Magic Touch (1947), John Murray Anderson’s Almanac (1953) and Hotel Paradiso (1957).

Carpenter’s TV and film credits developed alongside his stage career.

Carleton Carpenter, who performed on stage and screen alongside stars such as Debbie Reynolds in “Two Weeks With Love” and Judy Garland in “Summer Stock,” died Monday in Warwick, N.Y., according to his reps. He was 95.

Carpenter was a multi-hyphenate artist whose career spanned eight decades. His 1950 duet with Debbie Reynolds covering the song “Aba Daba Honeymoon” sold more than a million copies. He performed in countless radio, television and film productions and on stages on- and off-Broadway. He even went on to write a number of books, including his 2017 memoir, “The Absolute Joy of Work.”

Born Carleton Upham Carpenter Jr. on July 10, 1926 in Bennington, Vt., Carpenter attended Bennington High School and served as a Seabee in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He attended the National High School Institute for Theatre Arts at Northwestern University and began his performance career as a clown and magician at carnivals.

It is a sea of red. Its architect calls it his “magic lantern.” Some movie buffs tabbed it the “Death Star.”

After standing empty for more than two years, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures’ grandiose 1,000-seat spherical theater opened Thursday to standing ovations, and a few skeptical reviews. Following a morning of ribbon cutting and official speeches, excited audiences wallowed in the period magic of The Wizard of Oz backed by a full symphony orchestra.

Leaders of the Motion Picture Academy and civic officials, having been battered for years for delays and overages, had a right to view it all as a minor miracle. The theater itself represents an exercise in cinematic optimism at a moment when theaters around the nation stand forlorn.

The David Geffen Theater, in all its splash, is the mirror opposite of the Samuel Goldwyn Theater, which it succeeds. The Goldwyn was a stodgy structure...

On Aug. 25, 1939, MGM unveiled The Wizard of Oz in theaters across the U.S. The Victor Fleming-directed film held its Hollywood premiere at the Chinese Theatre on Aug. 15 and broke an attendance record at the location as well as Loew’s State Theatre, with a $5,169 opening-day gross a day later. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review, titled “‘Wizard Marked for Top BoxOffice; Artistic Hit,” is below:

The Wizard of Oz will, beyond question, be accorded recognition as a milestone in motion picture history. It scintillates with artistry, yet it possesses such an abundance of qualities which predict broad audience success that there can be no question of its being headed for spectacular playing time and grosses.

The MGM picture will undoubtedly reflect great credit on the motion picture industry at large. It is a creation entirely out of the usual order, brilliantly inventive and arrestingly beautiful and dramatically compelling to the eye,...

Judy Garland in The Harvey Girls is available on Blu-ray From Warner Archive. Ordering info can be found Here

Vittles, songs and dance are amply ladled out when Judy Garland headlines The Harvey Girls, a joyous musical slice of Americana celebrating the restaurants that brought extra helpings of civilization to Old West rail passengers. Highlights include Garland holding saloon patrons at jittery gunpoint to retrieve stolen beefsteaks, Ray Bolger’s loose-limbed comic hoofing, Virginia O’Brien’s sure-shot comic timing, Angela Lansbury’s stylish wickedness as a saloon singer and the “On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe” romp (which nabbed the 1946 Best Song Academy Award®) that’s “deservedly famous, one of the most triumphant sequences in screen-musical history”. All aboard!

Special Features:

Feature-length audio commentary by Director George SidneyThree deleted musical sequences: March of the Doagies, March of the Doagies (reprise), My IntuitionScoring stage sessions (audio only) featuring pre-recordings...

A review of this week’s Fargo, “East/West,” coming up just as soon as my dog is named Rabbit…

In 2009, the Coen brothers sat down with critic Elvis Mitchell for a career retrospective conversation on their home turf in Minneapolis. At one point in the wide-ranging discussion, Mitchell asks about the inspiration for how they staged a sequence with the KKK in O Brother, Where Art Thou?. Joel Coen replies, “We’ve talked about this, Ethan and I before, in that almost every movie you make is just an...

Margaret Hamilton with Ray Bolger and Jack Haley in an MGM promotional photo for "The Wizard of Oz".

Movie lovers associate actress Margaret Hamilton almost exclusively with her immortal portrayal of the Wicked Witch in the 1939 MGM classic "The Wizard of Oz". However, as writer Veronika Bondarenko points out in a column for Pocket Worthy, there was much more to the woman and her talents. Hamilton was proud of her performance in "Oz" but ultimately resented the fact that her other career achievements were largely ignored by the public and critics. She appeared in such diverse productions as "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", "13 Ghosts", "My Little Chickadee", "The Red Pony", "Brewster McCloud" and "The Anderson Tapes". She was also a veteran of stage productions and appeared in countless hit TV shows.

To read about her remarkable life and career, click here.

Professor Marvel’s crystal ball probably didn’t predict that the Avengers could go on to star in The Wizard of Oz, but a deepfake called The Avengers of Oz, posted back in March by NextFace, manages to get the job done.

The clip, which re-imagines the classic 1939 musical fantasy film using deepfake tech, casts Tom Holland as Dorothy, Robert Downey Jr as Scarecrow, Chris Pratt as Tin-Man and Chris Hemsworth as the Cowardly Lion, roles that were originally played by Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley and Bert Lahr respectively.

You can watch The Avengers of Oz below, but it cannot be unseen.

A deepfake earlier this year that imagined Holland and Downey Jr as Marty and Doc Brown in Back to the Future instead of Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd initially provoked a negative response from the young actor, though he later found the fun in it.

Burbank, CA, August 22, 2019 – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment announced today that 1939’s acclaimed and beloved classic The Wizard of Oz will be released on Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Digital on October 29th. Directed by Victor Fleming (Gone With the Wind) and starring Judy Garland as Dorothy Gayle, The Wizard of Oz is widely considered to be one of the most influential films in cinematic history.

Adapted from L. Frank Baum’s timeless children’s tale about a Kansas girl’s journey over the rainbow, The Wizard of Oz officially premiered at Grauman’s Chinese Theater on August 15, 1939. The film was directed by Victor Fleming (who that same year directed Gone With the Wind), produced by Mervyn LeRoy, and scored by Herbert Stothart, with music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg. Ray Bolger appeared as the Scarecrow; Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion, Jack Haley as the Tin Woodman.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment announced today that 1939's acclaimed and beloved classic The Wizard of Oz will be released on Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Digital on October 29th. Directed by Victor Fleming (Gone With the Wind) and starring Judy Garland as Dorothy Gayle, The Wizard of Oz is widely considered to be one of the most influential films in cinematic history.

Adapted from L. Frank Baum's timeless children's tale about a Kansas girl's journey over the rainbow, The Wizard of Oz officially premiered at Grauman's Chinese Theater on August 15, 1939. The film was directed by Victor Fleming (who that same year directed Gone With the Wind), produced by Mervyn LeRoy, and scored by Herbert Stothart, with music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg. Ray Bolger appeared as the Scarecrow; Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion, Jack Haley as the Tin Woodman. Frank Morgan was seen in six different roles,...

Chicago – The Windy City is off to see the Wizard again, as the Grant Park Music Festival celebrates the 80th Anniversary of “The Wizard of Oz” at the Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park. The festivities include a costume party, hosted by Linda Kollmeyer (“The Lottery Lady”), followed by the presentation with a live orchestra accompaniment – on the Park’s giant Led screen – of the classic 1939 film.

The event is free and open to the public in both the “seating bowl” area and lawn, and begins at 6:30pm with the costume party, with the screening at 8pm. For more information, click here.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road to ‘The Wizard of Oz’ at Millennium Park

Photo credit: Warner Home Video

At the time of the late 1930s filming of “The Wizard of Oz,” the idea of an event children’s film was brand new. The film stars Judy Garland in...

Harvey Sabinson, one of Broadway’s legendary press agents and a former long-time executive director of The Broadway League, died on April 18 of natural causes at his residence in Sarasota, Florida. He was 94 years old. Sabinson capped a 50-year career in the theater when he was honored with a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1995. That year he stepped down as executive director of the League of American Theatres and Producers, (now known as the Broadway League) a national trade association of theatrical producers, presenters and theatre operators. Sabinson joined the organization early in 1976, when it was known as the League of New York Theatres and Producers, as director of special projects. Prior to this appointment, he spent 30 years as a theatrical publicist, beginning shortly after his discharge from Army service during World War II, during which time he received a Purple Heart. He became executive director in 1982. In...

Character actor Richard Erdman, known to contemporary audiences as perpetual student Leonard on “Community,” who also had significant roles for more than seven decades in movies and TV shows such as “The Twilight Zone” and “Stalag 17,” has died. He was 93.

His friend, film historian Alan K. Rode, reported his death on Twitter.

On “Community,” Erdman was one of a group of elderly students, known as the “Hipsters” for their hip replacements, who was often told to “Shut up, Leonard!”

“Community” star Joel McHale paid tribute to Erdman on Twitter. “Such a good & funny man. We’ll miss you ‘Leonard,'” he said.

Fellow “Community” actor Yvette Nicole Brown also took to Twitter, writing, “I knew the day we’d have to say goodbye to this lovely man would come sooner than any of us were ready. But knowing that doesn’t make it any easier. #RichardErdman was Joy walking.

A spectacular yearlong journey into movie history begins in January when Fathom Events and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) present The Wizard of Oz in more than 500 movie theaters nationwide on January 27, 29 and 30, a three-day cinematic celebration of the iconic film's 80th anniversary and the start of the yearlong TCM Big Screen Classics series.

One of the most well-known and best-loved films in Hollywood history, The Wizard of Oz will be accompanied by fascinating insights from TCM Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz, both before and after the film, offering a memorable moviegoing experience for families and fans of all ages. Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton, Charlie Grapewin, Clara Bandick and "The Munchkins" star in what has been called "the most influential film of all time."

Throughout 2019, the TCM Big Screen Classics series will see 14 unforgettable films return to movie theaters, including My Fair Lady,...

Here’s a sobering thought as we turn toward the Golden Globes, wherein Adam McKay’s Vice is the most-nominated film: All of last year’s political movies combined have sold about as many tickets as one upper-middle horror hit.

In a year of partisan intensity, the top performer among movies with overt political themes was Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman. A Globes nominee for best drama, that one had taken in about $48.3 million at the domestic box office as of midweek to rank a bit above No. 60 in the combined tally on Boxofficemojo.com.

Stacked somewhere underneath were Vice, Chappaquiddick, Rbg, Fahrenheit 11/9, Death of a Nation, Gosnell: The Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killer, The Front Runner and On the Basis of Sex. Add those to Lee’s film, and the total comes to roughly $117 million — a little less than Warner and its New Line unit took in with The Nun,...

Don McKay, who portrayed Tony in the 1958 London premiere of West Side Story, died Thursday in Manhattan. He was 93. His nephew, Sean McKenna, confirmed McKay’s death to Playbill.

The Clarksburg, West Virginia, native began his acting career on stage in the late 1940s in regional theatre productions in the Chicago area. His Broadway debut came in 1951 in the musical Make A Wish, followed by the Johnny Mercer musical Top Banana.

McKay is remembered best for his portrayal of Tony, originating the role in the 1958 West End premiere of West Side Story, with original Broadway cast member Chita Rivera. He also later starred in the original Tokyo production of West Side Story and in a 1964 revival at the City Center in New York.

McKay also appeared opposite Shirley Bassey in a 1959 London revival of Show Boat, and later co-starred with Elliot Gould in the 1963 London production of Leonard Bernstein’s On the Town.

Film fans can take a yearlong journey through Hollywood history in 2019 when Fathom Events and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) come together for the fourth annual "TCM Big Screen Classics," presenting 14 film favorites throughout the year, spanning seven decades.

From the Golden Age of Hollywood to groundbreaking movies from the seventies, eighties and nineties, the TCM Big Screen Classics series combines each film with little-known facts and insight provided by TCM Primetime Host Ben Mankiewicz. In addition, every film is presented in its original aspect ratio, offering audiences the chance to see these movies on the big screen just as they were originally enjoyed.

The lineup for the 2019 "TCM Big Screen Classics" includes:

&#8226 The Wizard of Oz - 1/27, 29 & 30&#8226 My Fair Lady - 2/17 & 20&#8226 To Kill a Mockingbird - 3/24 & 27&#8226 Ben-Hur - 4/14 & 17 &#8226 True Grit - 5/5 & 8&#8226 Steel Magnolias - 5/19, 21 & 22&#8226 Field of Dreams - 6/16 & 18&#8226 Glory - 7/21 & 24 &#8226 Hello, Dolly! - 8/11 & 14&#8226 Lawrence of Arabia - 9/1 & 4&#8226 The Shawshank Redemption...