But the role almost went to another multi-talented child star: 11-year-old
Shirley Temple
.
Why was Shirley Temple passed over for the role of Dorothy?
He was at odds with Nicholas Schenck, head of Loew’s, MGM’s controlling parent company. Schenck felt
that Temple was needed to ensure returns on the film’s big budget
.
Who else was considered for Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz?
Shirley Temple
was MGM’s first choice to play Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz but she was under contract to 20th Century Fox. When a deal for her services could not be struck, MGM turned to one of its contract players, Judy Garland, who proved to be the perfect Dorothy!
Why did Shirley Temple turn down The Wizard of Oz?
In Child Star, Temple Black recalled that in 1937, while making the movie Heidi, she learned of a negotiation proposed between Fox and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer that
involved loaning her to MGM
for a Wizard of Oz production. … According to legend, the deal fell through when Harlow died on June 7, 1937.
How old was Judy Garland when she played Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz?
Her best known role was that of Dorothy, at
17
, in the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz” — in which she sang the song which became her trademark: “Over the Rainbow.”
Did the cast of Wizard of Oz get along?
The principle actors were close on
and off-screen
They’re not just pretending to be friends on camera — the four main actors in The Wizard of Oz really were close. Jack Haley (the Tin Man) was the godfather to Bert Lahr’s (Cowardly Lion) son, John. Judy Garland’s daughter, Liza Minnelli, married Jack Haley’s son.
Are any cast members from Wizard of Oz still living?
Maren left no immediate survivors
. At the time of his death, he was the last surviving member of The Wizard of Oz’s adult Munchkin cast, as well as the last surviving actor to have co-starred in a film starring the Marx Brothers.
How old is Dorothy Gale?
In the film, Dorothy is supposed to be
12 years old
. Dorothy does not sing in the Oz books. In the Oz books, the fate of Dorothy’s parents is never revealed. In Wicked, it is said Dorothy’s parents died in a boating accident and she was then adopted by Uncle Henry and Aunt Em.
Which films were two Wizard of Oz directors called away to work on?
The first, Richard Thorpe, was fired after less than two weeks. George Cukor was brought in next, but he was summoned away to go work on—of all projects! —
Gone With the Wind
. Then Fleming stepped in, until he too was called over to assist with Gone With the Wind, and King Vidor was hired to complete the movie.
What happened with Shirley Temple?
Temple died on February 10, 2014, at her home near San Francisco, California. She was 85 years old. In March 2014, her death certificate cited the cause of her death as
pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
.
Which major Hollywood studio made The Wizard of Oz?
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
.
What does the Wizard give the Tin Man at the end of the movie?
Of course The Wizard ultimately gives
Tin Man a heart
, though it is one of velvet and filled with sawdust.
Who is Judy Garland’s granddaughter?
And today, though the star is gone, her family is still growing. Garland’s only granddaughter,
Vanessa Jade Richards (known also as Vanessa Hooker)
has welcomed her youngest great-grandchild into the world.
Why did Judy Garland have no money?
Due
to mismanagement and alleged embezzlement
, any money Garland once had was long gone and it’s said she owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes to the IRS.
Is The Wizard of Oz Creepy?
Parents need to know that the 1939 fantasy The Wizard of Oz contains several scenes that may be scary for very young children, almost all of which involve the green-skinned Wicked Witch of the West and her band of
creepy flying monkeys
.
