We all know of the movie The Wizard of Oz, but what happened during the process of producing this movie? Who would guess that one of the most beloved American films had so many disturbing and gruesome events that had gone on behind the scenes?
The Tin Man
The man who played the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz was initially supposed to be cast as Buddy Ebsen but was replaced by Jack Haley because of the harmful powder used in the makeup to create the aluminum shine for the Tin Man. Not before long into filming, the actor had to be taken out and recasted because the powder had been inhaled into his lungs and was almost untreatable entirely. Jack Haley was the new actor cast for The Tin Man, but nobody had briefed him about the circumstances of Buddy Ebsen and the hazards in the makeup used. To prevent more trouble, the powder was replaced with a paste so it would be harder to inhale. Still, Jack had suffered from an eye infection and had to go through surgery due to the poisonous makeup. In addition, besides the makeup being toxic, the Tin Man’s costume was made of silver painted buckram, which made it especially difficult to sit in.
Dorothy Gale
Dorothy Gale, played by Judy Garland, was put through brutal and awful things while only being sixteen and filming The Wizard of Oz. To hide her growing body, Judy had to wear an incredibly tight and uncomfortable corset to maintain a childlike figure while filming. While casually giggling on set, the director took her aside and slapped her to get her to focus. After that event, she nailed the shot on the first try. The director considered Judy to be overweight, so a restricted and closely watched diet that consisted of chicken soup and black coffee was all she was allowed to eat. It was also said Garland smoked up to eighty cigarettes a day to maintain the petite figure needed. Alongside that, the director urged Judy to take excessive amounts of “pep pills,” which were amphetamine, to make sure she could continue to work for restless days and nights. The poor teenager had already been body-shamed and had been struggling mentally before the filming and the process of making this movie successful had only left her suffering.
Other problems
The Wicked Witch of the West played by Margaret Hamilton had been set on fire in a scene suffered from third-degree burns and was hospitalized. The Cowardly Lion played by Bert Lahr had to wear a costume made from real lion hide and was said to be around 100 pounds and extremely hot. Like the Tin Man, this made it difficult for the actor to sit and rest. In addition, the Scarecrow, played by Ray Bolger had also suffered from the heavy material of the costume. In addition to all the problems with the costumes, there’s a scene where “snow” is used. Back then, when they didn’t have the resources we do today, they resorted to asbestos, a toxic mineral that, when exposed to, can cause a series of dangerous diseases.
In the end, The Wizard of Oz had been a hit. But after knowing what happened behind closed doors, does The Wizard of Oz still seem like a story for so many “American fantasies”?
