8 wonderful facts about The Wizard of Oz

1. The Ruby Slippers were originally silver (film fact)

MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer was all for showing off his shiny new Technicolor, and with the film still visually holding up over 80 years later, his efforts certainly paid off. Dorothy’s famous sequined shoes were originally silver, like in the book, but Mayer changed the hue to make them a glistening, ruby red. 

The slippers’ journey wouldn’t end with three clicks of the heels, in fact, a pair that Judy Garland wore (one of several) was stolen from their display in Grand Rapids. After a 13-year manhunt, the FBI recovered them during an undercover operation in Minneapolis. No arrests have since been made, but here’s another fact that’ll blow your brain - Dorothy’s dress was pink, but showed up in blue-and-white due to the technicolour.

2. It has been adapted countless times (musical fact) 

17 times to be exact. The first one, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, was written in 1901 but never saw a premier. The second one premiered in 1902, with lyrics by L. Frank Baum and W. W. Denslow. A large majority of them have been spin-offs that have expanded on The World of Oz, and some have seen critical and commercial failure (such as The Woggle-Bug), whilst some have become definitive stories in their own right (Wicked). The most recent spin off is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s, which began in 2011 and continues to this day.

3. The 1939 MGM film was not the first cinematic adaptation 

It’s hard to believe that the 1930s film wasn’t the first time The Wizard of Oz hit the screen. But what most people don’t know is that 113 years ago, back in 1910, a silent film was made. It is the oldest surviving known Wizard of Oz film, so much so that there is no record of who the cast is. Back then it was probably an incredible sight for audiences, but when you watch it now it sends a chill down your spine. 

In this version, Dorothy and the Scarecrow are already pals by the time they’re both swept up in the cyclone for their journey to Oz. Dorothy is friends with a cow named Imogen and is chased by a mule named Hank, Toto is transformed into a giant beast to protect Dorothy, and people in Oz seemingly start to dance for no reason. The movie also ends with Dorothy ditching Kansas and opting instead to stick around. It’s definitely worth the watch, just for how delightfully disturbing it is.

4. There was a casting contest to find Dorothy (musical fact)

Instead of holding auditions to find the perfect actress to portray Dorothy, Andrew Lloyd Webber sought a different approach, a talent show called Over the Rainbow. The show hosted a nationwide casting contest, attracting aspiring young performers and even a dog to play the role of Toto. 

The panel of judges included Andrew Lloyd Webber himself, West End star Charlotte Church, actress Sheila Hancock, and presenter Graham Norton. Each week, the contestants took the stage with musical numbers from The Wizard of Oz and other related songs. After weeks of competition, the winner of Over the Rainbow emerged, and the public voted Danielle Hope to play Dorothy.

5. The horses were coloured with Jell-O… 

The horses appear when Dorothy arrives in the Emerald City and is given a tour around the vibrant town, the horse that pulls them along can be seen changing colours, from a vibrant purple to a deep red.

Understandably, The ASPCA refused to let MGM dye their horses, so instead they sponged white horses down with cherry, grape and lemon Jell-O. It was a roaring success that didn’t harm the horses, but the scenes had to be shot quickly, as they kept trying to lick it off.

6…which shows that they hadn’t quite figured out props and materials (film fact)

Aside from the snow that covered the poppy fields being made from asbestos, the Cowardly Lions costume was made from real lion skin and fur, Margaret Hamilton's (The Wicked Witch of The West) green face paint was so toxic that her face stayed green for weeks after ­shooting because of the copper-based ingredients and Ray Bolger (The Scarecrow) was forced to look like a scarecrow for a whole year after filming because the latex mask left indents in his face. Thank god for modern technology.

7. It’s set in the future…sort of (musical fact) 

The Wizard of Oz allows for endless interpretation, and when you’ve seen it that many times, a little variation is welcomed. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s version builds upon the original effortlessly. His adaptation is thoroughly entertaining and upbeat. With the help of back projection and glitzy costumes, Georgina Onuorah's Dorothy travels through a steampunk 1950s version of Oz. There’s everything from fast food signs (Ozbucks) to The Wicked Witch of the West running a toxic online corporation. Glinda rides a moped, there’s breakdancing, and we get to see what the land of Oz looks like once it's been touched by Capitalism. The message of unity, friendship and home stays the same though.

8. ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ almost didn’t exist (film fact)

As the years have passed, it’s been reported that there are thousands of scenes that had been cut from the film. ‘Over the Rainbow’ nearly suffered the same fate. Due to time restrictions, producers believed that ‘Over the Rainbow’ would make the film too long, and too boring and that for some reason Judy Garland singing in a barnyard was unfashionable. Due to many protests, they thankfully came to their senses.

‘Over the Rainbow’ has become one of the most famous songs of all time and is Judy Garland’s signature song, it has been covered by Eva Cassidy and Israel Kamakawiwoʻole and even Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother told Garland personally that it brought tears to her eyes. 

The Wizard of Oz tickets are available now! 

Make sure that you’re off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz with tickets to this classic story at the London Palladium, reimagined by Andrew Lloyd-Webber!