The Wizard of Oz has become a special part of American culture and has entertained us for over a century. Most people, however, are not aware of the massive history surrounding The Wizard of Oz, and how it has evolved extensively over time. The Wizard of Oz is quite wonderful, so come take a walk down the yellow brick road and learn all the secrets of the Emerald City.
The One Who Started It All: L. Frank Baum
The iconic book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, brought us our favorite characters including Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow . It’s amazing to think about just how long the The Wizard of Ozhas been around. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was written in 1900 meaning it has reached its 125th year in the spotlight. The first novels of the series were penned by L. Frank Baum.
Born in New York, success did not come earlier in Baum’s life. He worked as a journalist in South Dakota and Chicago. Then, after many failed businesses and subsequent moves across the country, Baum found a stroke of luck in his first book, Father Goose, which was a success; leading to the release of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz the next year. The series was extremely popular, and Baum continued to write up until his death in 1919 at the age of 63.
In his lifetime, Baum wrote 55 novels, 82 short stories, and over 200 poems. Many of these books were written under pseudonyms such as Edith Van Dyne, Floyd Akers, Schuyler Staunton, John Estes, Suzanne Metcalf, Laura Bancroft, and Anonymous. As Edith Van Dyne, he wrote the Aunt Jane’s Nieces series, and as Floyd Akers, he wrote The Boy Fortune Hunters series. Baum accomplished much in his lifetime, but he is most remembered for the Wizard of Oz.
The Inspiration for the Wizard of Oz
The characters of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz were inspired by the people in Baum’s life. Baum’s father-in-law, Henry Gage, was seen as the inspiration for Uncle Henry. He was described as quiet but hardworking, not unlike the Kansas farmer in Baum’s books. The inspiration for Dorothy can be traced back to many important women in Baum’s life. Baum seemed to have loved his wife, Maud Gage Baum, very much. Having only given birth to sons, she was particularly attached to her infant niece, Dorothy Louise Gage. Unfortunately, the infant died at 5 months old, devastating Mrs. Baum. L. Frank then named his protagonist after his niece and dedicated his book to Maud Gage Baum. In his dedication, Baum wrote, “This book is dedicated to my good friend and comrade, my wife.”
Baum’s wife was the daughter of the women’s rights suffragist, Matilda Joslyn Gage. Maud Gage went to Cornell University and was often ostracized from most social groups. She was seen as an extension of her mother, who was considered very radical at the time. Maud Gage was, however, friends with her roommate Josie Baum. Josie Baum introduced Gage to her cousin, L. Frank Baum. The two fell in love, and soon Baum proposed. Despite her mother’s disapproval, Gage dropped out of college and married Baum. It was noted at their wedding that the bride and groom made the same promises to each other. This was quite forward of the couple, since at the time only the bride vowed to “love and obey.”
Baum’s mother-in-law, Matilda Joslyn Gage, was also seen as a major inspiration for not only Dorothy, but the entire plot of the Wizard of Oz. Matilda Joslyn Gage was an unsung hero of the Women’s Rights Movement. Very radical for her time, Matilda Joslyn Gage harbored runaway enslaved people, advocated for Native American tribes, and was a crucial part of the Women’s Rights Movement of the 1850’s and onward. She worked closely with Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and was President of the National Woman Suffrage Association from 1875-1876. Despite her original dislike of Baum, she grew to accept him as a part of her family. She would often winter with her daughter and son-in-law and eventually lived with them full time. History often forgets her, but her son-in-law never did.
It might not seem strange to you that a little girl could be the star of a novel, but at the turn of the century in 1900, it was. Female main characters were common, but not female heroes. Not only was Dorothy portrayed as a hero of the story, but she also was the hero that defeated the main villain, all on her own. She was the one to throw the bucket of water on the Wicked Witch, who was portrayed as the most powerful being in Oz. Furthermore, it wasn’t the Wizard who helped her home, but Glinda the Good Witch who showed Dorothy how to use her ruby slippers to get home. Baum’s bold choice to have strong female characters can only be traced back to his connection with his mother-in-law and wife.
Overall, Baum based his famous tale on the elements of his own life and the people he cherished most. Baum would go on to move his family to California, where he would make film adaptations of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. While these ventures were less successful, he also continued to write many books for the Oz series. His last Oz book was Glinda of Oz. His career was cut short by a diagnosis of gallbladder cancer which would confine him to bed for the last year of his life.
Even after his death, Baum’s most famous creation continued to live on. The Oz series was continued by different authors including Ruth Plumly Thompson. Baum wrote fourteen out of what would become “The Famous Forty” Oz books. Perhaps Baum imagined that his book series would continue on after him, but never could he have imagined the massive universe of Oz that exists today.
The Movie
The movie The Wizard of Oz came out at a very unique time in history, on August 25th, 1939. This was a decade after the Great Depression and just days before the start of World War II. Being sandwiched between these two major eras caused a quite peculiar age in Hollywood. In fact, the term ‘Hollywood’ can hardly be used to describe film making at the time. Cinema was still very new, and the first Academy Awards had occurred only a few years before the release of The Wizard of Oz. Most films reflected the grim tensions of the world while others did everything to ignore them. This meant that fantasy was forced into rear view by more popular genres including westerns and horror. The Wizard of Oz was the odd one out. Not only was it a fantasy-musical, it was filmed in technicolor.
Technicolor wasn’t used frequently before The Wizard of Oz. Different studios were experimenting with ways to make films in color. While the involvement of color in film first appeared in 1895, by the 1930’s most films were still black and white, because making films in color was extremely expensive and time consuming in comparison. Despite being a hit in box offices and earning nearly 3 million, The Wizard of Oz didn’t make a net profit until the 1950’s.
Technicolor was first used in 1932 and designed by J. A. Ball. Before technicolor, film was recorded on one strip of black and white negative. Technicolor utilized three strips which would capture either green, blue, or red records. The beam splitting prism behind the lens would send half the light to the green record and the other half to the red and blue record. The three records would then be developed and printed. Each strip would be dyed in its color before they would be laminated together to form the image.
There is a myth that The Wizard of Oz was the first film to use technicolor. While this isn’t true, it just comes to show how strongly linked The Wizard of Oz is to the technicolor process. The Wizard of Oz made its use of technicolor more noticeable by switching from black and white film to color. The film is in black and white when Dorothy is in Kansas. When the tornado drops her house in Oz, Dorothy is still in monochrome. But when she opens the door, she walks into a vibrant, colorful Oz. The switch to such fierce color must have been shocking to a 1939 audience and still has resonance today.
Adding to the moment, the camera watches Dorothy walk out the door from behind and then switches to her face. That is the first time the audience sees her iconic blue and white checkered dress and her brown braids tied with blue ribbon in color. A variation of ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’ plays in the background as Dorothy walks around. The actress of Dorothy, Judy Garland, then stops and delivers the iconic line, “I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
Technicolor helped make The Wizard of Oz the classic it is today. However, it did have many setbacks. In order for the technicolor to work, the set had to be extremely well lit. The lights used made the set incredibly hot. This meant that the set could reach 100° Fahrenheit on any given day. This would be unbearable for anyone, but the conditions were especially terrible for many of the characters in full body costumes. Bert Lahr, who played the Cowardly Lion, fainted on multiple occasions. His costume was made with real lion’s fur and was not very breathable. It is said that the costume had to be dried every night because he sweated through it.
Lahr wasn’t the only one affected. Ray Bolger, who played the Scarecrow, had to wear a mask for his character. The mask was not porous. This when combined with the oppressive heat of the set resulted in Bolger sweating constantly when in costume. It would take a team of people to peel off his mask at the end of the day. By the end of the film, Bolger was left with permanent scars from his mask.
Technicolor has a fascinating history, but it wasn’t the only cause for chaos on the set of The Wizard of Oz. Working on a 1939 set was a particularly challenging task. Equal pay was nonexistent and actor’s rights were ignored. Judy Garland was one of the least paid out of the cast of The Wizard of Oz. Yet, she performed arguably the most important role of the film, Dorothy Gale. Garland made a total of $9,600 ($218,000 today). Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch of the West, made $21,000. Hamilton had much less screen time than Garland, but she was also more famous and had caught on fire while filming (more on that later). If that seems like a large pay gap… prepare yourself. Ray Bolger, who played the Scarecrow, made $72,000. That’s 7.5 x what Garland made. The actors of the Tin Man and Cowardly Lion, Jack Haley and Bert Lahr, made around the same as Bolger. The terrier who played Toto made $125 a week whereas Garland made around $500 a week. A dog made a fourth of Garland’s salary.
Pay wasn’t the only problem. The set wasn’t safe for numerous reasons. Yes, Margaret Hamilton did catch on fire. The Wicked Witch of the West didn’t melt, she burned. When the Witch makes her exit from Munchkinland, she disappears in a burst of flames. Hamilton was supposed to be moved to safety before the fire was started, but an accident occurred. The flames caught before Hamilton could move, and the actress suffered from severe burns that earned her a hospital stay. When she came back to set she refused to do anymore fire scenes. Her stunt double, Betty Danko, did the fire scenes instead. The Witch’s broom was meant to spew smoke as she flew, but it resulted in the broom catching fire, with Danko still on it. Needless to say, there weren’t many effective safety precautions on set. This, when partnered with the lack of child-actor-labor laws and general actors’ rights made the set of Oz a turbulent place.
While it wasn’t perfect, The Wizard of Oz cannot only be remembered for its flaws. The hard work of cast and crew members produced one of the most beloved movies in history. The movie isn’t only iconic due to its use of technicolor. It brought to life people’s favorite characters and made them more relatable. The movie also has plenty of lessons to teach modern audiences. It still teaches kids about courage, compassion, and intelligence and how to accept who you are, as well as those around you. Saranya Vichaidith ’27, said, “I think that it highlights that we need to accept people’s differences and come together as a community. Dorothy is able to befriend the Scarecrow and the Tin Man and Cowardly Lion. They each accept their imperfections and each other in the end.”
Despite the simple (and sometimes cheesy) lessons The Wizard of Oz has to offer, it is still a fun watch for those of all ages. Having been made in 1939, it is a movie many generations have grown up with. Finding common ground between different generations can be difficult, that makes the power of The Wizard of Oz all the more special.
Gregory Maguire
Oz’s legacy continued to grow with the spin off novel named Wicked: Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. It was written by Gergory Maguire in 1995. Maguire always viewed The Wizard of Oz in a darker lens. He thought the Wicked Witch of the West wasn’t the scariest thing about the movie. What truly scared Maguire was that a child was being sent on a mission to kill a dangerous threat. The person who would send a child on such a mission must be the real villain of the story. The real villain is not the witch, but the Wizard of Oz. Maguire wanted to do the Wicked Witch justice so he wrote the backstory of a young woman named Elphaba, who had green skin. The name Elphaba is a callback to L. Frank Baum. The initials L. F. B. form the world Elphaba. Elphaba is made a villain by those around her. Most of those close to her die in terrifying, graphic murders. Even her own death is very haunting.
The story follows Elphaba as she discovers the true nature of the Wizard. Elphaba becomes a member of a group devoted to killing the tyrannical Wizard. This leads to the Wizard stopping at no end to kill her. In his many attempts to kill Elphaba, most of those close to her perish. This includes Fiyero, who becomes her lover, and her sister, Nessarose.
Elphaba is distraught when she finds out that her former friend, Glinda, gave Nessarose’s magical ruby slippers to Dorothy who was now on a mission to kill her. The very Wizard that wants Elphaba dead.
Elphaba then tries to thwart Dorothy and ends up summoning her. Dorothy explains that she literally can’t take off the ruby slippers and tries to make amends with Elphaba. Then, Elphaba accidentally sets her own clothes on fire. Dorothy then throws a bucket of water on her. Unfortunately, Elphaba is allergic to water and dies.
All of Oz celebrates the defeat of the Wicked Witch of the West. To the audience’s shock, the Wizard comes to the realization that Elphaba was his daughter. He then leaves Oz. By the end of Maguire’s novel, it is very easy to sympathize with the Wicked Witch of the West. Over time, Maguire’s hot take has become much more common. Elphaba is everyone’s favorite anti-hero.
Wicked – The Musical
The dark book was later adapted into a hit family-friendly musical. Wicked is the fourth longest running show on Broadway. 2025 marks its 22nd year running. The musical focuses on the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda, who isn’t as featured in the novel. The story follows the witches’ journey from enemies to friends and an exciting love triangle. The musical tracks Elphaba’s transformation into the Wicked Witch of the West and leaves the audience siding with the supposed villain.
The plot is conveyed through a series of showstoppers composed by Stephen Schwartz. Schwartz is a renowned composer who has won three Academy Awards, four Grammy Awards, a Tony Award, and many more. He was the brilliant mind behind the hit, ‘Defying Gravity.’ The wonderful soundtrack has allowed Wicked to last for over two decades.
Wicked started with Marc Platt, a producer for Universal, who was the first to have the idea to turn Maguire’s novel into an animated musical. Then, Schwartz came into the picture and convinced Platt that Wicked should be a stage musical. Surprisingly, Wicked was developed in L.A., not in New York. Kristen Chenoweth then caught the eye of the Wicked team. They invited Chenoweth in and were inspired to base Glinda’s character on her. This led to the reshaping of the plot with Wicked becoming a story about friendship. In 2004, Idina Menzel auditioned for the part of Elphaba. Fresh off the success of the musical Rent, she got the role. Soon, a musical was formed. Both actresses are very talented, and helped launch Wicked into fame. Menzel even won a Tony Award for her performance.
However, Wicked wasn’t an overnight success. Critics marked it as too chaotic and saw the music as unmemorable and bad. It was said that ‘Defying Gravity,’ the show’s showstopper, wasn’t all that show stopping. One might laugh to hear that today, knowing how immensely popular that song is. Wicked eventually got over the initial bad reviews and even received 10 Tony nominations that season. Today, Wicked is a must-see on Broadway. It is proof of the incredible ways a story can adapt and grow over time.
Wicked Part One – The Movie
Recently, the world of Oz has been in the spotlight more than ever. That has been thanks to its latest edition, Wicked: Part One. Wicked is the movie adaptation of the musical. The movie released in November 2024 was the first part of a duology depicting Act 1 and Act 2 of the musical. Both parts have already been filmed and Part two is set to be released next year.
Non-Wicked fans were especially captivated by Wicked’s two stars; Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande who play Elphaba and Glinda respectively. The two have constantly made appearances on talk shows, the red carpet, and even the Paris Olympics. All the while, they have made sure to wear their character’s signature colors of green and pink. Both women have enticed the world with their fashion and helped increase hype for the movie. Erivo and Grande also appear to be very close friends. In interviews, they always hold hands and are even brought to tears when praising each other.
The movie has been transformative for both actresses. Elphaba launched Erivo into the spotlight and is now a staple of her career. Erivo has won 18 major awards and has been nominated for 59. She has been nominated for three Academy Awards including Best Actress for her role in Wicked. Grande, on the other hand, was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. This came as a shock to some who see both Elphaba and Glinda as main characters.
Wicked has also had a lasting impact on Grande. The pop star didn’t want the role of Glinda to be about her. Grande began her career most notably when working on Thirteen, a Broadway musical made completely by kids. While most people don’t make Grande out to be a theater kid, that is exactly what she’s proven herself to be. In interviews, Grande has said that when she auditioned for the part of Glinda she made sure that she actually had to audition like everyone else instead of just automatically being given the role. Once she landed the spot, Grande wanted to erase as much of herself as possible from Glinda. She dyed her hair blond, stopped wearing her iconic high ponytails, started wearing only pink, and began to speak in a much higher pitch. Some might not even recognize Grande’s voice when they hear Glinda’s bubbly, high-pitched Ozian speech.
Grande’s character wasn’t the only one that required a lot of effort. Erivo, for her part, had to be green the entire time! Erivo’s character had never been seen as a stylish one, but she and her stylist did their best to make Elphaba the best-looking witch around. Both Grande and Erivo’s costumes, as well as the rest of the cast, make the movie memorable and gorgeous to watch.
The latest cast brings a new life to Wicked’s repertoire. Each song is stretched out through many minutes of film. As a movie, Wicked had the ability to pay close attention to each scene and truly flesh it out. This is very clear in its musical numbers. On Broadway, Glinda’s most popular song is in fact ‘Popular.’ Sung by Grande, the song has become even more fun and upbeat than before. Another notable song is Erivo’s portrayal of ‘The Wizard and I’ in which Elphaba dreams about meeting the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The song ends with Erivo running through a field with a rainbow in the background and bluebirds flying by. While it is a very hard detail to notice, it is clearly a nod to Judy Garland’s rendition of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ in the 1939 film. As good as the score is, all other songs are forgotten as soon as ‘Defying Gravity’ plays. Erivo and Grande bring new emotion and power into the duet. Erivo’s stunning vocals characterize Elphaba’s choice to be the Wicked Witch of the West perfectly. Erivo also recreated the witch’s signature riff in a unique way that is distinctly Erivo.
That same riff is sung by Idina Menzel in her cameo with Kristen Chenoweth. In the number, ‘One Short Day’ the two fairy godmothers show the young not-yet witches the Emerald City and Menzel breaks out her riff. It is a nice addition to Wicked and pays homage to its long past. Audiences across the world were thrilled by Wicked: Part 1 and eagerly anticipate part two’s release. If you haven’t seen it yet, it is definitely worth your time.
The Lasting Legacy of the Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has made a lasting impression on many generations due to its lovable story line and classic characters. When people think of witches, without realizing it, they probably think of the Wicked Witch of the West’s green face paint, black garb, and pointed hat. At Halloween, many can be seen dressed as Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow. The Wizard of Oz had been ingrained into American culture and has ensured its everlasting legacy.
The Wizard of Oz has been very influential. When asked if she thinks The Wizard of Oz will ever fade from popularity, Saranya said, “Probably not. People still recognize the original film and newer content, and other pieces inspired from it. It will continue on. I think it will carry on through the new films and more to come as life goes on.” She continued to say, “Other sorts of media can try to copy The Wizard of Oz but it is in a league of its own. The Wizard of Oz z is definitely in its own universe, and other forms of media can’t replicate that.”
Saranya Vichaidith ’27, said, “I think that it highlights that we need to accept people’s differences and come together as a community. Dorothy is able to befriend the Scarecrow and the Tin Man and Cowardly Lion. They each accept their imperfections and each other in the end.”