The Wizard of Oz: Revealing the Enigmatic World Behind the Camera

The Wizard of Oz is a timeless classic, cherished by generations, but what you might not know are the intriguing secrets hidden in the film’s production. These behind-the-scenes stories of The Wizard of Oz shed light on the incredible efforts and sacrifices made by the cast and crew to create a cinematic masterpiece! Here are they!

Toto’s Big Paycheck

The actors who portrayed the Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz were not treated as well as their canine co-star, Toto—at least not when it came to payday.

Each Munchkin received a meager $50 weekly for six days of work. In contrast, the adorable dog playing Toto earned a generous $125 weekly. Do you remember a time when dogs were paid almost three times as much as their peers? Now you do.

Dorothy’s Ever-Changing Hair

If you pay close attention, you’ll notice a peculiar detail about Judy Garland’s magical haircut.

Throughout the film, her hair mysteriously changes length. At times, it’s barely brushing her collarbone, but by the end, it cascades down to her chest. How did the editors manage such an incredible feat?

Toto’s Gender Swap

Toto was originally portrayed by a female. But a behind-the-scenes injury meant a desperate casting decision needed to be made.

During the production, the real Toto got hurt, leading to a temporary replacement with a male stunt double for two weeks while she recovered. The stun-double was named, apparently, Terry.

The Lion’s Heavy Costume

The actor behind the Cowardly Lion, Bert Lahr, had his fair share of challenges—after all, his costume was made out of real lion skin! Talk about an expensive outfit.

Alas, the lion skin made the outfit uncomfortably hot, and weighed nearly 100 pounds. It’s no wonder that he might not have felt like much of a “king” in that attire. We’d lack courage too.