History Trivia / TheWizardofOz

** The Wizard himself is [[{{HeMan}} Skeletor, Man-at-Arms, Cringer/Battlecat]] and [[{{Smurfs}} Vanity Smurf]].

** The Tin Man was [[{{SwatKats}} Leutenant Steele]].
** The Sacrecrow was [[{{Naruto}} Jiraya,]] [[{{Bleach}} Kenpachi Zaraki]] and [[WesternAnimation/CareBearsWelcomeToCareALot Tenderheart Bear]].

** The Wizrad himself is [[{{HeMan}} Skeletor, Man-at-Arms, Cringer/Battlecat]] and [[{{Smurfs}} Vanity Smurf]].

* HeyItsThatVoice: TressMacNeille as the Wicked Witch of the West; CharlieAdler as the Lion.
** Creator/FrankWelker as Truckle the winged monkey.

** Nowhere in either the book or the movie is Dorothy's exact age mentioned, though the book describes her as a "little girl."

** Also, there are a few actors who have played numerous characters: Ray Bolger as Hunk and the Scarecrow, Bert Lahr as Zeke and the Cowardly Lion, Jack Haley as Hick and the Tin Man, and Margaret Hamilton as Miss Gulch and the Wicked Witch of the West.

** "Over The Rainbow" was very nearly cut from the film because the producers thought it was disrespectful to have Judy Garland sing in a barnyard. Cutting that song would have changed her entire career.
** Also there was originally meant to be a DarkReprise of the song when Dorothy is trapped in the Witch's castle. As Judy Garland would have had to incorporate a lot of acting into the song, it had to be recorded live during the take. Reportedly it reduced the entire crew to tears. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urLDbg3m3Sk Here's the audio.]]

** In addition, the Wicked Witch of the West was originally supposed to have been played by Gale Sondergaard and the character was originally supposed to be a glamorous witch inspired by the wicked Queen in ''Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs''. However, when producer Mervyn [=LeRoy=] decided that having an attractive Wicked Witch created a plot hole, as it played against the notion that (as [[CompositeCharacter "Glinda the Witch of the North"]] would eventually point out to Dorothy) only bad witches were ugly, the character was made into the familiar "ugly hag" and Sondergaard, looking hideous in the make-up, left the production and was replaced by Margaret Hamilton.

** In addition, the Wicked Witch of the West was originally supposed to have been played by Gale Sondergaard and the character was originally supposed to be a glamorous witch inspired by the wicked Queen in ''Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs''. However, when producer Mervyn [=LeRoy=] decided that having an attractive Wicked Witch created a plot hole, as it played against the notion that only bad witches were ugly, the character was made into the familiar "ugly hag" and Sondergaard, looking hideous in the make-up, left the production and was replaced by Margaret Hamilton.

* DawsonCasting: Here it's a 16 year old JudyGarland playing an 11 year old Dorothy Gale. This is largely unnoticed unless the viewer has read the book. ShirleyTemple was originally considered for the role, but her studio, TwentiethCenturyFox, wouldn't loan her to MGM.

** Also, in addition to the DawsonCasting example, WCFields was originally asked to play the Wizard, but he demanded a salary which MGM considered to be too exorbitant.

* HeyItsThatVoice: Hey, is that Disney/{{Snow White|AndTheSevenDwarfs}} asking, "Wherefore art thou Romeo?" in [[RomeoAndJuliet Juliet Capulet's place]]?
** And those Munchkin voices kind of sound like younger versions of [[Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs Grumpy, Sleepy,]] and {{Goofy}}.

** Hamilton was also devoted to animal rights. Her presence in SPCA television spots was as ubiquitous as Sarah MacLachlan's today.

** FrankWelker as Truckle the winged monkey.

** Also there was originally meant to be a DarkReprise of the song when Dorothy is trapped in the Witch's castle. As Judy Garland would have had to incorporate a lot of acting into the song, it had to be recorded live during the take. Reportedly it reduced the entire crew to tears. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_0Ir9P7xQQ Here's the audio.]]

* FatalMethodActing: Almost. Buddy Esben suffered a near fatal reaction to the Tin Man's aluminum make-up, and Margaret Hamilton was almost burnt alive after catching on fire.

* MeanCharacterNiceActor: Margaret Hamilton as the Witch provides a rather infamous example. She was a Kindergarten teacher, and children would ask her frequently after the film why she was so mean to Dorothy, to the point Hamilton guest starred on an episode of ''MisterRogersNeighborhood'' to explain that the witch was only a role she played. It's also reported that Judy Garland found it difficult to actually fear her.

** It goes further than that, originally Buddy Ebsen was supposed to play Scarecrow and Ray Bolger was supposed to play Tin Man. Bolger, however, longed to play the Scarecrow, as his childhood idol Fred Stone, who had inspired him to do vaudeville in the first place, had done on stage in 1902. Because of this, he was unhappy with is role as the Tin Man, reportedly claiming "I'm not a tin performer; I'm fluid", and convinced producer Mervyn [=LeRoy=] to recast him in the part he so desired. Ebsen agreed to switch roles with Bolger.

** Also, in addition to the DawsonCasting example, legendary comedian W.C. Fields was originally asked to play the Wizard, but he demanded a salary that MGM considered to be too exorbitant.

* ExecutiveMeddling: The movie is AllJustADream because studio executives thought moviegoers would be "[[ViewersAreGeniuses too sophisticated]]" to accept a ''real'' fairyland.

** It goes further than that, originally Buddy Ebsen was supposed to play Scarecrow and Ray Bolger was supposed to play Tin Man. Bolger, however, longed to play the Scarecrow, as his childhood idol Fred Stone, who had inspired him to do vaudeville in the first place, had done on stage in 1902. Because of this, he was unhappy with is role as the Tin Man, reportedly claiming "I'm not a tin performer; I'm fluid", and convinced producer Mervyn LeRoy to recast him in the part he so desired. Ebsen agreed to switch roles with Bolger.

!![[Series/TheWizardOfOz The animated series]]

** FrankWelker as Truckle the winged monkey.

** Also, in addition to the DawsonCasting example in the Film tab, legendary comedian W.C. Fields was originally asked to play the Wizard, but he demanded a salary that MGM considered to be too exorbitant.

** And there are other little people who have done both roles: both Fern Formica and Margaret Pellegrini as both Munchkin Villagers and the two sleepyheads, and Karl "Karchy" Kosiczky as one Munchkin Herald and a third sleepyhead.

* MeanCharacterNiceActor: Margaret Hamilton as the Witch provides a rather infamous example. She was a Kindergarten teacher, and children would ask her frequently after the film why she was so mean to Dorothy, to the point Hamilton guest starred on an episode of '''MisterRogersNeighborhood'' to explain that the witch was only a role she played. It's also reported that Judy Garland found it difficult to actually fear her.

** Also, in addition to the DawsonCasting example in the Film tab, legendary comedian W.C. Fields was originally asked to play the Wizard, but he demanded a salary that MGM considered to be too exorbitant.

** And those Munchkin voices kind of sound like younger versions of Grumpy and {{Goofy}}.

** Also, in addition to the above mentioned DawsonCasting example, legendary comedian W.C. Fields was originally asked to play the Wizard, but he demanded a salary that MGM considered to be too exorbitant.

** In addition, the Wicked Witch of the West was originally supposed to have been played by Gale Sondergaard and the character was originally supposed to be a glamorous witch inspired by the wicked Queen in ''Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs''. However, when producer Mervyn LeRoy decided that having an attractive Wicked Witch created a plot hole, as it played against the notion that only bad witches were ugly, the character was made into the familiar "ugly hag" and Sondergaard, looking hideous in the make-up, left the production and was replaced by Margaret Hamilton.