was billy curtis in the wizard of oz

Judy Garland, 16, was initially considered too old and too tall for Dorothy. Glinda tells her she can go home if she clicks the heels of the ruby slippers and thinks "There's no place like home" three times. Sid Being L. Frank Baum's best-seller, the book is today one of the popular choices in children's literature and has been translated to languages from around the world. Half of the time we were hanging from the ceiling, but it was a way of life for us., Billy Curtis, one of the Munchkin actors, remembered the event, saying, "They had to clean him off like he was a baby." The green makeup contained copper, which, if ingested, could prove to be fatal. ", Garland told biographer Paul Donnelly that they'd give her and Mickey Rooney, with whom she made several movies, the pills to "keep us on our feet long after we were exhaustedthen knock us out with sleeping pillsthen after four hours theyd wake us up and give us the pep pills again so we could work 72 hours in a row. Another was built, and this time it was reinforced throughout with piano wire. Billy Curtis. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous Family (1) Spouse Curtis, Joann (1948 - 1988) (his death) (2 children) Trivia (7) Billy Curtis was the main reason for Judy Garland 's comment that the Munchkins were "little drunks." Release Dates The Wizard of Oz | Producer Mervyn LeRoy helped persuade MGM's Louis B. Mayer to acquire the rights to L. Frank Baum's book and played a crucial role in the, The Wizard of Oz | The film opened in New York on Aug. 17, 1939. According to Danko, it "felt as though my scalp was coming off. It was hardly that simple. Gillespie had a 35' wind sock cast in thin rubber and ordered a steel gantry specially built and suspended from the ceiling. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. When the movie was hit, 1939, the makeup industry was far behind where it is today, especially in the quality of makeup. Bolger mugs with Mickey Rooney, the MGM star of the Andy Hardy movies who was Garland's frequent costar. This last epic was one of the few instances that Curtis was cast as a good guy; many of his ( more) It is basically a morality film that teaches if you have hope, anything is possible. In one memorable scene, Hamilton's face appears in a large crystal ball. Billy Curtis In 1973, Maren played as a child ape in the sequel Battle for the Planet of the Apes and starred in the comedy film Little Cigars opposite another former Munchkin, Billy Curtis. By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. ", The restoration team at Pacific Title/Mirage tackled the task of restoring Oz with missionary zeal, which Feiner attributes to the company's deep roots in the industry. The farmhouse, which was about 3' high, was swept aloft on piano wires. WebThe Wizard of Oz (1939) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by Writing Credits Cast (in credits order) verified as complete Produced by When a Los Angeles city councilman proclaimed Feb. 12, 2013, as Jerry Maren Day, the actor was asked to reveal his secret for longevity. Jack Haley was the last one to join the cast. The explosion blew me off the broomstick." What follows is a long journey in search of a wizard who grants wishes, accompanied by a Scarecrow in need of a brain, the Tin Woodman who wishes for a heart and a Cowardly Lion, longing for courage. Well send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out. The renowned Ruby Slippers were taken for free. In such scenes, the live action was photographed on a section of the road and the masked scene was doubled into a matching blacked-out area of the painting. She spent six weeks recuperating in the hospital and at home. Before Dorothy can break in her new heels, however, the Wicked Witch of the West swears vengeance. ", Ebsen, who's famous for playing Jed Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies, was ultimately hospitalized and forced out of the movie's production. Crew. Subscribe for virtual tools, STEM-inspired play, creative tips and more. ", She spent six weeks recuperating in the hospital and at home. The actors and people on set had to endure several hardships while shooting for the film. Her screen test convinced everyone that she was ideal for the part. The explosion blew me off the broomstick." Two effects units operated within Cedric Gibbons' art department. Figuring out how to color the horses in Emerald City was an extremely difficult task, and the "Dorothy is in the scene in question, and we needed to match her skin tones to scenes on either side of the cutting done by the editor. Maren now rests in the Court of Remembrance in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood, right below actress Sandra Dee, Decker said. Wizard of Oz She made, According to Judy Garland's biographer, her, And the "snowstorm" that took place in the poppy field scene was actually. The prop exploded, sending her to the hospital for 11 days and leaving her with permanent scars. Ruby Slippers Gillespie was also called in to photograph scenes in the poison poppy field, for which it was necessary to have the camera move along the ground surrounded by flowers. 1961. Ultimately, they sponged colorful Jell-O powders onto the horses to get the right color and effect. "Some people say 3K, or even 2K, and 8-bit log space per pixel is sufficient, but this film is an important part of our heritage and culture," he says. (At press time, that decision had yet to be made.). this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. The Kansas scenes at the beginning, directed by King Vidor, were photographed in black-and-white. Louis B. Mayer, the top man at MGM, bought the rights from Goldwyn for $75,000 in June of 1938. Is Pink Floyd's album a coincidence or not? A cadre of creative minds infused MGMs classic fantasy with a timeless supply of movie magic. As an Amazon Associate, Kidadl earns from qualifying purchases. An oft-told legend maintains that the tornado was created by manipulating a windblown silk stocking through a tabletop set. The Wizard of Oz | Blanche Sewell edited The Wizard of Oz , an enormous responsibility considering all the scenes that were ultimately discarded. But, the things that happened behind the curtains to make all the wonderful effects come to life are surrounded by myths and speculations, some true and some false. You might have misheard her because she yells out, "Fly, Fly, fly.". That would equate to almost $2,300 per week in 2019. "We're proud of our history," Feiner says, "which includes a large amount of the optical restoration work on the Star Wars trilogy. It included cornfields, the house, the barn, and fences. Something for everyone interested in hair, makeup, style, and body positivity. 35 Amazing Wizard Of Oz Facts That Will Definitely Even so, Rosson was astonished at the number of big arcs required to light the picture. A subsequent version made of muslin whipped around satisfactorily, but it quickly tore loose at the bottom. Interesting, isn't it? Did Dorothy wear a pink shirt or a white one? Mon, Jan 01 1934 Sat, Jan 01 1955. The Adventures of Superman. ", The digital files for both the Technicolor and black-and-white sequences were converted to intermediate film with a Kodak laser film recorder. Wizard of Oz is a fiction classic, all about magic, adventure, and make-believe. WebCurtis' big movie season was 1938-39: he was cast in The Wizard of Oz (1939) (albeit with voice dubbed by Pinto Colvig) and as the cowboy hero of the all-dwarf western The Jerry Maren Dead: Wizard of Oz Munchkin Actor Was The resulting composite was back-projected outside Dorothy and the window. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf were the credited authors of the final screenplay, which was begun in late February 1938 and completed in August. While that film was still in production, it was announced that The Wizard of Oz would also be filmed in Technicolor. His wife, actress Elizabeth Barrington, died in 2011. A dozen monkeys seen in the foreground and in scenes where they harass the heroes were men in costume, all selected because of their slight physiques. The wires had to be kept taut because kinks caused them to break. Trailer Mimicking Filmmakers Style Divides Social Media, Italys Far East Film Festival: Malaysian Drama Abang Adik Sweeps Top Prizes, Channel Your Inner Queen Charlotte with This Star-Loved British Brands Exclusive Skincare Kit, Naomi Watts Just Wore These Under-$100 PJs from Two Star-Loved Brands And Theyre the Perfect Mothers Day Gift for Stylish Travelers, The Best Signet Rings for Adding a Red Carpet-Ready Touch to Your Jewelry Stack, The Best Gifts New Moms Really Want, From Cozy Robes to Virtual Escapes, Succession Director on Filming That Surprise Cameo and Tying Up Her Kendall Trilogy, James Gunns Guardians: How Chris Pratt and His Marvel Castmates Rescued Their Directors Career, Diane Keaton: Youre Gonna Pray to Get Off This Call, The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News. ", Sid Luft also wrote in his memoir that the older male Munchkin actors "thought they could get away with anything because they were so small." Fields begged off because he was preparing You Can't Cheat an Honest Man at Universal. "We elected to use Cineon software for automated dust-busting, with one important provision," says Feiner. Then the individual objects that swirl past men rowing a boat, Hamilton riding her bicycle, Auntie Em in her rocking chair, etc. McDonalds retired the character when Billy died in 1988. Because you don't take chances with green. We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. He recovered after six weeks in the hospital, but MGM had already borrowed Jack Haley from Fox to replace him. LeRoy wanted Gale Sondergaard to play the Wicked Witch as a glamorous villainess, but the studio chiefs overruled him, demanding a traditional witch. He stumbled upon the marking of his filing cabinet, and the last drawer was marked 'O to Z,' hence the name Oz came into being. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. Fields' Wizard would've been more of a con-man while Morgan. Updated February 28, 2014 at 05:00 PM EST. Wizard of Oz was nominated for several Academy Awards and is a two-time Oscar-winning movie today. Billy Curtis: Movies, TV, and Bio - amazon.com Reporting on what you care about. The picture was produced in 1938-39, with the Great Depression slowly grinding to a close and the specter of global war looming on the horizon. Luft recalled one event in particular, saying, "The next day, on the set, hungover, they would make Judy's life miserable by putting their hands under her dress. The face mask that Ray Bolger wore for his Scarecrow costume was made of rubber, and it was so heavy and tight that it nearly, The studio executives at MGM treated Judy Garland so terribly that they often, In fact, Louis B. Meyer apparently had Judy Garland on a, The male actors who played Munchkins would often, In fact, a lot of the Munchkin actors were so bad that an MGM employee was literally assigned to watch over them, and several of the actors ended up getting, Margaret Hamilton suffered such severe burns on her face and hand after a stunt, And the green makeup that was used for the Wicked Witch of the West's costume was so, Although the studio used toxic paint on its actors, they decided to go for a safer route when it came to painting the colorful horses in Emerald City. But much to the disappointment of its makers, the film did not do very well at the box office. Fleming was one five directors who worked on Oz, but he left before it finished to take over Gone With the Wind. Feiner opted to make a contact liquid-gate dupe negative of the fine-grain IP, which eliminated the worst of the abrasions and emulsion digs. WebCurtis' big movie season was 1938-39: he was cast in The Wizard of Oz (1939) (albeit with voice dubbed by Pinto Colvig) and as the cowboy hero of the all-dwarf western The Billy Curtis may have been one of the most unusual heroes in any Western. There's a skywriting sequence in the movie when smoke is supposed to come out of the Wicked Witch of the West's broomstick. Soon after, the press stated that Temple not being cast as Dorothy was the greatest disappointment of her brief and eminently griefless career. A few decades after that, Shirley Temple commented on the fact that Judy Garland had been picked for the movie and graciously said, Sometimes the gods know best., Throughout the next few years, MGM started prescribing her even more pills to "control both her weight and her energy levels. What made it look pink was the idiosyncrasies of technicolor, a process that consists of the dye-transfer technique. Among other injuries, there was a "two-inch-deep wound that nearly circled Danko's leg, which was full of bits of her costume.". Making a splash: A deep dive into the live-action Little Mermaid with a new generation's Ariel. They began including two-color Technicolor sequences in silent features as early as 1924, with The Uninvited Guest. Principal photography wrapped on March 16, 1939, after five months of production. The Harold Arlen/E. You have subscribed to: Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter. For instance, the cowardly Lion costume worn by Bert Lahr was authentic, meaning it was made from a real lion and weighed approximately 90 lbs (40.8 kg). The film opened in New York on Aug. 17, 1939. Jimmy the Crow (uncredited) Jimmy the Crow was: 5. An Unusual Hero The Wizard of Oz After reading about some interesting Wizard of Oz facts, including the story around the Tin Man dance, also check out wind vane facts and world bank facts. Next, the Tin Man's suit, Buddy Esben wore a metal suit, making it hard for him even to sit. Judy Garland, 16, was under contract to MGM and was a stronger singer than Temple, but was at first thought to be too old for the part. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! She made, The "snowstorm" that took place in the poppy field scene was actually, Betty Danko, the Wicked Witch's stunt double, spent, Hal Roach Studios / Wikipedia/ Public Domain /, Shirley Temple was originally promised the role of Dorothy, but the deal ultimately, According to Judy Garland's biographer, her, The studio executives at MGM treated Judy Garland so terribly that they often, And the head of the studio forced Judy on a, 23 Shocking And Unexpected Movie Facts You Didn't Know Until Now, 23 Shocking And Unexpected Christmas Movie Facts You Didn't Know Until Now. The Wizard of Oz | The MGM Optical Department photographed the film's titles. Shirley Temple had signed a contract with 20th Century Fox. Other writers involved were Herman J. Mankiewicz, Irving Brecher, Robert Pirosh, George Seaton, Herbert Fields, Jack Mintz and Ogden Nash. Judy Garland was: 17. The Wizard of Oz | The film opened in New York on Aug. 17, 1939. With Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney hosting screenings at Loew's Capitol Theater, it set house The film opened in New York on Aug. 17, 1939. With Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney hosting screenings at Loew's Capitol Theater, it set house records. We have estimated ", In the memoir Judy and I: My Life with Judy Garland, Judy's ex-husband revealed that a lot of the older male Munchkin actors were "naughty." The front-projection process used today had not been developed at that time, but the close-up registered effectively on the steam in one of the larger projected images that had been attempted in color. The toxicity of her makeup actually prevented Hamilton from getting faster medical attention during the fiery stunt gone wrong: "It would have been another matter if she had not been wearing green makeup: makeup man Jack Young would have gently blotted off the greasepaint, and Dr. Jones, the MGM doctor, would have covered the burns with salve. It might startle you to know that Dorothy wore a pink and not white shirt. Technical Specs, See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro, makeup artist: Margaret Hamilton (uncredited), executive in charge of production (uncredited), supervising re-recording mixer (uncredited), senior special effects technician (uncredited), stereoscopic production manager (3D version 2013), managing director: stereoscopic conversion (3D version 2013), stereoscopic compositor (3D version 2013), stereo conversion producer: Prime Focus (as Scott Farrar) (3D Version 2013), stereo conversion supervisor (3D version 2013), technical support (1998 release, credited on theatrical prints only), director of global development: Prime Focus (3D version 2013), lead digital film restoration artist (2009 restoration), digital paint artist (1998 restoration) (uncredited), digital compositor (1998 restoration) (uncredited), digital paint artist: 1998 restoration (uncredited), camera operator: digital restoration (uncredited), digital production coordinator (1998 restoration) (uncredited), director of photography: visual effects unit (uncredited) / special photographic effects (uncredited), visual effects supervisor (1998 restoration) (uncredited), assistant visual effects supervisor (uncredited), lead digital compositor (1998 restoration) (uncredited), director of matte painting staff (uncredited), director of global development at prime focus (uncredited), senior stereoscopic supervisor: Prime Focus (uncredited), camera operator: visual effects unit (uncredited), roto supervisor: 3D version 2013 (uncredited), stunt double: Margaret Hamilton (uncredited), associate: Technicolor photography (as Allen Davey), still photographer: Kodachrome stills (uncredited), camera technician: Technicolor (uncredited), assistant camera: Technicolor (uncredited), orchestrator: Munchkinland musical sequence (uncredited), music pre-recording supervisor (uncredited), singing voice: Lollipop Guild (uncredited), composer: original incidental music (uncredited) / conductor (uncredited), orchestral and vocal arrangments (uncredited), choreographer: scarecrow's dance (scenes deleted) (uncredited), dance stand-in: Judy Garland (uncredited), agent: Leo Feist Music Publishing (uncredited), assistant choreographer (uncredited) / assistant: Mr. Connolly (uncredited), handler: Cowardly Lion's tail (uncredited), dog owner and trainer: Terry (uncredited). If you liked our suggestions for Wizard of Oz facts, then why not take a look at bigfoot facts or Calculator facts. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Adjusted for inflation, that's $898 by 2021's standards. Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best destinations around the world with Bring Me! It was as though someone had taken the top of her hand and peeled it like an orange. Model monkeys in various scales, of sizes down to six inches, flying on wires hanging from the tornado gantry, were used in the backgrounds and miniature landscapes. A commercial artist from Massachusetts, Newcombe entered the movie field in 1922 by producing an art film entitled The Enchanted City. Hal Rosson, ASC was director of photography, with Allen B. Davey, ASC serving as Technicolor cinematographer. He was perfect for the Cowardly Lion. The Wizard of Oz | Bert Lahr was a vaudeville star famous for playing anxious and neurotic comic characters. Stories of randy Munchkinland behavior, like the anecdotes Judy Garland told frequently in her later. The fine-grain intermediate provided by The Library of Congress showed no visible signs of vinegar syndrome or shrinkage, and it had a stable base. "We now use wet-gate technology to protect the film when it is contact-printed or duplicated with an optical printer," Feiner explains. Most producers were reluctant to go forward with color films even after the much-improved three-color process was introduced in 1934. According to Feiner, this process requires 4K x 3K of digital data with 10 bits of log space per pixel. They also made several complete Technicolor features and shorts in the late 1920s and early '30s. The 50 greatest TV and movie detectives of all time. The final method that worked was Jell-O powders. Billy, all 42 of him, played the good guy sheriff (who finally arrests the bad guy and gets the girl) in 1938s Terror in Tiny Town. He replaced Buddy Ebsen two weeks into filming after the original Tin Man fell ill. US residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data. Note: This article includes stories about suicide and assault. Reporting on what you care about. Fields' Wizard would've been more of a con-man while Morgan played him as a frightened little humbug. Dye fading is not inherent to the Technicolor three-strip process. Search, watch, and cook every single Tasty recipe and video ever - all in one place! I will return to work on one condition no more fireworks! A cyclone actually came and killed 31 people in 1893 and destroyed two towns. Scroll to Crew. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Cast. "I realized I had one of the dupes," Feiner says. The Wizard of Oz 1939 movie based on the book by L. Frank Baum Billy Curtis; Heritage designation: Memory of the World (2007) Publication date: 25 August Its worldwide fame is applaudable, and the film has gone down the history pages as one of the amazing classic films by MGM studios of all time. Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created many interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! Ray Bolger, who played Scarecrow, had to tolerate the marks his makeup left on his face even after a year since the beloved film was wrapped. That's presuming that the original black-and-white separations have not been scratched or damaged in other ways and that the base on which it is coated has not shrunk. A miniature of the Kansas farm, scaled at 3/4" to 1', was built on Stage 14. were photographed separately and double-printed onto the spinning background. This was a realllllly common practice on movie sets back in the day. The walls of the spout consisted of a circle of painted muslin, 35' in diameter. When Jack Haley replaced him, the studio started using a safer aluminum paste as makeup. The most well-known and commercially successful adaptation based on the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, the film stars Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale. Pacific Title was founded in Los Angeles in 1919, the very same year that the ASC came into being. Then again, his first Oater wasdifferent. The script was based on L. Frank Baum's 1900 book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which sold over a million copies and launched a long series of Oz books. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. Ebsen was hospitalized and forced out of The Wizard of Oz's production because of the costuming and makeup. Here are some creepy facts about the Wizard of Oz. Upon alighting, it dissolves to reveal Glinda. So, how much is Billy Curtis worth at the age of 79 years old? Director Victor Fleming's 1939 classic has made an indelible imprint on American pop culture, giving us durable metaphors ("the yellow brick road") and memorable lines ("We're not in Kansas anymore"). Jack Young, one of the movie's makeup artists, revealed that the green paint that was used to cover Hamilton's body was actually toxic because it had copper in it: "Every night when I was taking off the Witch's makeup, I would make sure that her face was thoroughly clean. Among other injuries, there was a "two-inch-deep wound that nearly circled Danko's leg, which was full of bits of her costume." Full casting for The Wizard of Oz at The London But the costumes were so unhandy. However, during one of the test runs, the pipe exploded. He was 98. Sat, Jun 10 1922 Billy Curtis was: 30. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. The mass of wires more than 1,000 altogether necessitated numerous retakes due to breaks. Did you know Baum had visited Kansas only once in his life but probably picked the place because of the storm that took away Dorothy? A modern fairy tale with a distinctly American setting, a delightfully levelheaded and assertive heroine, and engaging fantasy characters, the story was enormously popular and became a classic of childrens literature. One day, Dorothy's dog, Toto, bites the vicious Miss Gulch, who obtains an order for the pet's destruction. Her weight was consistently monitored too. All of the original three-strip Technicolor film from that period was recorded on a potentially flammable nitrate-based emulsion. A patented imbibition process was used to transfer the image information onto release prints for theaters. In Oz, frames were hand-painted in order to create the transition to color. Also learn how He earned most of Billy Curtis networth? ", After scanning, the image quality was cleaned up by the digital artists, who removed dust and dirt spots and painted out the wires used to help actor Ray Bolger to fly in the Scarecrow dance number. The bottom of the funnel was anchored in a hidden slot that ran the length of the stage. WebThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz, childrens book written by L. Frank Baum and first published in 1900. Billy Curtis I believe we bring a unique film aesthetic to the use of digital tools for restoration.". Any information you provide to us via this website may be placed by us on servers located in countries outside the EU if you do not agree to such placement, do not provide the information. Feiner joined the company in 1977 as an optical camera operator on the night shift. A. Arnold Gillespie was in charge of miniatures, projection process, and mechanical effects. The Technicolor photography for Oz was difficult because of the vastness of the sets. Top subscription boxes right to your door, 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Did you know that Frank Morgan played the title role of Wizard of Oz in the movie? Billy Curtis' career thrived into the 1970s, notably with solid parts in the Clint Eastwood western High Plains Drifter (1973) and the crime-caper melodrama Little Cigars (1973), in which he had second billing as a diminutive criminal mastermind. Fleming was one five directors who worked on Oz, but he left before it finished to take over Gone With the Wind. But the costumes were so unhandy.". is 4 2 . Louis B. Meyer hired people to constantly watch over Judy Garland to make sure she was following her diet. They ended up using alcohol to remove it, and it was such a painful process for Hamilton that "I stood it as long as I could. WebThe Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical comedy-drama fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The Wizard of Oz | Casting Garland was a risk, but no one ever doubted her voice. Half of the time we were hanging from the ceiling, but it was a way of life for us., Sid Luft, Judy's third husband, wrote in his memoir that Judy, "unlike other actresses, could not successfully camouflage extra weight, especially because she was dancing and singing in revealing costumes. Each model required two wires for the bodies and two for flapping the wings. Behind the Curtain: The Wizard of Oz - The American (A few children were used as a well.). Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. Based on the book by L. Frank Baum, it tells of Dorothy and her fantasy trip to the land of Oz where witches, scarecrows, lions and talking trees all exist. Maren, now 94, is the last surviving Munchkin actor. Did the Wicked Witch of the West have toxic makeup on? If one scans a full-aperture anamorphic frame in full color, the file size would run about 45 megabytes. I. E. Chadwick produced a silent Wizard in 1925 which also flopped, despite featuring Larry Semon as the Scarecrow, Oliver Hardy as the Tin Woodsman, and Charlie Murray as the Wizard.

Wxii Staff Changes, Writing Task 2 Positive Or Negative Development, Articles W