was billy curtis in the wizard of oz

Ken Darby. All of the original three-strip Technicolor film from that period was recorded on a potentially flammable nitrate-based emulsion. Ever wonder how he would have thought of the name 'Oz'? While cleaning the warehouses of MGM, they asked Warner to give them a hand and offered him whatever costume piece he wanted for free. No, you have no eye vision issues. However, another tall dancer, Ray Bolger, wanted the part so badly that he replaced Ebsen, who was then assigned to play the Tin Woodsman. A commercial artist from Massachusetts, Newcombe entered the movie field in 1922 by producing an art film entitled The Enchanted City. Mervyn LeRoy, a long-time Warner Bros. director, was lured away to MGM with a lucrative contract offer. During the process, one of the trap doors was stuck; consequently, Hamilton received second-degree burns on her face and third-degree burns on her hands. 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. Wizard also presented many problems not previously encountered in three-strip photography because of its numerous special effects scenes. To make this happen, a pipe was attached to the bicycle seat saddle on the broomstick. Stories of randy Munchkinland behavior, like the anecdotes Judy Garland told frequently in her later years, were more publicity than reality. Later, Hamilton's stunt double, Betty Danko, was badly injured while riding (on wires) the witch's smoke-spitting broomstick. Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, arrives and slides the evil witch's magic ruby slippers on Dorothy's feet. In commercials, Maren picked up a paycheck as Mayor McCheese and the Hamburglar for McDonalds. Completely untrue. In regards to having bathroom attendants, Margaret Pellegrini, one of the last surviving Munchkin actors, added that it was "the first time I'd ever had anybody help me go to the bathroom. One would think it to be Judy Garland, but she only made $500 per week. Georgina Onuorah has been announced as the lead role of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz this summer, produced by Michael Harrison and the Really Useful Group.. Onuorah is currently performing as Ado Annie in the multi-award-winning production of Oklahoma! That led to his employment by D. W. Griffith for America (1923) and, in 1925, the start of his long career at MGM. Reporting on what you care about. Jungle Moon Men. It's safe to assume that most moviegoers have experienced The Wizard of Oz through the narrow perspective of a television screen. Diminutive American actor Billy Curtis avoided the usual onus of freak-show employment as a youth, opting for a mainstream job as a shoe clerk. Seconds after the mishap, she looked down at her hand and saw the damage: "From the wrist to the fingernails, there was no skin on the hand. The trio (plus Toto, whose real name was Terry) approaches the Cowardly Lion's hunting grounds. Is Pink Floyd's album a coincidence or not? However, scanning from a black-and-white element at full film resolution yields about 13 megabytes per frame a rate that allows for more efficient data management at faster speeds. Because it was initially given the title of 'The Emerald City.'. Some of it splashes on the Witch, destroying her. Billy Curtis. Tornado shots were used alone and as process plates to be projected behind Dorothy during her attempt to elude the funnel. The actors and people on set had to endure several hardships while shooting for the film. 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. Search, watch, and cook every single Tasty recipe and video ever - all in one place! It would be a crime to cut corners and do anything in a sub-standard manner.". 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. But Cukor left after a week to begin preparing Gone With the Wind. It's easy to imagine any of these actors performing the role beautifully, but the final choice, Frank Morgan, proved to be the perfect Wizard. Then the individual objects that swirl past men rowing a boat, Hamilton riding her bicycle, Auntie Em in her rocking chair, etc. Victor Fleming Our thanks to Fred Detmers, Buddy Ebsen, Lois January, and the late George Cukor, Billy Curtis, Marcel Delgado, Harold Rosson, ASC and Harry Wolf, ASC. Hal Rosson, ASC was director of photography, with Allen B. Davey, ASC serving as Technicolor cinematographer. The Wizard of Oz | Blanche Sewell edited The Wizard of Oz , an enormous responsibility considering all the scenes that were ultimately discarded. The wires had to be kept taut because kinks caused them to break. The actors of the film had to dress up in costumes that were tormenting. The physical and verbal abuse that Garland went through on and off set was absolutely wild. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. With a final cost of $2,777,000, it was one of the most expensive pictures ever made. 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 1939; Part of the series: Family Classics; Duration: 98 min; Cost: 2,777,000 United States dollar (estimation) Different from: The Wizard of Oz; Pacific Title/Mirage converted it to digital format with a Kodak digital film scanner at full film resolution. WebCaptain of the Winkie Guard (uncredited) Buster Brodie Winged Monkey (uncredited) Ethelreda Leopold Emerald City Manicurist (uncredited) Billy Curtis Munchkin Jimmy the Crow (uncredited) Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. However, they were immediately bailed out so production wouldn't be stalled: "You couldn't lock them up for long because they were needed on the set. May Robson and Sarah Padden were tested for Aunt Em; Clara Blandick got the part. They are passionate about turning your everyday moments into memories and bringing you inspiring ideas to have fun with your family. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon. Amen. Note: Submissions include topics of sexual assault. The last of these books is Glinda of Oz, published in 1920. Instead, the camera moved to make the ball appear to describe the path it was to follow. On the paper attached to the frame, he wrote, "With this pencil, I wrote the manuscript of The Emerald City." "We now use wet-gate technology to protect the film when it is contact-printed or duplicated with an optical printer," Feiner explains. Billy Curtis on his work in High Plains Drifter (1973). Curtis became an advocate for equality, working with Billy Barty to pressure the Screen Actors Guild in the early 1970s to allow little people to have full union membership and voting privileges. Prior to that time, little people operated on waivers. 1966. While the Munchkins were paid $50 a week, Toto, the dog, made $125 per week. The green makeup used for Margaret Hamilton's costume was so, MGM hired attendants to help the little people on and off studio toilets because one of the Munchkin actors got, Clara Blandick, who played Auntie Em, committed, Margaret Hamilton, aka the Wicked Witch of the West, suffered second-degree burns on her face and third-degree burns on her hand after a stunt, 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 a lot of the actors ended up getting, Buddy Ebsen was the original Tin Man, but the aluminum dust from the makeup, Figuring out how to color the horses in Emerald City was an extremely difficult task, and the studio ultimately decided to paint them with, The actors who played Munchkins were only paid, And Terry, the dog who played Toto, was paid nearly three times as much as the Munchkins. This last epic was one of the few instances that Curtis was cast as a good guy; many of his ( more) This one twisted and careened wildly. WebBorn with dwarfism, actor Billy Curtis famously played a Munchkin city father in The Wizard of Oz in 1939. This was back in the 1930s, so the only reason Hamilton returned to the production and didn't sue MGM's entire studio after the incident was because she knew it would ruin her acting career: "I know how this business works, and I would never work again. Well send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out. Fantasy was still a hard sell in the Thirties, but it became easier in 1937 following the immense success of Walt Disney's first feature-length cartoon, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Louis B. Mayer, the top man at MGM, bought the rights from Goldwyn for $75,000 in June of 1938. Although he won Oscars in 1944 (Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo) and 1947 (Green Dolphin Street), his most celebrated achievement is the tornado in Wizard. A cyclone actually came and killed 31 people in 1893 and destroyed two towns. Gillespie, a long-time pilot, decided that a tornado funnel was shaped something like the wind socks seen at airports. But you will be surprised to know Frank Morgan played five characters in the movie, including the wizard's guard. The men who were hired to play the winged monkeys were attached to ''bat wings'' and a small motor suited to power windshield-wipers. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) American Society of Cinematographers. Like the silver makeup of the Tin Man, Margaret Hamilton's (The Witch of the West) green makeup was poisonous. What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. "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. Webscottbdoug. It included cornfields, the house, the barn, and fences. Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best destinations around the world with Bring Me! All Rights Reserved. The Wizard of Oz | Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! But this was the 9th adaptation of the book 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.' To do this, she had to step on a certain part of the road and descend on an elevator. Seldom accepting a role which demeaned or patronized little people, Curtis played an obnoxious vaudeville performer compelled to sit on Gary Cooper's lap in Meet John Doe (1941), a suspicious circus star willing to turn Robert Cummings over to the cops in Saboteur (1942), and one of the many fair-weather friends of The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957). Reporting on what you care about. She was small, however, and careful costuming and a bust-flattening undergarment made her appear much younger. Top subscription boxes right to your door, 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Because you don't take chances with green. This is how the executive at MGM referred to Judy Garland. "For nearly 40 years this story has given faithful service to the Young in Heart; and Time has been powerless to put its kindly philosophy out of fashion. In case she did not follow her diet, Judy was made to have diet pills to speed up the process of reducing her appetite. When Jack Haley replaced him, they started using a safer aluminum paste as makeup. Luft said, "you couldn't lock them up for long because they were needed on the set. Due to this hazardous effect, the actor, Hamilton, could not consume anything while she had her green makeup on. The only way to do that is to compare the processed images on the computer screen to a matching frame of the source material. Jerry Maren, the last surviving adult Munchkin from The Wizard of Oz, has died. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. Admitting that he is just a balloonist from Kansas, the Wizard offers to take Dorothy home. A patented imbibition process was used to transfer the image information onto release prints for theaters. He was 98. Munchkinland Mayor. The Wizard of Oz | Bolger mugs with Mickey Rooney, the MGM star of the Andy Hardy movies who was Garland's frequent costar. Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created many interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! They also made several complete Technicolor features and shorts in the late 1920s and early '30s. Spotlessly clean. TMZ first reported the news of his death. US residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data. The makeup used on the sets of the Wizard of Oz circles many claims. 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. The top of the sock was attached to a small car on the bottom of the gantry. George E. Turner American Cinematographer This article originally ran in AC, We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents. I believe we bring a unique film aesthetic to the use of digital tools for restoration.". Ebsen claimed to have breathing problems for the rest of his life because of "that damned movie.". Even so, Rosson was astonished at the number of big arcs required to light the picture. ", Billy Curtis, one of the Munchkin actors, remembered the event, saying, "They had to clean him off like he was a baby." Louis B. Meyer hired people to constantly watch over Judy Garland to make sure she was following her diet. Wizard of Oz was nominated for several Academy Awards and is a two-time Oscar-winning movie today. On some sets, as many as eight cameras about a third of Technicolor's inventory were used, with one getting the overall scene while others were hidden among the scenery for tighter shots. They tried using food coloring, "but the colors were not subtle enough." "We elected to use Cineon software for automated dust-busting, with one important provision," says Feiner. Her performance as the Wicked Witch would frighten generations of children, who routinely, The Wizard of Oz | Victor Fleming consults with his actors. "When we scanned our dupe at full film resolution, there was no loss in image quality. Throughout the next few years, MGM started prescribing Garland even more pills to "control both her weight and her energy levels. - 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." Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published. ", 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. I will return to work on one condition no more fireworks! Filming & Production Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Act now to receive 12 issues of the award-winning AC magazine the worlds finest cinematography resource. ", The studio rightfully ruled that it would be unacceptable to use real paint on the horses. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? The next casualty was Margaret Hamilton, who was supposed to disappear from Munchkinland in a burst of smoke and fire. The McDonalds character, Mayor McCheese, was played by Billy, from its creation until his death in 1988. 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. Self care and ideas to help you live a healthier, happier life. Though the film opened strong, it wouldn't earn its money back until 1948. The studio hired an assistant director and a lieutenant to keep an eye on everyone, but "many of them would wind up in jail and have to be bailed out." and the Hollywood premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theater was lavish. In 1951, he was a mole-man in the dark George Reeves movie Superman and the Mole-Men. 1961. ", Jack Young, one of the film's makeup artists, revealed that the green makeup contained copper oxide, which made it toxic. 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 We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. ", 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." Figuring out how to color the horses in Emerald City was an extremely difficult task, and the Ziegfeld Follies star Fanny Brice was first considered for the Good Witch, but the final choice was Billie Burke, Ziegfeld's widow. The Wizard of Oz | Ray Bolger was initially approached to play the Tin Man, but he lobbied hard to play the rubber-legged Scarecrow. We have covered the most interesting facts about the film. MGM wanted 10-year-old Shirley Temple instead. After several takes, the pyrotechnics ignited too soon and she was seriously burned on the face and hand. Also that year, the Boston native played the villainous Light-Fingered Lester in an Our Gang short film and appeared as Little Professor Atom in The Marx Brothers At the Circus. 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. WebActor Age Check - How old was Billy Curtis in The Wizard of Oz? There's a moment in the movie where smoke comes out of the Wicked Witches' broomstick. In contrast to their choices for their actors, the studio chose a safer option to paint the horses. 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. The actor, who stayed active in show business long after Dorothy had returned to her home in Kansas, died May 24 at an assisted-care facility in the San Before Dorothy can break in her new heels, however, the Wicked Witch of the West swears vengeance. Scroll to Crew. This article originally ran in AC, December, 1998. Don't Lie. The Wizard of Oz | Frank Morgan got the role of the Wizard after W.C. Fields demanded too much money. Search, watch, and cook every single Tasty recipe and video ever - all in one place! When the Witch sets the Scarecrow on fire, Dorothy throws water on him. He recovered after six weeks in the hospital, but MGM had already borrowed Jack Haley from Fox to replace him. At age 19, Maren (at 3-foot-4) appeared as one of the three Lollipop Guild Munchkins (the green one in the middle) in the classic 1939 movie. Release Date: Tuesday, August 15 1939 83 years ago . 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. This does not influence our choices. Self care and ideas to help you live a healthier, happier life. They were flown on piano wires and their wings were made to flap by means of small hidden motors. In his palace, Toto pulls aside a curtain, revealing a man operating levers that create the illusion of the Wizard. WebThe 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 casting of the characters. However, by the late 20th century the 1939 film 1957. Additionally, The production company was Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). The actual ball was about 8" in diameter and was not moved while being photographed. "Most people wouldn't have noticed that, but I've worked on a lot of trailers for TV in CRI format. They had to work fast between each take, though, because "the horses invariably managed to lick off most of the Jell-O between shots.". , money, salary, income, and assets. creative tips and more. 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. All Rights Reserved. Principal photography of this fantastic adventure story began on October 13 with Richard Thorpe directing. "We assembled and trained a staff with the appropriate skills and film sensibilities, plus the dedication needed to do the job properly," Feiner says. Dorothy and her friends take the broomstick and return to face the Mighty Oz. Finally, one of the producers and an assistant producer said they would quit if the song were not added, and so it was made the film's part, a famous one. Maren, now 94, is the last surviving Munchkin actor. The digital restoration work was executed on Silicon Graphics 02 platforms and several dual-processor Octanes running Matador Paint and Cineon applications software. Adjusted for inflation, that's $898 by 2021's standards. ", This particular incident occurred when the Wicked Witch of the West was supposed to make her dramatic, fiery exit from Munchkinland. Judy Garland was: 17. | Dorothy flees with Toto but runs for home after talking to Professor Marvel, a fortune-teller and balloonist. He was paid $50 a week; the dog that playedToto, meanwhile, got $125. This was done in exchange for allowing Clark Gable and Jean Harlow to star in Fox's Old Chicago film. Maren now rests in the Court of Remembrance in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood, right below actress Sandra Dee, Decker said. The Wizard of Oz | Bert Lahr was a vaudeville star famous for playing anxious and neurotic comic characters. The Night They Saved Christmas. There's a skywriting sequence in the movie when smoke is supposed to come out of the Wicked Witch of the West's broomstick. As an Amazon Associate, Kidadl earns from qualifying purchases. The workstations were networked to an SGI Origin 2000 file server that provided high-density image storage and rapid transfer rates. Release Dates Feiner joined the company in 1977 as an optical camera operator on the night shift. In the 1930s, Samuel Goldwyn paid Baum $40,000 for film rights. That equals $2,246 per week in the year 2021or a yearly salary of $116,792. This film was previously released on home video in a very truncated version with all the naughty bits removed. But by the end of 1938, with 25 Technicolor features in release, color had become a selling point instead of a liability. Discover Billy Curtis's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. And if you're curious, one of the costumes for the Cowardly Lion sold for over $3 million at a New York auction a few years ago. One of our people [Vince Roth] had worked in the MGM Labs optical department for 27 years, and he remembered an optical camera operator who had worked on those conversions. The studio's next choice was W.C. Fields a mind-boggling concept! And I dont smoke and I dont drink. 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. ", 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 Wizard of Oz was highly successful in its New York run at the Capitol most of the New York critics hated it, but who cared? View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. ", The digital files for both the Technicolor and black-and-white sequences were converted to intermediate film with a Kodak laser film recorder. It was rigged to move the full length of the 200' stage. This was a very common practice on movie sets back in the day, as asbestos was fireproof (unlike cotton, which was previously used) and looked close enough to the real thing.

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