was billy curtis in the wizard of oz

The silver makeup put on him also harmed him. Ironically enough, today it is one of the most-watched films of all time. Billy Curtis. No, you have no eye vision issues. Jack Haley was the last one to join the cast. 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). Dorothy flees with Toto but runs for home after talking to Professor Marvel, a fortune-teller and balloonist. 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. (Cinetech handled this portion of the restoration project. Although he won Oscars in 1944 (Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo) and 1947 (Green Dolphin Street), his most celebrated achievement is the tornado in Wizard. Buddy Esben was to play the role, but while nearing the end of the shoot for the role, his lungs failed, and he was rushed to the hospital. ", 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. WebPlayed one of the Munchkins in the film "The Wizard of Oz" CREDITS Broadway; Every Man for Himself (Dec 09, 1940 - Dec 11, Curtis [Little Boy] PlayOriginal. 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. However, during one of the test runs, the pipe exploded. 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"). A silent version of the book was made in 1910 by Selig Polyscope Company, which, if you want to have a look at it, is available on the internet. In case she did not follow her diet, Judy was made to have diet pills to speed up the process of reducing her appetite. A commercial artist from Massachusetts, Newcombe entered the movie field in 1922 by producing an art film entitled The Enchanted City. She made, According to Judy Garland's biographer, her, And the "snowstorm" that took place in the poppy field scene was actually. I will return to work on one condition no more fireworks! Ebsen was hospitalized and forced out of The Wizard of Oz's production because of the costuming and makeup. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so its important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. This last epic was one of the few instances that Curtis was cast as a good guy; many of his screen characters were ill-tempered and pugnacious, willing to bite a kneecap if unable to punch out an opponent. Crew. It's a hazardous journey. Apparently, they spent most of their time after work at bars and "were disorderly as hell, yelling and screaming." He told her to take the scenes seriously and get it done. Curiously, her signature song, ''Somewhere Over the Rainbow,'' was nearly cut from the. 1957. 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). Before Dorothy can break in her new heels, however, the Wicked Witch of the West swears vengeance. Many have claimed that Pink Floyd's album, 'Dark Side of the Moon,' was made with the film in mind and is synchronized with the scenes in the classic film. After this incident, MGM hired attendees for them. ", Sidney Luft, Judy's ex-husband, wrote in his memoir that Garland, "unlike other actresses, could not successfully camouflage extra weight, especially because she was dancing and singing in revealing costumes. WebLollipop Guild Members - Billy Bletcher, Lorraine Bridges, Jon Dodson, Jackie Gerlich, Bud Linn, Jerry Maren Mayor - Billy Bletcher Winged Monkies - Buster Brodie, Harry Cogg, Sid Dawson, Sig Frohlich, Harry Monty, Lee Murray, George Noisom, Jack Paul The resulting composite was back-projected outside Dorothy and the window. It included cornfields, the house, the barn, and fences. Marcel Delgado, the sculptor and technician who had made the models for The Lost World and King Kong, cast the bodies in rubber over aluminum armatures, with hinges for the wings. Chances are that no film has been seen by more people than The Wizard of Oz. Just 4 feet 11.5 inches, she could be underweight and still appear heavy or out of proportion on screen.. 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. Glinda tells Dorothy to follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City, where a powerful Wizard can help her get back to Kansas. Apparently they spent most of their time after work at bars and "were disorderly as hell, yelling and screaming." There's a skywriting sequence in the movie when smoke is supposed to come out of the Wicked Witch of the West's broomstick. ", The digital files for both the Technicolor and black-and-white sequences were converted to intermediate film with a Kodak laser film recorder. Updated February 28, 2014 at 05:00 PM EST. 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. The farmhouse, which was about 3' high, was swept aloft on piano wires. In commercials, Maren picked up a paycheck as Mayor McCheese and the Hamburglar for McDonalds. | 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. "We now use wet-gate technology to protect the film when it is contact-printed or duplicated with an optical printer," Feiner explains. A strange sequence follows in which Dorothy and her house are inside the twister and she sees various things picked up by the cone go hurtling by. The slap scene between Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion has a story behind it. were photographed separately and double-printed onto the spinning background. 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. In 1913, Baum founded the Oz Film Company in Hollywood and made three Land of Oz features, all of which failed. The McDonalds character, Mayor McCheese, was played by Billy, from its creation until his death in 1988. These structures strongly resemble Alex Raymond's 1934 drawings of Ming's Diamond City in the newspaper cartoon Flash Gordon. Each model required two wires for the bodies and two for flapping the wings. Instead, the camera moved to make the ball appear to describe the path it was to follow. The makeup used on the sets of the Wizard of Oz circles many claims. Stormy skies were created with dense smoke fed from the catwalks, while patches of spray-painted cotton attached to 8' x 4' foreground glass plates were placed in front of the camera to mask the top of the tornado and the gantry. In fact, the costumes were so unbearable for all three men on set that Judy Garland remembered how "each one was making bets as to which makeup was the most difficult all the way through the picture.". The next casualty was Margaret Hamilton, who was supposed to disappear from Munchkinland in a burst of smoke and fire. He also appeared as Little Oscar in Oscar Mayer ads and as Buster Brown for the shoe company. Next, the Tin Man's suit, Buddy Esben wore a metal suit, making it hard for him even to sit. They also made several complete Technicolor features and shorts in the late 1920s and early '30s. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! That figure surprises those who only remember the black-and-white footage from the scene in which Dorothy opens the door of her Auntie Em's house to discover that a tornado has transported her to a Technicolor universe. "Countless millions have seen it on TV. 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. "Warner Bros. did a diligent search and found the original CRI. They were flown on piano wires and their wings were made to flap by means of small hidden motors. Maren, now 94, is the last surviving Munchkin actor. Self care and ideas to help you live a healthier, happier life. Then, MGM Studios managed to cut a deal to borrow Shirley Temple for The Wizard of Oz, the silent film. He was replaced by Victor Fleming, a hard-boiled former cinematographer. Have you been quoting the line of the Witch of the West as" Fly, Fly, my pretties" when she sent her monkeys? 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." WebTHE WIZARD of Oz Review Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer A Victor Fleming Production with: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Buddy Ebsen, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton, Charley Grapewin and the Munchkins When it crashes down, she emerges in Munchkinland, which is inhabited by little people, in the Land of Oz. "We wanted to provide a pristine internegative which accurately emulates the original Wizard of Oz, and provide an enduring film record for future generations to enjoy.". Fuller's earth was fed into the muslin funnel from above, and enough of it escaped through the porous muslin to blur the edges of the sock realistically. When Jack Haley replaced him, the studio started using a safer aluminum paste as makeup. Louis B. Meyer hired people to constantly watch over Judy Garland to make sure she was following her diet. Sun, Jun 27 1909 Wed, Nov 09 1988. This was done in exchange for allowing Clark Gable and Jean Harlow to star in Fox's Old Chicago film. She previously played the role of Dorothy in the He was 98. The picture's fine-grain master was stored at the Library of Congress. As of today, no principal cast of the film is still alive. This one twisted and careened wildly. Feiner speculates that MGM decided to rid its lot of nitrate-based film sometime in the late Sixties or early Seventies. MGM wanted 10-year-old Shirley Temple instead. Another was built, and this time it was reinforced throughout with piano wire. 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. WebHeck, even midget Billy Curtis (THE WIZARD OF OZ, HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER) shows up to give his thoughts on pot. While shooting for an iconic scene where the wicked of the west, Margaret Hamilton, had to make a grand entrance, which involved fire. The famous song 'Over the Rainbow' almost did not make it to the final cut. Also learn how He earned most of Billy Curtis networth? US residents can opt out of "sales" of personal data. Even so, Rosson was astonished at the number of big arcs required to light the picture. 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. Sid But Cukor left after a week to begin preparing Gone With the Wind. at the Wyndham's Theatre. Then again, his first Oater wasdifferent. Pacific Title/Mirage converted it to digital format with a Kodak digital film scanner at full film resolution. --Billy Curtis, Lord High Mayor of Munchkinland Judy Garland starred in The Wizard of Oz when she was 16. Search, watch, and cook every single Tasty recipe and video ever - all in one place! ", The images were stored on the high-speed disk array for display at 2K resolution. There is a reason behind it. 2023 TV GUIDE, A FANDOM COMPANY. The physical and verbal abuse that Garland went through on and off set was absolutely wild. "You have to be very careful that you don't lose fine details like highlights in people's eyes. Filming & Production 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. 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. On the way she meets a Scarecrow who says he has no brain, a Tin Woodsman who claims to have no heart, and a lion who is a coward. A tornado whisks young Kansas native Dorothy and her dog Toto away to the magical land of Oz, where they befriend a Scarecrow, a Tin Man and a Cowardly Lion on their journey to visit the wonderful Wizard of Oz in this beloved classic. Did you know that it took more than a year for deep grooves to leave Ray Bolger's face from the prosthetics? "When we scanned our dupe at full film resolution, there was no loss in image quality. Billy Curtiss income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. McDonalds retired the character when Billy died in 1988. 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. Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. Later, Hamilton's stunt double, Betty Danko, was badly injured while riding (on wires) the witch's smoke-spitting broomstick. This does not influence our choices. Company Credits Wizard of Oz was nominated for several Academy Awards and is a two-time Oscar-winning movie today. Edna Mae Oliver and Margaret Hamilton were interviewed, and the role went to Hamilton. This last epic was one of the few instances that Curtis was cast as a good guy; many of his screen characters were ill-tempered and pugnacious, willing to bite a kneecap if unable to punch out an opponent. 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? There was a lot of drama about casting over the next few years, and the part ultimately went to Judy Garland. Fleming was one five directors who worked on Oz , but he left before it finished to take over, The Wizard of Oz | Fleming with actors Billy Curtis (left) and Charlie Becker (right). ", She did her hair and makeup one final time, put on her nicest outfit, and took an overdose of sleeping pills. As the group passes through the Haunted Forest, Dorothy and Toto are seized by flying monkeys who carry them away to the Witch's castle. Studios also tried using cornflakes that were painted white to look like snow, but this method was too noisy because of the crunching sound it made whenever actors walked during scenes. The Wizard of Oz | Harry Earles, Jerry Maren, and Jackie Gerlich, who became the Lollipop Guild kids in Munchkinland. | We all know that the film Wizard of Oz is an adaptation of L. Frank Baum's book titled 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, published in 1900, its illustrator was W.W Denslow. But green makeup was toxic. When a Los Angeles city councilman proclaimed Feb. 12, 2013, as Jerry Maren Day, the actor was asked to reveal his secret for longevity. The Kidadl Team is made up of people from different walks of life, from different families and backgrounds, each with unique experiences and nuggets of wisdom to share with you. The vivid colors came from dyes added during this process. Release Dates WebActor Age Check - How old was Billy Curtis in The Wizard of Oz? The final method that worked was Jell-O powders. While the Munchkins were paid $50 a week, Toto, the dog, made $125 per week. WebThe Beverly Hillbillies. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, and director Rob Marshall share the tale behind making their underwater musical with a groundbreaking Disney princess. Principal photography wrapped on March 16, 1939, after five months of production. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. 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. Humbled, he gives the Scarecrow a diploma, the Tin Woodsman a testimonial and the lion a medal, convincing them that they now have the virtuous qualities they previously lacked. When you buy through the links on our site we may earn a commission. It was rigged to move the full length of the 200' stage. A few scenes, such as the establishing shot of the witch's castle, are complete paintings, 40 inches wide and without live action. The first test was a failure because the rubber funnel refused to twist like a tornado. Y. Harburg songs, especially "Over the Rainbow," were well-received. Fields begged off because he was preparing You Can't Cheat an Honest Man at Universal. With a final cost of $2,777,000, it was one of the most expensive pictures ever made. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 27 June. The 50 greatest TV and movie detectives of all time. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability. But the costumes were so unhandy. The giant floating head of the Wizard was front-projected onto heavy clouds of white steam piped in from outside the stage. This was quite common during those times because asbestos was fireproof, and the use of cotton ceased because it was not fireproof. Did one of the Munchkins hang himself on the film's set? She spent six weeks recuperating in the hospital and at home. And I dont smoke and I dont drink. The tale begins in Kansas, where Dorothy lives with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry and enjoys the friendship of three farmhands: Hunk, Zeke and Hickory. The Wizard of Oz | Jack Haley was the last one to join the cast. 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 One of the great children's films that made Judy Garland a star. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. The big cloud of dust that surrounds the bottom of a twister was made by blowing Fuller's earth and compressed air in from underneath. The movie rights were fought over between several studios, but MGM ultimately got the rights. And in the 2010 film Dahmer vs Gacy, he played a mime. "I realized I had one of the dupes," Feiner says. Gillespie, a husky Texan from El Paso, began his career as a set designer at Paramount in 1922, then joined MGM as an art director when the studio opened in 1925 and stayed for 41 years. The film's director slapped Judy Garland. I pray the Lord my soul to take. His wife, actress Elizabeth Barrington, died in 2011. The actors and people on set had to endure several hardships while shooting for the film. The one where EW follows up with the cast. Adjusted for inflation, that's just over $900 in today's world. LeRoy wanted Gale Sondergaard to play the Wicked Witch as a glamorous villainess, but the studio chiefs overruled him, demanding a traditional witch. Official Sites Pacific Title was founded in Los Angeles in 1919, the very same year that the ASC came into being. The previously photo-graphed, which was projected from the side onto a mirror set at a 45-degree angle, relaying the image onto a small translucent screen inside the hollow ball. The MGM Optical Department photographed the film's titles. 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. "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. The actors of the film had to dress up in costumes that were tormenting. He recovered after six weeks in the hospital, but MGM had already borrowed Jack Haley from Fox to replace him. Dye fading is not inherent to the Technicolor three-strip process. Some of it splashes on the Witch, destroying her. Ray Bolger was initially approached to play the Tin Man, but he lobbied hard to play the rubber-legged Scarecrow. He replaced Buddy Ebsen two weeks into filming after the original Tin Man fell ill. The main camera, mounted on a huge crane, was kept moving, tracking with the subjects in most shots. This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Billy Curtis (born Luigi Curto; June 27, 1909 November 9, 1988) was an American film and television actor with dwarfism, who had a 50-year career in the entertainment industry. The bulk of his work was in the western and science fiction genres, portraying a little person. The Night They Saved Christmas. All Rights Reserved. Wizard also presented many problems not previously encountered in three-strip photography because of its numerous special effects scenes. Search, watch, and cook every single Tasty recipe and video ever - all in one place! The workstations were networked to an SGI Origin 2000 file server that provided high-density image storage and rapid transfer rates. The men who were hired to play the winged monkeys were attached to ''bat wings'' and a small motor suited to power windshield-wipers. "It took an aesthetic eye," he explains. Fleming was one five directors who worked on Oz, but he left before it finished to take over Gone With the Wind. 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. Just 4 feet 11.5 inches, she could be underweight and still appear heavy or out of proportion on screen., In the memoir Judy and I: My Life with Judy Garland, Sidney Luft revealed that a lot of the older male Munchkin actors were "naughty." Check your inbox for your latest news from us. "We elected to use Cineon software for automated dust-busting, with one important provision," says Feiner. 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. 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. Admitting that he is just a balloonist from Kansas, the Wizard offers to take Dorothy home. Mon, Jan 01 1934 Sat, Jan 01 1955. To make this happen, a pipe was attached to the bicycle seat saddle on the broomstick, but during one of the practice runs the pipe exploded: "I felt as though my scalp was coming off. What made it look pink was the idiosyncrasies of technicolor, a process that consists of the dye-transfer technique. But this was the 9th adaptation of the book 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.' They tried using food coloring, "but the colors were not subtle enough." Like the silver makeup of the Tin Man, Margaret Hamilton's (The Witch of the West) green makeup was poisonous. creative tips and more. It would be a crime to cut corners and do anything in a sub-standard manner.". The mass of wires more than 1,000 altogether necessitated numerous retakes due to breaks. Toto was paid much more than the three munchkins. The dancing Scarecrow sequence was an outtake stored on 250 feet of film less than three minutes of screen time in the CRI (Color Reversal Intermediate) format. Here are some creepy facts about the Wizard of Oz. It's safe to assume that most moviegoers have experienced The Wizard of Oz through the narrow perspective of a television screen. When the Witch sets the Scarecrow on fire, Dorothy throws water on him.