Bubbles After All: The Wizard of Oz

0:16 Oh, hey there, hey there. How are you today, kate? I'm good, I am Kate and I am Bradley. And we are the History Buffoons. We sure are, and we are at the pod loft. I am not putting the painting behind me because we have not secured it yet to the wall, nor have I painted the blue part. So it's just so many things so if these fall down and scare me that'd be great. I'm gonna toss this table in case anyone didn't watch the video for the last episode, you missed out Because it was right away. You don't even have to watch the whole video, you just got to watch like the first 30 seconds. The picture attacked me.

0:58 Full on attack. Knife wielding like, jumped out and went aye, aye, aye, aye. Okay, Life-wielding like, jumped out and went aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, Okay, so today we are going to drink the Modelo Spiked Aguas. Frescas. Oh, it's Water Fresca. Aguas, yes, aguas Frescas. And I have the Flor de Jamaica in perfect Spanish, I'm telling you Perfect Spanish, I'm telling you Perfect Spanish. You wouldn't even be able to tell that you were born in Nebraska. With that, I have the piña Perfect Spanish. Piña. Okay, so mine is hibiscus flavored, yours is pineapple flavored.

1:41 That is correct. Okay, so, if you didn't know, this is from Mexico. Just like avocados. Yeah, it's a 4.5 um alcohol per volume. So you did say it was medello. So if people don't know. Medello is from mexico, so yes, you know, but you've tried, so we've got four flavors actually. So our backups I, we could talk about our backups to backstory is my. My mother in law doesn't drink a lot. She likes to have one here and there, and so we went over there for Memorial Day. And she goes Brad, have you ever seen these before? I'm like I have not. And I'm like would you like to try them? And she's like yeah, so she bought them for you.

2:25 No, I ran out bottom oh, she saw a picture of it, or an ad, okay sorry, I guess I forgot to say that. So she showed me a picture on her phone. Have you ever seen these? I'm like no. So I ran out to two stores because the first one didn't have it yeah uh, and I should have just went to the second store. I knew that from the get-go and but whatever, uh, so I brought them back and then I proceeded to have six of them, and she had two okay, so you've had all four flavors I have, yes, okay so hibiscus, pineapple, and then I also have the um pepino y limon, the cucumber lime, lime, which I'm super excited to try.

3:05 I mean, if you want to try that one, first go ahead. I was super shocked that I liked that one because of the cucumber aspect of it yeah. Not very cucumber-y at all, thank God. A little bit on the back end maybe, yeah, but I also have sandia. Show the folks Sandia. Yeah, do you know what that is in Spanish Sandia? Yeah, do you know? what that is in Spanish Sandia, sandy. No, I don't Watermelon. I think sand like oh beach is like playa or something. What's up playa. Something like that. Okay, All right, anyway, what's up? beach Okay so I'm going to try the hibiscus first. I'm going to have the piña.

3:47 Oh hello. Not bad right, so I've had all four. I kept a flavor of each for this podcast. Wow, she's enjoying it. So good. She's definitely going to get into her second one soon, so I kept a flavor of each from when my mother-in-law and I tried them, because I knew Kate would be excited to try them as well, and plus her Modelo. So good isn't it. I really liked that one. I feel like you should leave this just a flavor I can. Oh, that's's probably gonna be mostly backwash but so maybe not, maybe we'll just maybe we'll just go buy some yeah, maybe we'll just go buy some more, but uh, anyways, while I'm still trying to tell this for the third time now, oh, my word, sorry I laugh until I cough yeah, you do, and you cough until you laugh um.

4:46 Anyway, I don't even know what the fuck I was saying anymore I'm so sorry so I I kept the flavor of each so kate could try them. And then we figured we could try them on one of our episodes, so I gave her my two favorite flavors. I took the two that I thought were they're not bad, they're just not as good as those two. So I gave you the two better of the four. But yeah, we'll have to buy another variety pack. I think that's all they come in is a variety pack. We'll have to buy another one. So we can try that and apparently guzzle that. Yeah, glug, glug, probably Alright, let me take a sip. Finally, oh, you haven't even done that. Well, you kept interrupting my story so I kept trying to finish it. What were you saying? Yeah, refreshing.

5:31 What was your favorite movie growing up in middle school, high school, maybe even into college? Star wars. I should have known. I don't know why you asked me that question you know what my head went to. No. Gladiator and I was like, that's why I specified middle school, high school. Of course it's Star Wars. I was 20 when Gladiator came out. Which is why I specified yeah. I would have been 20, because it just celebrated its 25th anniversary a couple weeks ago, do you? know what my favorite movie is from back then? Sound of music? No, but that's such a lovely movie. That's a good guess. I love Julie Andrews. She's one of my favorites. She is yes.

6:12 What is your favorite Wizard? of Oz. Oh duh. See, I know, it's like I knew that I know and I knew. Yeah, that's my bad, that's my bad, yeah. Anyway, Cheers to that You're like. Oh, please do Please. Cheers. We're going to talk about the production history. Oh, so are you actually doing this? Oh, yeah, do you remember who first suggested this? Nope Elle. Thanks Elle. Don't have to yell. Thanks, elle, nope Al, thanks Al don't have to yell thanks, al less editing.

6:55 I am doing the backstory of the production of Wizard of Oz. So do we finally find out if there is someone who hung themselves in the forest? oh, I've known this for a long time, but yes, I'll tell the world that it's fake. I'll tell the world. You heard it here probably 12th world. Do you know what year it was released in? 1930. Yes, oh shit, For some reason I keep thinking seven. Close. But it's not. It's higher, I know, but it's not, I know it's 39. It is 39. Good job. For some reason my brain kept going to seven. I'm like that's not right, but I knew it was late thirties, so yeah 39. Yeah, so obviously one of the most like iconic films.

7:36 Oh yes, oh yeah, but there were a little bit of chaos, um of chaos, um behind the scenes there were some a lot of casting changes, accidents, bizarre studio decisions, just shoveling pills and coffee down. Uh, duty garland's throat, basically, um yep but at the same time, they were breaking new ground because color technicolor yeah, not just color technicolor technically was technicolor, um, and like special effects were coming up too, like there was a whole bunch of like advanced right movie making spectacles and all this oh for sure.

8:19 I mean, it was a fucking feat of its day it was what they did, and I don't know if you go over this. So I'm sorry, but I keep thinking about this. I'm sorry if you do go over this. Did you know how they did the the black and white to color? You do know that is that in your story? Probably not okay. Well then, how? How do they do it? let me rearrange my back okay they um so the transition between the sapia house with the sapia dorothy into the rainbow color of oz. They used a double and they painted the whole inside of the house or that scene they painted it all in sepia tones I always thought it was sepia, but all right, tomato, tomato or sepia sepia yeah, um yeah, they painted.

9:14 They painted dorothy yeah, a stand-in. They painted a stand-in in her sepia tones stunt double or backup or whatever they called it back then. She didn't really have a stunt double to say but yeah wild how they did that yeah so yeah, um, and it's actually probably one of the most used films. In other films, like, there's lots of homages, homages, homage, homage. They itched their me off um wow okay, there's like homage, homage after homage herzegovina yeah, um jesus, lots of easter eggs throughout the film industry, industry, oh, yeah, for sure, I mean it's, I mean first.

10:04 First of all, we're not in kansas anymore. Yeah, yeah, there's no place like home absolutely, or something about toto or yeah we're not whatever yeah, yeah so, um, it's probably I think it's one of the highest, if not the highest rated movie with, because of all the homages, like that movie is well does that make sense. I'm not using my words, right, but I'm just gonna. Well, you got to think about it too, though. I mean, it is 86 years old, yeah, so it's been around a long fucking time. So it makes sense, and it's such an iconic film, even with all the shenanigans, that went on, you know, during production and so on.

10:45 But I mean it's, there's not many people. I mean my kids have watched it. I don't think Vesper remembers it, but Xavier likes it. Yeah. So I mean it's really like a timeless classic movie. Do you know who my favorite character was? Cowardly Lion. Why. I don't know. You told me to answer and I did. That was your first answer. Yeah, no. I know it wasn't right, okay. No, I don't know who it is. The wicked bitch. Yeah. She's my favorite. Yeah, okay, so first off, yes, dorothy Gale. Yes, I have my omeprazole now. Oh, thank God. So there's not a whole lot of acid reflux, but there still are burps.

11:29 Okay, Bubbles after all. Bubbles after all, okay. That's the title, sorry. Okay, so Judy Garland almost wasn't Dorothy. Gale yeah, I'd actually heard that. Do you know who mgm studios initially considered? I, I'm drawing a blank shirley temple. That's right she was very, very popular in the 30s. She was huge in the 30s and they wanted to like further capitalize on her popularity right. I grew up watching shirley temple movies with my mom I don't think I've seen a single one there's always one that I remember that we're like in a mountain pass or something heidi is that, heidi okay?

12:09 I've seen like a remake, but yeah so temple was actually under contract with 20th century fox. Oh, and negotiations to like loan her out wasn't a thing like they're. Like no, we're not going to give up our star, because back then they they all had, like like humphrey bogart had a contract with such studio, whatever, so like they basically got to use and abuse you like well, hey, you're in this movie, like I'm not doing that with no, no, you are because, yeah, you have a contract yeah, so we're using you in this movie. It's wild how different it is today compared back then. But you know they would sign like a ridiculous amount of picture deal. Yeah, and they owned you, yep, so yep.

12:49 So, um, also they, they didn't want shirley, so obviously, like 20th century fox wasn't going to give up shirley temple. But they thought that was probably a good thing because they didn't think that shirley temple had, like, the right voice to sing somewhere over the rainbow. Oh really. She wasn't mature enough to sing that song. Did she, did she? I guess I don't recall. Did she sing, I'm sure? she did, yeah, she sang and dance. Okay, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, and they're like Judy Garland, who was 16 at this time. Right, had a mature singing voice, right, and a stronger like emotional range. Okay, um, and so they went with judy garland after, like their test recordings and stuff.

13:30 How? old was shirley temple. At this time did you say oh, I didn't say how old she was. Judy garland was 16. I don't recall. I can look it up real quick, um well and while you do that, I can. I can tell you that this is the second time in three episodes that we brought up Shirley Temple. What. We were talking about Shirley Temple to drink in our conversation episode. Okay, I remember that. So, Jeez, louise, you have the weirdest memory I know. Okay, so Shirley Temple was born in 28, 1928. So she would have only been 11. Wow, jeez. Okay, makes sense then. Okay, so 16-year-old, wow, geez, okay, makes sense that.

14:11 Okay, so um 16 year old judy garland. Yeah, she still wasn't quite young enough. Quote unquote young enough for their vision? Yep, the studio's vision. So what did they do? They starved her they bound her body in corsets um and altered her face. Yeah. Like they gave her like a little like button nose and stuff. I don't think that made it into the film. I don't think it did, but it's like come on and then, yes, a very strict diet of coffee and pills chicken soup one meal a day. Was that for the soul? Chicken soup, black coffee and cigarettes. Yep, that was the other thing. Yeah, yes, because that works. Pure 16-year-old God wild times back then.

14:52 I have a picture that's going to come up on our social media, but it's basically a visual that I created of what her meals would look like Coffee and cigarettes for the morning. Okay. Chicken soup, probably mostly broth I'm sure with cigarettes for lunch. Coffee and cigarettes for a snack. Coffee and cigarettes for dinner that is just wild, that they could get away with that even in 19th. Well, what's 20? 38 when they filmed at, 37 when they filmed it, 37 when they filmed it? Who knows? She was basically chain smoking 80 cigarettes a day to keep her appetite down. That's four packs of cigarettes. That's insane.

15:32 No wonder she died when she was like, wasn't she in her 40s Right? Yeah, 40s right, like 46 or something like that, I don't recall. I know I'd have to look it up. I don't have her life memorized, but what? I know you've watched the movie so mgm also had another casting shuffle with um ray bulger yeah, because go ahead sorry no, that's okay because was what was the wait? I'm getting the names mixed up because one of them was allergic to the paint. What really? My tab, but why? Because I fidget with it you're gonna have to pay your tab now anyways yes.

16:17 so yeah, they had ray bulger, yes, playing the tin man right, and buddy ebsen, yes, who was the original? That's the name I couldn't remember. Original Hillbillies Beverly Hillbillies guy. Yeah. I can't remember his name. Clampett, jed Clampett. Yes, that's right, good job. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, so Buddy Epson was going to be the Scarecrow. Yeah. And Bolger, which is like this, really lanky, almost like a robbery looking dancer, and that's kind of. That's kind of what he was known for Right, desperately wanted the scarecrow role. Right. It was like, basically, taylor made for him and he persuaded the studio to switch their parts.

16:59 Okay. So Epson became Tin man. And then he became not Tin man because he was allergic to the. What is it? Was it a paint? Wasn't it like a lead-based paint or some stupid shit? like that. I will get to that in a moment. Okay, but initially their roles swapped okay. Wow, you just flipped me off when you did that. You're welcome, the Wicked Witch. Yeah're welcome, the Wicked Witch yeah. Margaret Hamilton. Yeah. Is the Wicked Witch. However, it started first with Oscar winning actress Gail Sondergaard. Not familiar with her works. She was mostly in the 20s and the 30s.

17:42 She actually worked up into the 80s, um, I believe. But um, she was in the movie babes in toyland. Oh yeah, or maybe that was ray bulger, I don't remember anyways, but there, no, no, sorry, ray bulger was in babes of toyland yeah, that makes sense um gail, um soddenbark guard. So, son sondergaard, thank you, as if you said you're welcome, you're welcome. Any who's. She was in more. It looked like more foreign films. Oh, okay that came out in the us, if that makes any sense. I mean they were like foreign films, but they were anyway, it doesn't matter, it really doesn't so they arrange originally had her as the wicked witch and she was like a glamorous, pretty witch okay um, and they're like let's scrap this idea.

18:35 We need a little bit of a scarier interpretation. So sodden guard was like that ain't me, so I'm gonna bow out peace, I'm out yep. And then margaret hamilton fully embraced that green skin with the crooked, hooked nose and warts and stuff and she effing delivered right yeah, especially when she got burned we will also get to that. I figured as much. Then the film's direction changed hands multiple times okay so we start with richard thorpe. He was the very first director. Okay, he shot for two weeks oh wow, in 1938, before the producer halted production due to terrible results.

19:21 They just weren't happy, so they just did not like what he was coming out with, or whatnot. No, Thorpe had put Garland in a blonde wig and heavy makeup for a young girl. Wasn't that more true to the book though? Like wasn't she actually blonde in the book? I don't believe so. Maybe I'm thinking of something different. I don't believe so. I'm thinking of something different. I don't believe so, but she was a young girl. I would say she was probably shirley temple's age in the book like 11 or so. I do recall that I guess I didn't know it was the first director put her, tried to dress her up to make her look younger as well, with the wig and everything. I knew that, but I guess I didn't know it was a different director, okay they had four, four total shit. I never knew that, but I guess I didn't know it was a different director. Okay, they had four, four total shit, I never knew that so the second one, george kuker.

20:05 He is uncredited okay um. He spent a few days refining the film's look okay he ditched the blonde wig, toned down garland's makeup to more of a natural look right and then re helped recast tin man after ebsen's departure, which we will talk about yeah thirdly, um victor fleming. Okay, he, he took over over the majority of the filming and he's kind of the one credited as the director. The director um, but he kind of instilled order on the production. Fleming would leave just before completion because he was offered to direct Gone with the Wind with Vivien Leigh.

20:50 Oh, there you go. Which was also MGM, which makes sense. Then, final director King Vidor. King Vidor, he stepped in to finish the remaining scenes, notably the black and white scenes, the Kansas scenes at the beginning, including the Over the Rainbow song, gotcha. It took four directors to get Dorothy to the Emerald City. I never knew that. Okay, that's awesome yeah but because of all these changes, it resulted in continuity issues. Right, dorothy's hair length changes throughout the entire movie and I will insert a picture here.

21:35 Okay, there's a short, there's a medium and there's a long. Yeah, yeah, and it's. It's funny, though, cause like I've seen that movie countless times throughout my life and without knowing that, like actually knowing it, I would have never guessed oh, it's no, I I did know about it, so I think it's noticeable, but I knew about it but you know about it. So if you're looking for it, you're gonna like oh yeah, it is longer, which I get, yeah, but me as a you know about it. So if you're looking for it, you're going to be like, oh yeah, it is longer which I get. Yeah, but me as a you know eight year old kid watching wizard of Oz, because when I was a kid I couldn't just pull it up on some streaming service. You had to wait for it to be on TV, and usually on and like the fall Thanksgiving.

22:16 Oh, oh yeah. I watched it every year around that time. I remember sitting in this one particular blue recliner we had at our house and it was stormy day out or whatever. Snow sounds lovely it was great. And then just watched, watched a wizard of oz and I would have never guessed that because I was a fucking kid right so anyways so the legendary over the rainbow Rainbow song almost didn't make it into the film. Did you know that I did? not know that. They felt that the ballad slowed down the pacing and worried that kids would kind of get bored of the Kansas scenes because the big selling point was this Technicolor Oz, of course, of course.

22:56 So associate producer Arthur Freed was so appalled that he issued an ultimatum to studio chief Louis B Mayor yeah, the song stays or I go. Wow, mayor relented and he famously famously said, quote let the boys have the damn song, put it back in the picture, it can't hurt. End quote. It was like one of the biggest parts of the movie because it was such a catchy tune. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Just think if they would have never put that in there. Yeah.

23:36 Do you have how many total Oscars they won Two, it was only two. It was only two. It was only two. What was the other one then? I don't recall, but it wasn't like actor, actress, supporting or anything like that, yeah no, I want to say it was like production or something like that that's fine. I was just curious. I guess I never really fully looked at what they all, what they all won. So okay, you finished your beer the same time I finished my beer, which never effing happens because you're you're sucking that thing down okay, so now I'm gonna try the cucumber lime let me know what you think of that. Which one are you trying? This is the sandia, yeah, so let me know what you think of yours, because I think you're gonna like that one too I gotta smell it.

24:17 Oh hell, yes, told you. That's why I wanted to give you those two, because I knew you were gonna like both of I. Gotta smell it. Oh, hell yes. Told you. That's why I wanted to give you those two, because I knew you were going to like both of those. Chefs Piss. Oh my God, that is so good. I love the cucumber, I can taste the cucumber. But it's not like I can taste the lime. It's not aggressive. It's not overwhelming. Yeah, oh my God. So we're talking about the wizard of oz um, it's a movie. It's a movie, okay. So there was also the deleted jitterbug number. Have you heard of the jitterbug? I mean, I know of the jitterbug, but not from this movie, nope so it was like a large-scale swing dance really sequence.

25:01 Yeah, that would not have worked. They called it the jitterbug. It was featuring dorothy and her friends and they were like dancing frenetically in the haunted forest which the wicked witch sends a magical insect to make them dance uncontrollably wow, it's like that one dance dancing plague yeah yeah, where was that holland? I don't recall I brought it up once, I don't remember. Yeah, but they cut um the number because it was the timing and the tone, it just didn't work, did not? That would not have worked in that movie so no, like real footage of the sequence has really survived I was gonna ask if there was any there's like a gif oh that is kind of going around, but that's not really, and and the quality of the image is very, very poor.

25:52 I'm sure it's awful but in the movie there still remains a dialogue of the witch that says, quote I sent a little insect on a head to take the fight out of them. Sorry, let me reach for, let me do that again. I sent a little insect on a head to take the fight out of them. And see, I can't recall that I don't recall that line at all, me either. Do you know when I don't? okay, no, because, because, but I'm going to watch it now. I think we should watch that, since we're doing an episode on it. I don't recall that line at all. I don't either. That's interesting. Okay, we'll have to watch it and look out for it, okay. So Wizard of Oz sometimes felt a little perilous, yeah, a little perilous.

26:47 Yeah, the the reproduction gained a reputation of kind of a curse, like reputation of the injuries and the ordeals that happened on the set. Sure, okay, some of them were a little shocking, a little horrifying, a little traumatic yep so tin man's toxic makeup. You had mentioned that so do you have what the actual makeup was, that was he was allergic to? Okay, or was he allergic? Or was it just because they use it again on the next guy? it. So, yes, I will, I will address both, okay, okay. So buddy epson, the original tin man, yeah, and I will insert a picture. Yes, he so. He had a silvery face that was achieved with aluminum dust yes so no one realized that having an actor inhale aluminum dust all day, yeah, was potentially harmful.

27:35 Yeah, nine days of filming is all it took and he was like he was in excruciating pain. Yeah, he was struggling to breathe. He was rushed to the hospital. He had essentially been poisoned by aluminum dust. It coated his lungs. Yeah, so he spent weeks recovering in an oxygen tent. Wow, while the studio was impatient, said we're gonna replace, we're gonna replace you so how much? do you know how much of his scenes were filmed before they replaced him? Because I mean nine days, that's especially back. Then they probably filmed a decent amount I think so.

28:17 Some of I saw a picture of him in a kansas scene, but but usually the kansas scenes were done at the very end, as per the director's stuff that I wrote, so I'm not really sure. Um how long? But because I mean nine days back. Then they were like that could have been like a movie I mean honestly, because they were pretty like oh, let's you gotta pump this shit out so we can make our money, yeah, so I wonder, I wonder how much was actually filmed with him. Interesting so jack haley yeah is the new tin man with safer makeup. Of course they mix the aluminum powder into a paste, because that makes it safer without.

29:00 So it's not loose powder that he's inhaling. I mean, it's still there though, so Haley developed a severe eye infection from it. Oh well, that's not surprising. Yeah, to add insult to injury, mgm didn't tell Haley the real reason Epson fell ill. That is sheisty. So he was unaware of this like potential hazard. Right in the end, buddy ebsen's vocals can actually still be um heard in some of the ensemble songs. Oh really so they didn't cut them out of there. Yep, they just had. Uh, hayley just went lip sync then, or wow, that's wild now burt lauer yes or lar yeah l-a-h-r lar hr do you recall which one he might be?

29:50 He's um. Oh my god, what is he? the lion he's the lion, yeah, I was getting. It's been a bit minutes since I've watched this too I'm I'm throwing names at you left and right, here too and I know them. I'm not gonna say really well, I'm fairly well, but yeah, okay, I was mixing them up there. So yeah, he's the lion yes, a bro, ray ray bulger. Yes, scarecrow, yesaley Tin man Bulger's the one I know the best. Right For whatever reason, but yeah. And then Bert Lahr. Yeah, is the Cowardly Lion. Yes, his costume a real fucking lion, isn't that wild.

30:31 I actually have heard that before. It weighed 90 pounds. Oh my God, how could you With a complete lion mane? how could you, with a complete lion mane? so did they just like hey, uh, they didn't kill the lion from the mgm, like, and then they replace it with bertlar, yeah, they should have. That would be great oh my god side note on that animal abuse is not funny it's not, it sucks uh. Have you ever seen the actual filming of that? Yes, the lion, roar and everything I think so yeah yeah, it's actually pretty funny because he's got, they got him like standing on like a, like a bench or something, yeah, whatever and then doing this thing and capturing it.

31:21 It was pretty, pretty wild because it's a fucking lion you could eat me. Okay, so there's no lightweight faux fur alternative for 38. Nope. Nope. So under these blazing technicolor lights, they were notoriously hot. Blazing technicolor lights yeah, they were notoriously hot. Lar would sweat heavily right inside this suit. The heat on set was so extreme that even actors in normal costumes were fainting jesus and getting carried off of set could you imagine what that would do for me? you would I think you would bow out, I would literally die, or if I didn't quit, yeah, so yeah, that would do for me. You would, I think you would bow out, I would literally die. Or if I didn't quit, yeah, so yeah, that would.

32:03 Uh, no, that would, that would not be fun for me, yeah lar was drenched each day. At the end of the day he was drenched. The crew had to dry out the lion's costume in an industrial size drying bin every single night to prevent mildew and a smell yeah, oh, lord that poor lion I know, but like it must have worked because he doesn't look sweaty, but it's all nice and fluffy and yeah, it gets washed every night well, well, yeah, I suppose, so the costume, Sweat and All. Yeah. Auctioned in 2014 for $3 million.

32:45 Holy shit, really $3 million for a sweaty, used lion skin suit. By Burt Lahr. What's his other famous movie? And so, anyways, I don't know I don't either. I I know he's been in other things, but I couldn't tell you. You know who he could easily like just walk on the set and do a great job. What the carol burnett show. I could easily see him just picking up and just being one of the comedic actors on her show I could definitely see that, for sure, yeah, I think it's because his facial features are very in his mannerisms.

33:25 Yeah yeah, just big and bold and they're great, for sure okay, margaret hamilton, yes, the witch she probably had the most traumatic injury on set the burning during the Munchkinland scene. At the beginning the witch exits, Tries to In a fiery flash of smoke. It's a hell of a special effect. Oh great, yeah, If I'm not mistaken, they actually used the shot that burned her in the movie. I've heard that. I did not confirm that, but I have heard that. I don't know if it's correct either, but yeah, but Hamilton was supposed burned her in the movie. I've heard that. I did not confirm that, but I have heard. I have heard that. I don't know if it's correct either, but yeah but hamilton was supposed to drop through a hidden trap door.

34:06 Yes, before the pyrotechnics went off but that didn't work out that way the special effects crew were a second too soon on the the fireball and she caught fire yeah I'm gonna insert a picture of the scene, not her isn't it? And it's really too bad too, because they couldn't throw water on her because she'd melt. Sorry drink more. Okay, would you please cheers to me. Her hat and her broom caught fire and she suffered third degree burns on her face and hand. So how far into filming was this Do you? Did you come across that? I did not come across timing.

34:48 Because could you have met? So let's pretend, and it could be the truth too. I have no idea. Hey, you just got burned. Sorry about that. We're going to paint your burns green now. Yeah, fuck. Yeah, yeah, they actually did wait for her to recuperate okay so her chin, her nose and her forehead were scalded. Right her right eyebrow and eyelashes were singed off. Her upper lip and eyelid were severely burned wow. And when she looked down at her hand, the skin was gone. It burned her skin right through her hand, wow. So to make it worse, the team's first priority.

35:29 Yeah, to quickly remove her copper based green makeup before it seeped into her open wounds, which would have like poisoned her bloodstream. Yeah, she would have fucking died. Yeah, wow, while she's in this makeup, in this green makeup, she literally cannot eat on set for fear of that green king accidentally ingesting. Wow, yeah good thing, uh, things have gotten better. Holy shit, yeah, that would suck, so the studio did not send her home no, they're like hey, we need you a friend had to drive her to safety come on.

36:13 But the mgm execs phoned her every day well, that's nice of them asking when you asking when will you be? Back. When can you come back? I've actually heard that it took her six weeks to recuperate so were they able to get other things done in the six weeks of her absence, because obviously she's not in any scene I would assume, but I can't confirm that I would assume it's gotta be because b-roll, whatever. Yeah, well, I mean she's not in every scene, so there's plenty of stuff to film without her. So when she comes back, she's a single mother.

36:57 She chooses not to sue the studio for fear that she would be blacklisted that's fucking terrible so when she did return, her hands were still too raw for makeup, so she wore gloved green gloves in some of the scenes oh and I'm not sure if they were picked up on camera, but I am for sure gonna look all right, so we have to look for that one line and green gloves okay, the bug line and the green gloves yeah, okay, yeah, I'm on board for this so then yeah, a stunt woman yes you would think that the studio would learn their lesson, but they planned another fiery broomstick scene. Hamilton was like I'm out they had to get the shot, kate they, they brought in a stunt double right.

37:45 Her name is betty danko betty danko, I also have a picture of her all right and danko mounted an explosive rigged broom for a scene in which the which would was flying skyward into the, into the smoke oh gotcha so during the take the pipe attached, the broomstick exploded. Oh fuck, again because of timing I feel like they need a new special effects department jesus fuck danko was thrown off, suffering severe injuries. She said later quote I felt as though my scalp was coming off. End quote, and she was knocked unconscious so what were all of her injuries?

38:29 did you see that I did? not go into detail with this um, but no need to get graphic no, not for this, not for this podcast. No, we don't do graphic here. We just do sad. She spent 11 days in the hospital and she has permanent scars and damaged leg muscles. Wow. So her compensation. She earned $35 for this stunt. So what's that today? I didn't look, that wasn't part of my research.

39:09 Moving on, yes, please. The scene the poppy field oh, with the asbestos fucking genius, move there, they decided that snowflakes made of chris, chris, chrisotile, chrisotile, chrisotile. Asbestos okay, a material known to cause mesothelioma lung cancer and asbestosis asbestosis inflammation okay, at the time, asbestos was actually widely used in films because films and buildings and construction everywhere it looked like fluffy, clean snow right, it was non-flammable.

39:58 Plus, it was a major plus on these like new technicolor sets as well, right and it stayed visible on camera longer than real snow or cotton or like other methods do you know how they did the snow? and it's a wonderful life soap I think you've told me that I have. So there were no masks, no warnings, just open mouths and wide eyes and people singing, and they inhaled this carcinogenic snowflake, like it was christmas morning asbestos was also used in christmas tree flocking and fake fireplace ashes during the 1930s through 1950s that's wild.

40:39 I mean, they didn't know no, so some fake snow was used in the movie holiday in the movie white christmas um. Asbestos wasn't officially banned in the us in consumer products until the 1980s wow, not until then. I mean, I know it's been banned for a while, like I remember. So where I grew up there was we had the elementary school and the high school or like kind of near each other, and then down the road was the big old biddle school. It was a big old building. It was great. Um, I actually did summer school classes in there. They shut it all down except for the gym. We used to have like tournaments, basketball tournaments, whatever in there because of all the asbestos in it.

41:21 And then they uh tore it down. And now there's now it's a library with an observatory cool, that's kind of neat never been it, okay, yeah the munchkins? yeah, there were over a hundred of them didn't the last one just die like a few years? back? Yes, I believe so, not that long. Yeah, I would say within the last 10. Just die like a few years back. Yes, I believe so, not that long ago. Yeah, I would say within the last 10 years. Oh yeah, Something like that, but yeah. I think it was the last one, if I'm not mistaken. I think so, yeah. So these munchkins, these people that they called munchkins on the film? Well, I mean it's not derogatory. They were brought over from Europe's dwarf vaudeville circuit. Right. And they were boisterous.

42:03 Yes, to put it simply. Yes. They were rambunctious. They were drunken parties, rambunctious behaviors. Yeah, because I mean they weren't kids, they were adults. They were adults, so I mean Decades later. Yes, Judy Garland's ex-husband Sid weren't kids, they were adults. They were adults, so I mean decades later. Yes. Judy Garland's ex-husband Sid Luft. Yes. Claimed that the Munchkins were constantly drunk and, quote put their hands under Judy's dress, end quote. But there's nothing to say that that was actually true. So, but he wasn't around when she was 16. So I mean, it would have had to come from her. But he wasn't around when she was 16. So I mean it would have had to come from her, if it came from anyone, but there's no evidence, right?

42:46 So excuse me. Garland herself joked in a 1967 interview that the munchkins quote had a very good time and that their drinking was the only trouble on the oz set. So she called it annoying but hardly traumatic. Yeah, yeah so she was. She was mostly badgered from the studio producers rather than the the munchkins, right, yeah, yeah, so they did the munchkins. I keep saying the munchkins, but the people who play the munchkins did notoriously earn very low wages. Didn't some of them not earn anything at all? Kind of thing well, my source says 50 a week okay but um even toto, the dog earned more I was was just going to tell you.

43:32 did you know that Toto earned more than that? Yes, Toto was in a couple movies. Yes, so Toto, yeah, he wasn't even safe on set. No, people were trying to eat him. Toto is actually a girl. Yes. And her name is Terry. Yes, I did know that. She was stepped on by one of the witch's palace guards during the filming. The dog suffered a sprained some sources say broken foot and had to rest for about two weeks. Jesus and a dog stand-in filled in some of the scenes until Terry returned to work. That's wild.

44:20 Total salary was $125 per week. Isn't that wild for a dog? And then these humans got paid 50. But apparently terry's agents did her right because she was in about 22 films yeah, that's right. That's how many I knew she was in a bunch of them. She was only credited for those out of those 22 in three movies, Wizard of Oz being one of them. Otherwise, everything else is uncredited. Right, which? Why would they give a credit to a dog? Yeah, Back then. You know, today they would definitely do that. So Judy Garland basically would have been abused. What we would call abused no, it's not. Basically she was flat out abused yes here, judy, here's your coffee and your cigarettes yeah, so she had that one meal a day um chicken soup, black coffee, cigarettes, plus amphetamines to or pep pills to boost her energy and then barbiturates to force sleep yep garland, who was 16, worked grueling hours and was often so jittery from the drugs that the crew literally had to hold her still that's wild, yeah, it's just.

45:27 It's yeah, not basically there was literal child abuse. Yes, from these people that are like oh, we're good, are you, though, I mean. There's one scene where Dorothy slaps the cowardly lion. Yeah. But Garland kept like cracking up because she's a teenager and it was funny to her for some reason, and she just kept cracking up. So Victor Fleming, the third director, slaps judy garland. oh, does she stop laughing? He said quote now darling, this is serious, go in there and work end quote okay, I mean he's not wrong in the work part, but he's 100 wrong in the work part, but he's 100% wrong in the slapping part.

46:12 Garland was slapped into composure. Oh man and the next take was perfect. Wow, imagine that Fleming instantly felt remorse. But Judy forgave him on the spot, kissed his nose and reassured him, and later she praised Fleming as a wonderful man with kind eyes. There you go. Okay, I mean, that makes up for it all. But of course, after all this she had a lifetime struggle with diet pills, mental health drugs alcohol, the whole gambit. unfortunately, when you're fed this shit consistently for however long they were filmed.

46:53 When you're 16 years old, you're, when you're fed the shit consistently for however long they were filmed. Yeah, when you're 16 years old you're impressionable youth. Things are gonna stick, unfortunately, in a bad way. So I mean it's just really sad that that movie ruined the rest of her life and she had a good career for a while. She she was alive. She did other things. What's the actor? She was always in movies with the Mickey. Rooney, mickey Rooney, yeah, mickey. Rooney. So she, you know she did a bunch of movies, but like yeah, I want to say she was like 46. She was young when she died. I'll look it up after this. Yeah, that's fine, okay. Okay, after this. Yeah, that's fine, okay. so no discussion of oz lore is complete without yes the munchkin suicide so is that the one who supposedly hung themselves in the forest?

47:43 yes, okay for decades yes rumors persisted that a small figure seen in the distant background of the scene where dorothy and scarecrow are skipping down the road is a munchkin actor's body hanging from a scene, right From a tree. Right. And I'm going to insert a picture here as well. I hope so Actually it's a far away picture, but I'd like to correct you. I will be putting the picture in. You are going to be supplying them to me. So this is entirely false. Yes, it is. There is no hanging person. It's actually a large exotic bird yeah that is spreading its wings. So they added these birds to try to like, give a more vibrant feel to the forest, and you can see these birds like throughout the forest scenes.

48:30 This one was just so far away that it looks like something is hanging from a tree. Yeah, I don't know if I've ever actually noticed it every time I have looked for it and I was like, yep, there it is. But yep, that's a bird all right when we watch it, to look for those two other things. You have to point it out like. These are big birds. They're right, yeah, right, right, yeah, but far away. Yeah, I think they're probably about as tall as these munchkins someone probably thought, hey, did you know what I heard? and again it is word of mouth, snowballed, snowballed from there and it's like, yeah, I heard from so-and-so and then just whatever, it was just a myth that grew and stuck over time, basically this conspiracy didn't like really gain traction until the 50th anniversary around 1989, oh wow.

49:23 But it was debunked by these film historians, of course. Yeah, but between the face melting makeup, the dog stomping and then enough asbestos to like insulate a Home Depot. Yeah. There really is no place like home. Hey, I see what you did there. So who wrote the Wizard of Oz? Frank L Baum. I knew you were going to get it wrong. L Frank Baum. God damn it. Most people do that. Because of the L. Yeah, because it makes sense to have that in the middle Cause. Who starts their name with an initial rather than their full name? Um, and didn't you and I? We actually looked up a while back.

50:04 You probably not remember this, cause, you're you? But um, the red brick road was added to the movie. It's not actually in the book. Am I remembering that right? Yes, I believe so. I think, yeah, I don't think it was in the book, and then it leads to nowhere yeah, because everyone's always like where does it go it? literally leads to nowhere. Why couldn't they just take that home? okay, so judy garland was born in 22, 1922 and she died in 1969. So what is that math 47? Yeah, okay so close was she 47, her birthday's coming up so when did she die? and she was born june 10th 1922 yes died june 22nd so she just turned 47, you were really close yeah, I was damn that's.

50:48 That's crazy job, all right yeah I knew it was. I knew it was right around there, so yeah, not too shabby good job. Thank you um so, yeah, that is my favorite movie and I am gonna force you to watch it you're not gonna force me, because I love that movie too and then wicked um that might, we might have issues on, but um I it's not such a good job with it. But they ruined the book just like the musical did. I know you're really into the Wicked Book and it's a very good book. It's such a good book. But they wanted to tie it a little bit more into the Wizard of Oz movie. But it's not. And the Wizard of.

51:28 Oz book is not the Wizard of Oz movie. Oh, not at all. I am so mad. I took you there once, which, unfortunately, that bookstore is gone now, the one you remember, when I took you to that bookstore up at Genesee. The really overwhelming one. Yeah, because there's just shit just everywhere and you don't know where you're really looking. One time I went in there they had the old Wizard of Oz books and I'm like. I should have fucking bought them. I mean, they had like I don't know six to 10 of them I don't remember how many, I don't remember the price off, but it would have been a decent chunk of change. But fuck, I wish I would have bought those. Yeah, I wonder what they did with all the books then. Well, they sold stuff on eBay too, closed up shop and, and, um, maybe just kept it to that or something, I have no idea, but they had so much just like it's like why would you try and resell this yeah?

52:21 Okay, real quick, before we like finish up here and talk about our, our beverages. What is your favorite scene in lizard of Oz? Oh man, um, I always really liked when they first all like the cowardly lion, especially when they first went to go meet the wizard and how he just wanted to bail, kind of thing, and even like someone pulled my tail yeah, that was you. But even like the song, like if I were king or whatever, he's great, I love that, like I'm sorry, everybody, but yes, that's, that's what I was talking about.

53:10 So, so that whole number, like, even, like, even again, if you encompass this whole section of the movie, when they first knock on the door, the dude with the giant mustache, and then you see all the multicolored horses, which are all different horses, and you can see that they're different horses because they're literally not the same horse but painted different colors and then the whole King of the Forest song, like, leading up to when they first meet the wizard. Um, yeah, like someone pulled my tail or whatever. Um, I think if I had to pick one off top of my head, I really enjoy that. So what's yours? mine would be the horse of a different color yeah do you know what they painted the horses with? kool-aid jello.

53:50 Yeah, yes, that's the word I couldn't remember what it was. Yes, jell-o, and they're like quick, hurry up and shoot them before they start licking it off. Yes, that's right. That's right, I did know that. And I always thought the Tin Man's heart at the very end, the string that it was on was full of popcorn. Yeah, but it's. I mean, it's a classic movie again. What did I say? 60 or 80 sorry, 86 years it's been out. That's wild. When was it actually released? During the year, did you see that date? I don't remember off the top of my head. So, but yeah, it's hard to believe. I've been watching it.

54:30 Although it did terribly in theaters. It wasn't until color TV came out that they started putting it on TV, and people were amazed, they were amazed, and that's how the popularity came. And that's why they kept putting it on TV. Right, it's funny. Even today, though, that happens with movies like so it's funny to hear that it did then because like office space didn't do that great in the theater. It's a fucking cult classic movie it's a great fucking movie too or, you know, insert other one, even shawshank redemption. Yep, that was a great movie, which you actually have pictures on your wall anyways, it's an inside joke that's been going on for a while.

55:13 Um, you know, that movie for all intents and purposes did terrible in the theater, but it's a phenomenal fucking movie um but I also did remember. I don't remember the movies that came out. I think it was like two other huge movies came out the same weekend that shawshank did and kind of fucked their chances. I'm trying to blank on what those two are, but doesn't matter anyways. Um, yeah, so okay, how did you like your beverages? I liked both very much. I don't think I can pick a favorite okay, that's, and that's fine the hibiscus or the cucumber lime. I love them both and I want more okay, well, maybe we'll, uh, we'll get some more and then you can try these two, because again, they're good.

55:56 I just thought those two are the better of the four and you and I have different tastes, so maybe I'll like them. Yeah, you might like them, you do but I was right, though. You actually rather enjoyed those, and thank you very much for not throwing the second tab on the floor that was very nice of you. I fidgeted that one off too I heard. I heard it rattle on the can, so I'll have to go find the other one somewhere on the floor. Yeah, damn right, you will. But um, anyways, no, I I thought you would like those. I was. It was fun sampling with my mother-in-law because you know I don't get to see her a ton just because of scheduling and stuff. So it was nice that she wanted to have a couple beverages with me. That's awesome. Yeah, and I tasted them. I'm like, ooh, kate's going to like these, so let's do it for the podcast.

56:40 And yeah, I thought you would like those. I think you'll like these two. I just those are the two better out of the four, anyways, yeah. So thank you for the Wizard of Oz. Yes, you're welcome. That's very great, and I'll have to let Al know that. Hey, we finally did it. Do you remember when you suggested that? I think it was really early on. I think it was actually very early on that he suggested that he was like you know what would be kind of cool, all the weird shit that happened around the Wizard of Oz. I'm like that sounds awesome and I remember telling you, yeah, and then it just kind of stewed there for a bit, but it's nice to finally get it out. Yep, well, I suppose. All right, buffoons. That's it for today's episode. Buckle up, because we've got another historical adventure waiting for you. Next time Feeling hungry for more buffoonery, or maybe you have a burning question or a wild historical theory for us to explore.

57:28 Hit us up on social media. We're History Buffoons Podcast on YouTube X, instagram and Facebook. You can also email us at historybuffoonspodcast at gmailcom. We are Bradley and Kate. Music by Corey Akers. Follow us wherever you get your podcasts and turn those notifications on to stay in the loop. Until next time, stay curious and don't forget to rate and review us. Remember, the buffoonery never stops.