Wizard of Oz Premieres: Technicolor Magic Captivates
The Wizard of Oz premiered at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on August 15, 1939, and initially lost money. It cost $2.8 million to produce, an enormous sum for 1939, and its theatrical run barely recouped the investment. The film's iconic transition from sepia Kansas to Technicolor Oz required Judy Garland to walk through a sepia-painted set before the door opened onto a full-color soundstage. Margaret Hamilton suffered second-degree burns on her face and hands during the Witch's fiery exit from Munchkinland. The movie found its true audience decades later through annual television broadcasts beginning in 1956, which made "Over the Rainbow" and "There's no place like home" permanent fixtures of American culture.
August 15, 1939
87 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on August 15
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Basque forces ambushed Charlemagne's rearguard at Roncevaux Pass in the Pyrenees, killing several Frankish nobles including Roland, the Warden of the Breton Mar…
Basque tribes ambushed Charlemagne’s rearguard in the Pyrenees, slaughtering his commanders, including the Frankish hero Roland. This tactical defeat halted Cha…
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