As one of the most revered classic movies of all time, The Wizard of Oz has enchanted audiences for generations. However, behind the scenes, the filming of this iconic movie was not always as magical as it may have appeared onscreen. In fact, several actors were injured during the making of The Wizard of Oz. Let’s explore the hazards and injuries that occurred during the filming of this classic movie.
Buddy Ebsen as the Tin Man
Bet you didn’t know that Buddy Ebsen, who would later play Jed Clampett in “The Beverly Hillbillies”, was an original cast member in The Wizard of Oz. Ebsen was cast in the role of the Tin Man but was forced to drop out of the film after suffering a severe allergic reaction to the aluminum dust used in his makeup. The dust caused Ebsen to have difficulty breathing. He was hospitalized for several weeks and spent even more time recovering at home, away from the bright lights of Hollywood. The role of the Tin Man was later given to Jack Haley, yet the aluminum-based makeup for this character wasn’t changed or improved. Haley, thankfully, didn’t experience the same severe allergic reaction.
Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion
Bert Lahr’s costume for his portrayal of the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz was made of real lion fur, which was hot and heavy. Lahr also had to wear a large mask, which made it difficult for him to see and breathe. To make matters worse, The Wizard of Oz was filmed in Technicolor which necessitated lots of extra studio lighting … hot, bright studio lighting. Many of the crew members passed out because of the heat, and they weren’t wearing the heavy, hot costume that Bert Lahr wore. Lahr needed frequent breaks and battled severe dehydration while making the movie. He reportedly sweated so much that his costume was drenched at the end of the day. The costume department had to put the lion costume in a commercial clothes dryer every evening so it would be dry by morning.
Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West
Margaret Hamilton frightened generations of children portraying the iconic role of the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. Hamilton’s character was known for her cackling laugh and menacing presence, but during filming, she suffered an injury that was far from scary. Hamilton suffered second-degree burns on her face and hands after a pyrotechnic effect went wrong during a scene. Hamilton’s character was supposed to disappear into a puff of smoke and flames, a trick that called for Hamilton to drop through a trap door to safety. But the trap door failed to open, leaving the actress in the literal line of fire. Hamilton was hospitalized for several weeks, and her absence from the set caused a delay in filming by two months.
Ray Bolger as the Scarecrow
Ray Bolger played the role of the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. Although Bolger did not suffer a severe injury, he did experience some discomfort during filming. Bolger’s costume was made of burlap, which was rough and itchy on his skin. Bolger also had to wear a heavy mask, which made it difficult for him to breathe. Bolger’s experience was a reminder of the discomfort that actors can endure during filming.
Judy Garland as Dorothy
Although Judy Garland as Dorothy did not suffer any significant injuries during the filming of The Wizard of Oz, her experience on the set of the movie was far from healthy. Garland was only sixteen years old when she was cast in the role of Dorothy and was under immense pressure to perform. The studio thought that Garland was too old to play Dorothy and wanted her to appear younger. She was put on a strict diet and allowed to consume only chicken soup and coffee. She was given cigarettes to dull her appetite and “pep pills” to keep her going. She was also forced to wear a tight corset to flatten her breasts to make her appear more childlike.
The Cast and Crew
Remember the scene in The Wizard of Oz when the four main characters fell asleep in the poppy field and Glenda the Good Witch conjures up a snowstorm to wake them up? That wasn’t real snow. Under the heat of the studio lights, real snow would have quickly melted. Instead, the props department used fake snow flakes … made with pure asbestos fibers! In 1939, when The Wizard of Oz was filmed, asbestos was viewed as a wonder material that was used in many different applications.
Now we know, of course, that asbestos fibers can break into microscopic airborne pieces that can be easily inhaled. In the lungs, the asbestos fibers embed in the respiratory tissue and, in time, can cause lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma.
Shocked to hear that the actors in The Wizard of Oz were exposed to pure asbestos? There was more asbestos on the set. The Scarecrow’s costume and the Wicked Witch’s broom were also made with the highly carcinogenic material.
The making of The Wizard of Oz was not always as magical as it may have appeared onscreen. When the movie was filmed in the late 1930s, many of the safety measures that are currently in place in Hollywood were nonexistent. The health and safety of the performers was secondary to maintaining the filming schedule. The experience of the actors on the set of The Wizard of Oz was not uncommon during the Golden Age of Hollywood.