Friday, August 14, 2009
Off To See The Wizard Of Oz? Be Sure To Stop In Wamego!
It’s been 70 years since a tornado dropped young Dorothy Gale into the magical Land of Oz, out of the pages of L. Frank Baum’s book and onto the silver screen. The official premiere of Victor Fleming’s The Wizard of Oz was at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on August 15, 1939, where it received mostly positive reviews.
The story of the girl from Kansas has captured many hearts, but none so much as those belonging to the residents of Wamego, Kansas, who have “adopted” Dorothy and turned her into a virtual way of life. Oz-themed names are prevalent all over town, from street signs, to restaurants, hair salons, the local winery, and more. The town’s highlight is the annual “OztoberFest” festival, which boasts a special stage production and autograph sessions featuring original Munchkin actors and actresses.
Thanks to its obsession with all things Oz, Wamego is now a bona-fide tourist town, with its own museum that displays 25,000 pieces of Oz memorabilia throughout the year. Items include life-sized replicas of the film’s characters, pictures of Judy Garland from her Dorothy days, numerous props and posters from the movie, and a pair of ”ruby” slippers crafted of Swarovski crystals.
But, as beloved as this unforgettable film classic has become, it took home only one Oscar and one special award recognizing Judy Garland’s performance as a juvenile actress. That year, the Academy Awards were dominated by another 1939 Victor Fleming film you may remember: Gone With The Wind. But that’s another story for another day, my dears!
posted by Betty at
1:36 PM
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