By: Isabela Picanço and Ana Clara Velasque (Grade 3)

The Wizard of Oz is a big classic of literature and cinema. But do you know all of the on-set horror stories?

Behind all this fairy tale, the reality was terrible. Judy Garland, who played the role of Dorothy, the main character, received the second-lowest salary. She suffered a lot of injuries and miseries on set, which sounds horrifying. Judy was put on a strict diet and given drugs, like amphetamines, to control her weight and stay awake. She often worked 12 to 18 hours a day, at only 16 years old.

Not only Judy suffered on the set, Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch of the West, suffered severe burns during an explosion scene, causing her face and hands to catch fire. Jack Haley, who played the Tin Man, had an allergic reaction to the aluminum powder in the silver-coloured makeup and forced him to be hospitalized in an oxygen tent.

To conclude, the next time you watch The Wizard of Oz, think about all the actors’ experiences on-set. Personally, we think we will never watch it the same way again.

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