Dark History Podcast – Episode 189

The Wicked Truth Behind Hollywood’s Favorite Movie – The Wizard of Oz

Host: Bailey Sarian
Release Date: November 12, 2025

Episode Overview

Bailey Sarian peels back the shimmering curtain of the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz, exploring the overlooked, grim, and sometimes shocking realities of its production. While Oz is celebrated as a childhood favorite and a Hollywood milestone, Bailey reveals the dark history lurking behind its technicolor magic—from poisoned actors and persistent rumors to exploitation, accidents, and deep scars left on and off the set.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Introduction to the Movie’s Rumors and Real Backstage Chaos

• Bailey debunks the famous rumor of a munchkin’s suicide caught on film, which opens the doorway to the real horrors:
  “After I did some digging, I concluded that this rumor was a total lie… But behind the scenes, things got dark. People were getting rushed to the hospital, there were near death accidents, starvation diets, physical abuse, and poisonous snow.” [00:30]
• Sets the stage for a deep dive into the troubled production, hinting at recurring Hollywood myths and real-life traumas.

2. The Movie’s Rocky Financial Start and Rise to Fame

• The Wizard of Oz was not a box office hit at release due to:
  • An enormous budget for a “children’s fantasy musical” ($2.8 million in 1939 ≈ $60+ million today).
  • Children’s ticket prices could not cover costs, reliance on adult ticket sales failed due to World War II.
  • Film didn’t turn an actual profit until its 1949 re-release.
  • Annual TV airings beginning in 1959 cemented its place as a cultural institution, with families treating the event “like a holiday.” [04:30–07:00]

3. Technicolor Magic and Its Lasting Hollywood Impact

• Technicolor brought unreal vibrancy to the film—
  • “Hyper saturated, dreamy, almost painted look… Dorothy’s ruby slippers, the yellow brick road, the poppies—everything looked vivid and surreal because it was Technicolor.” [08:00]
• This visual legacy changed the film industry and raised expectations for Hollywood productions.

4. Dark Makeup Nightmares and Actor Tragedies

Tin Man’s Hospitalization — Buddy Ebsen & Jack Haley

• Buddy Ebsen (original Tin Man) nearly died after 10 days inhaling aluminum dust makeup, developing chemical pneumonitis and spending weeks in an iron lung. MGM didn’t cover medical costs.
• Replacement Jack Haley wore aluminum paste, which caused “a serious eye infection.” “If you actually watch the movie… you can see… one of his eyes is, like, irritated and red.” [13:00]

Wicked Witch’s Fiery Ordeal — Margaret Hamilton

• Hamilton wore a “toxic copper-based green grease paint.”
• Suffered severe burns to face and hand after a pyrotechnic trap misfired.
  • “Even after the flames were put out, the heat from the copper in her green makeup continued to burn her skin off slowly and painfully.” [19:30]
• Showed remarkable courage refusing to repeat dangerous stunts post-recovery:
  • Quote: “I do not intend to jeopardize my life further.” [23:00]
• Stunt double Betty Danko suffered similar injuries from an exploding smoke pipe “covered with asbestos.” [25:30]

5. Asbestos Snow & Other Toxic Set Choices

• The magical poppy-field snow? Chrysotile asbestos, now known to cause mesothelioma.
  • “So everyone’s just like doing their part acting, and they’re inhaling and breathing in this chemical. Yeah, not great.” [30:15]
• It was everywhere—Scarecrow’s suit also contained asbestos for fire scenes.

6. Exploitation and Hardship Among the Cast – Focusing on the Munchkins

• MGM recruited 124 little people, mostly non-English-speaking, funneled through “Singer’s Midgets.”
  • They were controlled by manager Leo Singer, who skimmed off their pay.
  • They earned $35–$50/week, compared to $125/week for Toto’s trainer.
  • Often cramped together in hotels; costumes were heavy and impractical.
• Their wild reputation—partly myth, partly driven by difficult circumstances and celebratory spirit at meeting “people like them.” [35:45–39:00]
  • Judy Garland herself joked about them needing “butterfly nets” to wrangle the cast.

7. Debunking the Munchkin Suicide Legend

• The “hanging munchkin” urban legend is traced to a bird (a crane) moving in the background; doctored VHS clips revived the myth online.
  • “What you’re actually seeing in the background… is a crane flapping its wings off in the distance.” [40:15]
• Bailey contextualizes this among other Disney and classic movie rumors (e.g., “The Pope with a boner” in Little Mermaid):
  • “It’s a bird now. Sorry. Debunked.” [45:00]

8. Judy Garland’s Ordeal – Starvation, Drugs, and Abuse

• Judy Garland was not MGM’s first choice—repeatedly reminded she was “second best.”
• Studio fixated on her looks; subjected her to a restrictive diet (coffee, broth, lettuce, cigarettes) and “corset and discs” to make her look younger and smaller.
  • “Studio executives literally called her the, quote, fat little pig with pigtails. End quote. It’s just… so sad.” [49:00]
• She was reportedly given “pep pills” (amphetamines) for energy, starting as young as nine, either by MGM or her own mother (per her biographer):
  • “Judy called her mom the real Wicked Witch of the West.”
• Scene led to director Victor Fleming slapping Judy for giggling on set:
  • “He does not yell at her. He does not pull her aside. Instead, he just slapped her across the face, thinking it would snap her out of it.” [57:15]
• Garland was paid $9,600 for her work—considerably less than her male co-stars.
  • “The Scarecrow and the Tin Man each got paid eight times the amount of what she did.” [59:45]

9. Reflections: Legacy and the Cost of Art

• The Wizard of Oz changed Hollywood, uplifted audiences but left deep scars on its cast.
  • “It’s kind of a miracle this movie ever made it… Let alone become like, one of the most beloved films of all time. And yet somehow, out of all that chaos, we got this movie that just really completely changed the film industry and Hollywood forever.” [01:01:00]
• Bailey’s closing musical riff:
  • “Somewhere over the rainbow… Asbestos sky, the Tin man is in an iron lung but thank God that no one died… It was a bird.” [01:03:20]

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• “People were getting rushed to the hospital, there were near death accidents, starvation diets, physical abuse, and poisonous snow.” — Bailey Sarian [00:36]
• “Just get on the broom, Margaret. Margaret, just get on the broom.” — Bailey as director Victor Fleming [22:30]
• “Her hands, they were still bandaged and her skin was still healing. So she ended up wearing like a green glove on her burned hand instead of makeup. Poor thing.” [20:55]
• “Turns out a lot of them (the Munchkins) never actually saw their full paychecks because that Singer guy kept a portion of it. A good portion. Of course he did.” [36:40]
• “Studio executives literally called her the, quote, fat little pig with pigtails. End quote. It’s just… so sad.” [49:00]
• “He just slapped her across the face, thinking it would snap her out of it, and then apparently told her, like, go back to your dressing room.” [57:10]
• “Debunked. Stamp of debunk, Debunker, debunk of approval. I don’t know. So the official explanation was that it’s a bird? Yes.” [45:00]
• “It’s kind of a miracle this movie ever made it… Let alone become like, one of the most beloved films of all time.” [01:01:00]
• “Somewhere over the rainbow… Asbestos sky, the Tin man is in an iron lung but thank God that no one died… It was a bird.” [01:03:20]

Timestamps of Key Segments

• [00:30] – Opening Rumors & Overview of Wizard of Oz Myths
• [04:30–07:00] – Box Office Flop to TV Institution
• [08:00] – Legacy of Technicolor
• [13:00] – Tin Man Makeup Disaster
• [19:30] – Wicked Witch’s Burn Injuries
• [25:30] – Stunt Double’s (Betty Danko) Set Accident
• [30:15] – Asbestos “Snow” & Scarecrow’s Asbestos Suit
• [35:45–39:00] – Munchkin Casting, Pay, and On-Set Stories
• [40:15, 45:00] – Debunking the Munchkin Suicide Legend
• [49:00] – Judy Garland’s Starvation and Abuse
• [57:10] – Director Slaps Judy Garland on Set
• [59:45] – Garland’s Meager Pay
• [01:01:00] – Legacy & Final Thoughts
• [01:03:20] – Parody Song and Emotional Wrap-Up

Tone & Language

Bailey’s approach is conversational, empathetic, and darkly humorous, maintaining her signature blend of pop-culture savvy and historical rigor. She intersperses levity (“deja broom, deja v-room,” “it was a bird”), candid outrage, and compassion, especially for vulnerable figures like Judy Garland and the Munchkin actors.

Final Reflection

Bailey’s exploration casts The Wizard of Oz as a spectacle of both wonder and warning—a reminder that cinema’s most magical worlds are often built upon sacrifice, suffering, and secrets. The movie stands as a beloved classic, but only because so many paid a heavy, largely invisible price.

“There’s no movie like it and there’s no place like home.” [01:03:00]