The witch wants Dorothys shoes, which she knows carry powerful magic. The witch sends Dorothy off along the yellow brick road with a magical kiss to protect her from harm. Unlike Em, who is questioning everything about the Land of Oz, Henry accepts his new life and home with surprising ease, having traveled and seen the world a lot more than his wife had. The Lion earns his stripes as well, as he finds a group of animals in the woods, and kills a giant spider plaguing their colony. And yet, what's surprising is that Judy Garland was paid less than her male co-stars. The book wastes no time getting straight to the point. 1 Dorothy's dress was actually pink. The Wizard of Oz is perhaps the most famous and best loved fantasy film ever made. The Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) appears very early on in The Wizard of Oz, initially showing up to claim the ruby slippers from her sister's corpse. PG. In The Emerald City of Oz, Henry and Em finally confessed to Dorothy the extent of their financial problems, and revealed to her that their farm was on the verge of foreclosure. Wednesday, March 1, 2023 - 6:01 pm. It is a feel-good story of a lost girl finding her way back home, as she makes new friends in a fantasy realm known as Oz. Fans of "The Wizard of Oz" have another chance to walk down the yellow brick road in theaters, this time to celebrate what would have been Judy Garland's 100th birthday . [1] He is the uncle of Dorothy Gale and husband of Aunt Em, and lived with them on a farm in Kansas. And just one year earlier, Clark Kent who, like Dorothy, was an orphan raised by elderly Kansas farmers reinvented himself in the big city as Superman. Sometimes she is known as Locasta or Tattypoo, but the fact still stands that her name was most certainly not Glinda. The rest of the movies cast was a familiarity. The Wizard, unsurprisingly, represents the President of the United States. Similarly, Ray Bolgerincurred scars on his face from the uncomfortable Scarecrow mask that made it difficult for him to breathe during shooting. The Wizard of Oz over the years has become one of the truly classic movies among children and adults alike. She then tries to run away from home when Gulch insists on taking Dorothy's dog, Toto away, and finds herself in the company of a fortune teller named Professor Marvel (Frank Morgan). Travers gained early experience acting in repertory theatre in England. He was a huge supporter of the . As kindly as he is, the professor is a con artist who pretends to be psychic by peeking at a photo Dorothy is carrying. With her companions the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion, Dorothy experiences an adventure full of friendship, magic and danger. T hursday marks 80 years since the Aug. 15, 1939, Hollywood premiere of the film classic The Wizard of Oz, the story of a tornado that hits Kansas and transports a young girl named Dorothy,. In the story, the wizard is a charlatan who has convinced those around him that he wields great power, but who doesnt really have much power at all. On the long journey to the Emerald City, Dorothy and Toto are joined by the Scarecrow, who wishes he had brains; the Tin Woodman, who longs for a heart; and the Cowardly Lion, who seeks courage. The Scarecrow represents those farmers. Contrasting with this is the Cowardly Lion, who justhasbug spray and a butterfly net for protection. They are saved by the Tin Man (Jack Haley) and the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), who cannot sleep, and call for aid from the Good Witch of the North. Though it appears that the film only takes place over the course of two days and one night, it does imply it to be a bit longer. Wikimedia Commons. They land in Oz, where the farmhands try to avoid capture. 10 Things From The Wizard Of Oz That Wouldn't Fly Today, 10 Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The Wizard Of Oz, Jerry Maren, the last surviving Munchkin actor at the time, discussed these claims with writers and reporters, Margaret Hamilton's portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West, Hamilton suffered a second-degree burn on her face and a third-degree burn on her hand, role seemed like a dream come true for young Judy Garland, chicken soup, black coffee, and four packs of cigarettes a day, what's surprising is that Judy Garland was paid less than her male co-stars, The Wizard Of Oz: 10 Things Fans Didn't Know About The Cast, Additionally, they also made her take 'pep pills'to control her appetite, Buddy Ebsen was originally cast as the Tin Man, but the makeup was such that he was breathing in pure aluminuminto his lungs, 5 Craziest Wizard Of Oz Fan Theories (& 5 That Totally Make Sense), A scene featuring snow in a poppy field featured clouds of lethal asbestos, 10 Most Iconic Pets In Movie History, Ranked, Wizard Of Oz: 10 Things Fans Never Understood About The Movie. In the ABC telefilm The Muppets' Wizard of Oz, Henry was played by David Alan Grier and owned a diner rather than a farm. Obviously, with CGI not existing in the 1930s, it would have been pretty difficult to show thousands of mice carrying two people and a small dog a considerable distance, so the scene was changed to include the Good Witch instead. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is one of the most famous children's books of all time. Ian Harvey is one of the authors writing for The Vintage News, Join 1000s of subscribers and receive the best Vintage News in your mailbox for FREE, Audrey Hepburn Volunteered in the Dutch Resistance During WWII, Celebrating the Man who got Everyone to Paint The Legacy of Paint by Numbers, Police arrest a 72-year-old suburban grandfather suspected of being the Golden State Killer, Im not dead yet: some Buddhist monks followed self-mummification, Project Azorian: Howard Hughes secret mission, 1960s U.S. satellite that started transmitting again in 2013, The Walk of Shame in Game of Thrones historical inspiration, The only unsolved skyjacking case in U.S. history might have a break, Kurt Gdel became too paranoid to eat and died of starvation, Little Ease: One of the most feared torture devices in the Tower of London, The humble English girl who became Cora Pearl, Walt Disney softened the original Snow White story. In this film, Uncle Henry and Aunt Em are the only characters whose roles are limited to the Kansas sequence and do not make an appearance in the Oz sequence, although Aunt Em is seen again in the crystal ball at the Wicked Witch's castle still looking for Dorothy. Baum doesn't explicitly state her age, but from the way she is described as being full of life, and shrieks and giggles when she plays with her dog, it is implied that she is only a small child no older than eight. BY PAUL MITCHELL. His laziness and lack of work ethic at the beginning of the film is contrasted to his energetic and joyful actions after having found Dorothy, proving that Dorothy is where his will to work comes from. While the Cairn Terrier (originally called Terry) earned $125 per week, the Munchkins actors earned only $100 dollars per week. Then she tells Dorothy how to use the silver shoes to take her back to Kansas. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Though Littlefields theory seems acceptable, L. Frank Baums introduction claims that "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was written solely to pleasure children today. Moreover, doubts and other theories have arisen, questioning whether or not Braum was intentionally trying to convey a hidden truth. As with any book to film adaptation, certain things are going to be added, changed, or cut out entirely. If The Wizard of Oz had come out in the patriotic 1940s or 1950s, its hard to imagine that this counter-cultural classic would have got away with making a flying monkey out of contemporary society. The film is still renowned for its practical effects, songs like Over The Rainbow, and 16-year-old Judy Garland's star-making performance as Dorothy. In the 1939 film, Kansas is a colorless world as everything is seen in a brownish sepia tone. Parallels between the Wizard and William Jennings Bryan have also been noted, possibly because Bryan had been a . Its a Wonderful Life was also a bit of swan song for the interminable character actor. Travers got fourth billing behind actress Donna Reed who played Georges wife, Mary. Aside from working for Collider, he has also done work for other small, independent companies all around his hometown of Hamilton, Ontario. Dorothy's blue-and-white gingham dress was blue and light pink, which was easier to shoot in Technicolor. The Oz story has become a classic because it blends elements of traditional magic, such as witches, with ones from early twentieth-century American reality, such as a Kansas cyclone, a scarecrow, and a man made of tin. In the sepia opening scenes, we are warned that the magic were about to see might not be wholly magical. 1990- 91 - The Wizard of Oz, an animated series based on the 1939 film, was broadcast on ABC during the 1990-1991 TV season. His most famous stage role was in You Cant Take It With You, a Pulitzer Prize winning play about a man from a family of rich snobs who becomes engaged to a woman from a good-natured but decidedly eccentric family. In over 380 performances,Travers played the role of Grandpa Vanderhof, the patriarch of the oddball Sycamore family. This incredible technology unveiled secrets that had been kept buried for billions of years. In the 1974 animated film Journey Back to Oz, Paul Ford voices Uncle Henry. Some of these differences, however, go beyond minor tweaks. The Travers family lived in Prudhoe for a couple of years before moving from Woodburn, on the A68 road near Corsenside, Northumberland, in about 1866, to Tweedmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed, in about 1876. Baum was 44 when "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" was published and by then he'd tried his hand at a variety of jobs. https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Wonderful-Wizard-of-Oz, Internet Archive - "The wonderful wizard of Oz", National Public Radio - Following The Yellow Brick Road Back To The Origins Of 'Oz'. For an industry that has been largely unfair to people with physical differences, it's a shame that a dog made more money than the little people who had to wear multiple costumes and perform song and dance routines. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Travers's best remembered role was as James Stewart's somewhat befuddled but kind-hearted guardian angel Clarence Odbody in Frank Capra's 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life. Musical theatre impresario Webber and acclaimed lyricist Rice have collaborated on many hit musicals including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar . Ruth Plumly Thompson gave him only two brief mentions, in The Royal Book of Oz and Grampa in Oz. In the book, however, Glinda is actually the Good Witch of the South, and isn't seen until the very end of the novel. Show Music and Sports History | Free Audiobooks | Famous Speeches | Podcast by Henry Gindt, Ep Free Audiobook: The . The change was made for the film in order to take advantage of the power of Technicolor. The passing of time is more accurately portrayed in the novel, as Dorothy has meals and even sleeps more often than her cinematic counterpart. Travers John Heagerty [1] (5 March 1874 [2] - 18 October 1965), known professionally as Henry Travers, was an English film and stage character actor. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. the actor who played Uncle Henry The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Character List Dorothy A young and sprightly girl, Dorothy lives with her aunt and uncle on the bleak Kansas prairie. A modern fairy tale with a distinctly American setting, a delightfully levelheaded and assertive heroine, and engaging fantasy characters, the story was enormously popular and became a classic of childrens literature. The rest of the movies cast was a familiarity. Reading suchvitriolby Baum today could definitely be scarring to those who appreciated him in their childhood. ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Henry_Travers&oldid=1129578831, Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale), Articles with dead external links from December 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 December 2022, at 04:39. Dorothy then finds Glinda and is sent home using the magical slippers. Toto knocks over a screen, revealing that Oz is only a common man. Due to Oz residents never really dying in entirety, the "new" Witch in Oz had Henry in unconscious stasis, after his Earthly soul had died. Margaret Hamilton as The Wicked Witch of the West. The angel, of course, was named Clarence and the film was titled Its a Wonderful Life.. When it comes to Screen Rant, he writes lists on a wide array of subjects ranging from international films to mainstream Netflix series and comic book trivia. He also hosts a podcast called 'BhindiWire', an Indian parody of IndieWire. He gained more stage experience there on Broadway working with the Theatre Guild, and began his long film career with Reunion in Vienna (1933). The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is one of America's favorite pieces of juvenile literature. She, Uncle Henry , and two farmhands are swept to Oz by a tornado. But it upends the conventions of good-v-evil storytelling in ways that would have had Walt Disney fuming. Kansas 1939. Uncle Henry was voiced by Stephen Root in the direct-to-video animated film Tom and Jerry and the Wizard of Oz. Frank Alexander portrayed him as a villain in Larry Semon's Wizard of Oz. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Uncle_Henry_(Oz)&oldid=1089170529, This page was last edited on 22 May 2022, at 08:55. In a gloriously gonzo final flourish, he floats off into the sky with a cheerful cry of: I cant come back. [2], After several years in retirement, Travers died as a result of arteriosclerosis in 1965, at the age of 91. Henry has been featured slightly more than Em in the Oz books, despite being less featured than she in the film, The Wizard of Oz (1939). What's unfair and unfortunate was that Toto was paid more than the actorsplaying the Munchkins. Le Magicien d'Oz regarder Le Magicien d'Oz online gratuit | Regardez un film en ligne travers les meilleures vidos HD 1080p gratuites sur ordinateur de bureau, ordinateur portable, ordinateur portable, tablette, iPhone, iPad, Mac Pro et plus encore. The cyclone, according to a discussion of the story on the Wicked website, may represent the Free Silver Movement or perhaps just political upheaval in general. Having run away from her home in Kansas to stop her pet dog Toto being put down, Dorothy meets a travelling clairvoyant named Professor Marvel (Frank Morgan) a character who isnt in L Frank Baums source novel, but was created by screenwriters Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf. Even though this role seemed like a dream come true for young Judy Garland, the actress was pushed to toxic limits and heavily patronized. However, in our present days, mummies can be digitally unwrapped by CT scanners without being ruined. It is also possible that "Aunt" and "Uncle" are affectionate terms of a foster family and that Dorothy is not related to either of them. Read another story from us: Wizard of Oz Stolen Ruby Red Slippers Recovered, 13 Years Later. Travers John Heagerty, better known as Henry Travers, was an English stage actor who came to America in 1917 and starred in numerous Broadway productions that spanned nearly two decades. After precariously navigating a kingdom made entirely of fine china, the companions find themselves at the mercy of a race of creatures known as the Hammerheads, and are aided by the Flying Monkeys. ( Log Out / After decades in the business and over 50 films, Travis' appeared in just one more movie, a 1949 comedy, "The Girl for Jones Beach," starring Ronald Reagan. English. Initially, he trained as an architect[2] at Berwick, before taking to the stage under the name Henry Travers. This change makes perfect sense because it would be difficult to create a one-eyed character given the technology of the time. Like many other theatre actors, he made his first movie only with the advent of sound films. RELATED: 10 Best Horror Villains of the 20th Century. It is then that she is told to seek the help of Glinda, the Witch of the South. He was 75. The pig-tailed Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) is so wholesome, the Harburg and Arlen songs are so delightful, and the Technicolor adventures are so exciting that its still easy to mistake The Wizard of Oz for traditional family entertainment, 80 years on from its release in August 1939. As published in the JOURNAL OF THE GEORGIA ASSOCIATION OF HISTORIANS, vol. What's sad is the lack of financial compensation for the actor after the accident. The Witch of the North gives Dorothy the silver shoes of the dead witch and advises her to go to the City of Emeralds to see the Great Wizard Oz, who might help her return to Kansas. A one-stop-shop for all things video games. The Wonderful Wizard of OZ by L. Frank Baum | Subtitrare in romana. Alfred Hitchcock used Travers as a Comic relief in Shadow of a Doubt (1943), where he played a bank clerk with a passion for criminal magazines. This feature is a small introduction to four of our many new MS/HS teachers. With workplace harassment, lethal makeup, and pay gaps, there were several issues with the film that would not stand well in today's times. However, by the late 20th century the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz had become more familiar than the book on which it was based. [7] He made his Broadway debut in The Price of Peace (1901)[8] but returned to England. The Wizard of Oz as pictured in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. After decades in the business and over 50 films, Travis appeared in just one more movie, a 1949 comedy, The Girl for Jones Beach, starring Ronald Reagan. In the comic book The Oz/Wonderland Chronicles, Henry Gale was born in 1852, but died in old age of a heart attack. By Glinda of Oz, he has become one of Ozma's closest advisers, having taught his agricultural abilities to Ozite farmers, getting them producing surplus for the Emerald City storehouses. He is played by Matt Clark opposite Piper Laurie. Now that the longest-reigning monarch in British history has died, what happens next? These burns were a result of a retake of the scene featuring her fiery exit from Munchkinland. Its a subversive message in 2019, and it was even more pointed in 1939, when fascist dictators were stomping across Europe. Since, aside from illustrations, a novel only really occurs in its reader's mind's-eye, it was able to be a little more creative. Share this: Twitter It shares an outline with other key works of Depression-era culture, too. But for all of its similarities to the Disney film, MGMs version was more of an anti-fairy tale than a fairy tale. Bryan was even referred to as a lion in the press. Travers didnt live long enough to see his character Clarence become so revered. Baum however, never gives Uncle Henry's surname in his books, nor indicates whether Henry or Em is Dorothy's blood relative. British-born Henry Travers was a veteran of the English stage before emigrating to the U.S. in 1917. They thought they could get away with anything because they were so small." Cheerful and easy-going, the Scarecrow has more intelligence than he realizes. Then in the 1970s, three decades after its release, the movie gained a newfound interest and dedicated fans. Travers specialized in portraying slightly bumbling but friendly and lovable older men. He appeared with Greer Garson and Ronald Colman in Random Harvest (1942) and with Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman in The Bells of St. Mary's (1945). An adaptation of L. Frank Baum's 1900 children's fantasy novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the film was primarily directed by Victor Fleming (who left the production to take over the troubled Gone with the Wind), and stars Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Billie Burke and . Although Capri went with more established actors in the Oscar winning film, in 1945, when casting for a new production, he found a role for Travers as. Photo by DbkingCC BY-SA 3.0. This meant that he was present to observe the rise of the Populist movement among farmers of the West, and their formation of the Peoples Party to address a variety of economic issues in the country. by David B. Parker. He and Aunt Em have a farmworker named Amos (voiced by Larry Storch) who does not have an alter ego in Oz. Bryan was even referred to as a lion in the press. Publisher. L Frank Baum, the novelist behind The Wizard of Oz and its sequels, created several fascinating lands for innocent children to read. While Garland was paid $500 every week, co-stars like Ray Bolger (Scarecrow) and Jack Haley (Tin Man) made about $3,000 for the same time period. Uncle Henry appears in Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz, voiced again by Stephen Root. Oz does not summon them for several days, and, when he does admit them into his presence, he seems reluctant to grant their wishes. At last they reach the Emerald City, where the Guardian of the Gates outfits them with green-lensed glasses and leads them to the Palace of Oz. Take a look at what he uncovered. So she uses her Golden Cap to summon the Winged Monkeys. Narrates the story of the wizard of oz, written by l. frank baum and published by george hill company on may 17, 1900. In the movie however, the city really is green, likely for the same reason as the silver slippers being red: the filmmakers wanted to show off the capabilities of Technicolor. His reading of the book sees The Wizard of Oz as an allegory about American monetary policy of the time - with implications for what came later as a result of conflict over maintaining the gold standard and the " Free Silver" movement of the day. By . In the book, though they may be still shiny, they're quite a different colour. 21. Dorothy arrives at her farmhouse and chats with three farmhands, HIckory (Jack Haley), Hunk (Ray Bolger), and Zeke (Bert Lahr). [citation needed] His first was Reunion in Vienna[5] in 1933. Baums novel may have been published at the turn of the century, but the film directed by Victor Fleming (along with two uncredited colleagues) is very much a product of the 1930s. RELATED: 5 Craziest Wizard Of Oz Fan Theories (& 5 That Totally Make Sense). She is an old bitter woman, who tries . He is interred with his second wife in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. Many things in this world arent always what they seem to be at first glance, and childrens books are no exception. In the 1980 animated short film Dorothy in the Land of Oz, Uncle Henry is voiced by Charles Woolf. Additionally, they also made her take 'pep pills'to control her appetite. Dorothy goes to fetch him as her aunt and . Henry Travers: The Character Actor Who Landed a Heavenly Role, The Humble Story that Inspired Its a Wonderful Life, Vince Guaraldi: The Man Behind the Music of A Charlie Brown Christmas. The studio ended up being furious at Ebsen and cast Jack Hayley instead. The film is still renowned for its practical effects, songs like Over The Rainbow, and 16-year-old Judy Garland's star-making performance as Dorothy. The Wiz (1978) Another Wizard of Oz adaptation inspired by a stage (musical) version of the story, The Wiz reimagines the classic story as an urban fantasy adventure with a famously all-black cast . Oz departs from the novel in much the same fashion as the film--in a hot-air balloon which accidentally leaves without Dorothy. He and Aunt Em reunite with their three farmworkers and Professor Marvel (Wizard's alter ego) when Dorothy awakens from being unconscious. Travers' first wife was actress Amy Forrest-Rhodes. Discover the characters and themes at the heart of the memorable story. Tom Joad finds that conditions are no better in California, and becomes a labour organiser. After their house was famously carried off to the Land of Oz by a tornado in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Henry mortgaged his farm in order to rebuild. Updates? The special screenings. He received an Academy Award-nomination as Best Supporting Actor for this appearance. None of them is what youd call a handsome prince. In the Oscar-winning movie You Can't Take It With You, Lionel Barrymore played the role which Travers had portrayed on Broadway. It is later revealed that the real Henry Gale was indeed a balloonist who died upon crashing on the islandjust one of the many references to Baum's Oz novels on the show. Chyrositile (also known as white asbestos) does resemble snow and hence, used to be sold under brand names like White Magic and Pure White. What's more, when Dorothy arrives back home, her Uncle Henry (Charley Grapewin) has built an entirely new farmhouse on the foundations of the old one. Garland won the role of Dorothy despite substantial competition. In the clanking of the Tin Mans rusty limbs, you can hear echoes of Don Quixotes home-made armour. Henry Travers Birth Name: Travers Heagerty Profession Actor Actor 55 Credits Renegade 1994 The Father Dowling Mysteries 1990 Thrill of a Romance The Party's Over The Sisters Dodge City High. War veterans are mocked as people who take their fortitude out of mothballs and parade it down the main street of the city once a year, but have no more courage than you have. The Witch of the North informs her that she is in the land of the Munchkins, who are grateful to her for having killed the Wicked Witch of the East (the house having landed on the witch), thus freeing them. Actress Judy Garland was seventeen years old at the time of the film's release, so Dorothy is more than likely around the same age. The Cowardly Lion is, according to Littlefield, a representation of William Jennings Bryan, who was a hero of the Populist movement at the time. In the VeggieTales episode The Wonderful Wizard of Ha's, Uncle Henry and his wife Aunt Em were substituted by a father (Dad Asparagus) to retell The Prodigal Son, a biblical parable from the Gospel. Although Capri went with more established actors in the Oscar winning film, in 1945, when casting for a new production, he found a role for Travers asa bumbling but goodhearted guardian angel who saves a man from taking his own life and shows him the true spirit of living. - The films that defined Generation X. Though the film was a financial flop, it later became a Christmas perennial. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, childrens book written by L. Frank Baum and first published in 1900. As a young man in upstate New York, he bred prize-winning chickens, published a. A magical scarecrow from Oz. To examine the mummy, we used to rip the coffin apart and damage it in order to look through. Dorothy solved this problem for them by bringing them to live with her in the Emerald City, as permanent guests of Princess Ozma. The way The Wizard of Oz spirals into a fever dream of flying monkeys and green-faced guards is nothing if not surreal (Credit: Alamy). The fantastical tale, based on L. Frank Baum 's popular 1900 children's. Omissions? Jerry Maren, the last surviving Munchkin actor at the time, discussed these claims with writers and reporters who had written about the munchkins. In the last 20 years of the 19th century, American farmers took an economic beating as the result of calamitous weather and the wreckage caused by swarms of locusts, leading to a rise in Populism as the farmers blamed their misfortunes on the banks, the railroads, and nature. Oz in the film is a modernist mass of neon-striped skyscrapers that is blatantly artificial (Credit: Alamy). But in both cases, Dorothy is instantly hailed as a conquering heroine, just as the Wizard was when he touched down in Oz. After a whirling cyclone lands her house in Oz, she embarks on a journey to the Emerald City to ask the Wizard of Oz how to return to Kansas. Submitted Photo. It is a feel-good story of a lost girl finding her way back home, as she makes new friends in a fantasy realm known as Oz. The scene involved Dorothy slapping the Cowardly Lion, but Judy Garland couldn't stop laughing while shooting, leading to several retakes. Her sister, the Witch of the West, symbolizes the financial elite who lived in the western region of the country such as railroad magnates, bankers, etc. RELATED: 10 Movies From the 1930s Everyone Should See At Least Once. In fact, the Good Witch of the North has a different name according to the other Oz novels. In MGM's 1939 musical adaptation The Wizard of Oz, Uncle Henry is played by Charley Grapewin. Dorothy frees the Cowardly Lion and engages the help of the now free Winkies in repairing and rebuilding the Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow, and the friends return to Oz. Historian Henry M Littlefield's essay on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was published in 1964. It has been a beloved perennial holiday favorite ever since. The Wicked Witch in the novel, is in fact, a cyclops of sorts, as she only sports one gigantic eyeball in the centre of her forehead. He was a huge supporter of the Free Silver Movement and moving away from a gold standard. A modern fairy tale with a distinctly American setting, a delightfully levelheaded and assertive heroine, and engaging fantasy characters, the story was enormously popular and became a classic of children's literature. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, children's book written by L. Frank Baum and first published in 1900.