Last night I had my “New Years Day” party. It was probably pretty fun. Andy, Ben, my brother and I played two rounds of Family Feud (Brandon and Andy won one round and Ben and I won the other round). When Brittany showed up we busted out two rounds of Apples to Apples. Ben won the first one and I kicked everyone’s butt the second round. We then proceeded to watch The Wizard of Oz. I used to watch that movie every single day when I was little and it was my favorite movie, but watching it last night made me realize how cheesy and extremely wordly it truely was. But, nonetheless, I enjoyed the fellowship of the saints.

In light of talking about The Wizard of Oz, here are some interesting facts about the movie:

  • $2.7 million: The budget for The Wizard of Oz, an enormous sum in the late 1930s. After the studio added expenses for distribution, advertising, and promotion, the total cost was nearly $4 million. Even though Oz was one of the year’s highest-grossing movies, MGM still lost $750,000 on the film.
  • $75,000: The amount MGM paid for the film rights to The Wizard of Oz.
  • 40,000: The number of artificial flowers used in the poppy field.
  • 1956: The year The Wizard of Oz was first shown on television.
  • $500: What Judy Garland was paid per week for the role of Dorothy. The only Oz actor in a major role to earn less than Judy Garland? Terry, the terrier who played Toto, who received $125 a week.
  • 365: The number of movies released in 1939, for an average of one a day.
  • 300: The number of birds that MGM rented from the Zoo Park in Los Angeles so the director could select a few for background atmosphere.
  • 120: The number of little people who descended on Culver City, Calif., in November 1938 to play The Munchkins.
  • $100: The amount paid to Adriana Caselotti to sing one line: “Wherefore art thou, Romeo?” in the song, “If I Only Had a Heart.” Caselotti is better known as the voice of Snow White in the Disney film.
  • 50 pounds: The weight of Bert Lahr’s Cowardly Lion costume. It was made from genuine lion skins lined with heavy padding.
  • 48 inches: The height of Munchkin Coroner, Meinhardt Raabe. He was 23 years old when he appeared in The Wizard of Oz.
  • 40: The number of rubber masks, designed to give his face a burlap-textured appearance, that Scarecrow Ray Bolger went through during the filming.
  • 25 cents: The average cost of an adult-priced movie ticket in 1939. Children paid an average of 10 cents.
  • 16: The age of Judy Garland when she was cast as the 12 year-old Dorothy Gale
  • Ten: The number of days that production had been underway before the original Tin Man, Buddy Ebsen, suffered a severe allergic reaction to the aluminum powder in his makeup. He was replaced by Jack Haley a few weeks later.
  • Eight: The number of Technicolor features released in 1939, including The Wizard of Oz.
  • Seven: Days the MGM art department spent searching for the right shade of yellow for the Yellow Brick Road.
  • Six: The number of MGM executives who wanted to cut “Over the Rainbow” from the final film because “it slowed down the picture.” Common sense prevailed, and the song was left in.
  • Five: The number of months it took to film the movie
  • Four: The number of costumes designed for Judy Garland before the now-famous blue and white dress was chosen
  • Three: The number of days of filming that had to be scrapped because scenes were accidentally shot with a “shiny” Tin Man rather than a “rusty” Tin Man. The delay cost more than $60,000.
  • Two: The number of Oscars awarded to The Wizard of Oz. The movie won Best Original Music Score and Best Song (“Over the Rainbow”). Judy Garland also received a special Oscar for Best Juvenile Performer for her work in Oz and Babes in Arms.
  • One: Movie. The Wizard of Oz is one of the most widely seen and possibly the best-loved movies in motion picture history.