The Wizard of Oz is considered one of the most iconic fantasy stories in the history of cinema. Adapted from the novel of the same name by L. Frank Baum, the film has been charming audiences since its release in 1939. It launched its star, Judy Garland, to worldwide fame, but the late actress remembered her experience of making the movie as anything but positive.
A behind-the-scenes fact that not all fans know about The Wizard of Oz is that it was downright miserable for the cast members who brought the beloved characters to life. The film was made at a time when the wellbeing of an actor was the lowest priority on a studio’s list.
Garland was subject to all kinds of horrible experiences while she portrayed the iconic Dorothy Gale. And the patterns that she formed while making the movie, unfortunately, set the tone for the rest of her tragic life.
Judy Garland Was Put On A Strict Diet
At the time that Judy Garland was cast as Dorothy Gale in 1938, she was 16 years old. But the filmmakers wanted her to seem more like a child than a woman. So they put her on a strict diet, so she would lose the curves she had and have a more child-like figure.
According to Cheat Sheet, Garland revealed that she had previously been called “a fat little pig with pigtails” on another film set, and was forced to eat a very-low-calorie diet while she was making The Wizard of Oz. She reportedly only consumed chicken soup, black coffee, and cigarettes while starring as Dorothy.
Judy Garland Was Dressed To Look Like A Child
In order to make Garland appear even more like a little girl, the costumers bound her chest underneath her dress.
This gave the illusion that she had a flat chest like a child, and was a further attempt to hide the fact that Garland was actually nearly an adult.
Judy Garland Was Denied Sleep And Encouraged To Take Drugs
Shockingly, Garland and her co-stars were denied sleep while they were making The Wizard of Oz. They were put on cycles of pep pills to keep them awake and energized, and then given drugs at night, when they finally were allowed to sleep, to force them to come down.
Garland and the rest of the cast were forced to film for hours without a break, and the drugs stopped them from feeling exhausted, in addition to suppressing Garland’s appetite.
Garland explained (via Cheat Sheet) that she was taken with her co-stars to the studio hospital at night where they would be knocked out with sleeping pills when they were finally allowed to stop filming. She also added that they were only allowed to stay in the hospital for a few hours and were majorly sleep-deprived.
Judy Garland Was Harassed On Set
Looper reveals that in Garland’s ex-husband’s book, Judy and I: My Life With Judy Garland, he revealed that she was harassed on set by the actors who played the Munchkins.
According to Sidney Luft, who was married to Garland between 1952 and 1965 and was later accused of drunkenness and abuse by the actress, the actors who played the Munchkins liked to party hard and would “make Judy's life miserable on set by putting their hands under her dress."
The ‘Wizard Of Oz’ Set Was Dangerous
In addition to the harassment she endured at the hands of the filmmakers and other actors on set, Judy Garland also had to traverse The Wizard of Oz set itself, which proved to be dangerous.
Several of her cast members were injured during filming, including Margaret Hamilton, who was severely burned while playing the Witch of the West. The original Tin Man, Buddy Ebsen, lost the job when he became ill after wearing his aluminum makeup to play the role.
Multiple crew members also became sick or fainted under the studio lights, which were purposely kept at extremely high temperatures to achieve the desired effect.
Her Mother Wasn’t In Her Corner
Perhaps most tragically of all, Judy Garland’s mother wasn’t there to support her while she went through the ordeal of filming The Wizard of Oz. Ethel Gumm, Garland’s mother, was a controlling stage mom who was determined to make a star out of her daughter. Refinery 29 reports that Gumm was the first person to put Garland on amphetamine pills to induce weight loss.
Soon after Garland signed her contract with MGM, her father died, leaving her in the total care of her mother. Garland later described her as “the real Wicked Witch of the West.”
The addictions that were set in place during Garland’s childhood, by her mother, were with her for life. She died of an accidental drug overdose in June 1969 at the age of 47.
