The Wizard of Oz turns 80

Eighty years ago this month, the classic fantasy film The Wizard of Oz was released across the country. The movie, though well received critically, was not a big moneymaker for MGM, partly due to its fairly large budget. Below is a range of newspaper ads for Oz, some from its August first-run and some from later dates in the fall.

From the Los Angeles Times of August 15, 1939, is an ad for the movie's premiere at the famous Grauman's Chinese Theater. Notice the mention of the Winkies (the people who were enslaved by the Witch, though they're never referred to by that name in the movie) and the Jitterbug, a character that did not appear in the movie--the Wicked Witch mentions sending a "little insect" to pester Dorothy and her friends and a "Jitterbug" song was recorded and filmed but deleted before release. You can hear the song as an extra on some of the Oz DVD and Blu-ray releases.

A couple days later, this ad ran in L.A., noting how great the movie was and mentioning a travelogue featurette--which I assume the children at whom Oz was at least partly aimed cared nothing about.

The New York City ad from August 17th was classier and mentions a live appearance by Garland and her buddy Mickey Rooney who was not in the film but did make several movies with Garland.

At left, an Albuquerque ad which assumes pent-up demand; at right, another classy (and wordy) ad from Birmingham, Alabama.

I love this ad from Mason City, Iowa with its playbill-type middle and its bizarre claim that 9200 actors appear in the movie, which is utter balderdash.

Finally, lest we think that movie tie-ins are a recent pop culture development, here are 2 ads from a Chillicothe newspaper (Sept. 14, 1939). Milk and shoes were sold as a tie-in to the arrival in town of the Wizard of Oz Caravan which featured sets and costumes (and, apparently, ponies) used in the movie.The shoe ad promises the appearance of Dorothy herself, but in the fine prints, let's you know that it won't be Judy Garland but rather she will be "represented by a Chillicothe girl."