Behind The Scenes Secrets: The Wizard Of Oz

Shirley Temple Wanted

Judy Garland was actually not the first choice for The Wizard of Oz, she was seventeen-years-old at the time, but the production company actually wanted eleven-year-old Shirley Temple. Shirley was actually a huge fan of the books The Wizard of Oz and she and her mother really wanted to get the role. Apparently, Fox had ensured Shirley’s mother that Fox owned the rights, however Metro-Goldwyn Mayer ended up outbidding 20th Century Fox. Thus, Judy was cast and was ordered to lose twelve pounds in an effort to lose her womanly figure. That was the only thing that the studio had Judy do however…