Oz before the rainbow Book

Although the obvious source for the 1939 MGM musical The Wizard of Oz was L. Frank Baum's children's book, the author reminds readers in this text that various stage and screen dramatizations of Baum's story preceded and influenced the 1939 film. Musical-comedy elements in the MGM film, extensive scenes with the Kansas farmhands, and even the ending in which Dorothy realizes that her visit to Oz was only a dream, all originated in stage or film versions rather than in the pages of Baum's book. This illustrated text contains rare photographs, film stills, sketches, theatre programmes and movie advertisements from the different productions.