The Road to Oz is a complete retelling of how The Wizard of Oz was
influenced and created, and attained its iconic status. The new volume
by Jay Scarfone and William Stillman will reflect recent research and
much more through newly discovered period interviews, media resources of
the era, transcriptions and unique contemporary interviews with those
who were there. Additionally, never-before-published imagery accompanies
the text. In its truth and candor, this new historical contribution is
ideal to tie-in with the 2018-19 80th anniversary of the 1939 movie.
Tantalizing highlights of the text include: - A thorough synopsis of L.
Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and the script, inspired
by the book, of the 1903 Broadway musical-comedy extravaganza. - An
overview of the plots of prior silent film adaptations of Oz and how
they influenced the M-G-M film. - An analysis of newly-discovered audio
transcriptions of Wizard of Oz radio programs from 1931-32 and
1937-38--all of which were previously unknown. - A complete accounting
of Sam Goldwyn's proposed (and aborted) 1934 Technicolor musical version
of Oz starring Eddie Cantor (including commentary from Cantor's sole
surviving child). - A thorough analysis of the October 10, 1938 M-G-M
shooting script (provided by descendants of comedian and Cowardly Lion
actor Bert Lahr) that predates the beginning of production by
seventy-two hours. - Startling revelations about the operetta that
seemingly inspired "Over the Rainbow." - Judy Garland's trials and
tribulations with the studio, including the threat that M-G-M was
grooming a sound-alike who tested for Oz. - The supporting player who
was cast in two roles in Oz's fantasy sequence--the second role revealed
for the first time in Scarfone and Stillman's text. - The Munchkin
midgets' pre-1939 Wizard of Oz connection. - Oz's film editor with a
direct connection to Walt Disney and Snow White. - Studio nepotism,
favoritism and politics at the height of Hollywood's golden age on the
making of the world's most famous film. "The Road to Oz not only
delivers exciting, previously unpublished information and insight, but
does so in an extremely well-cited format. This is absolutely a
must-have for any Oz fan or film historian." --Sean Barrett,
theatrical/film producer and artistic director, Land of Oz, North
Carolina "A new and wonderful book penned by the foremost Oz movie
history authors. This is a must-read for all old and new Oz fans
worldwide." --Roger S. Baum, author of Dorothy of Oz (on which the film
Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return is based) and great-grandson of L. Frank
Baum "Numerous books have celebrated the fan appeal of MGM's Wizard of
Oz, but there's far more to this story than nostalgia. Scarfone and
Stillman delve deep into the history of this landmark film, exploring
its place in the pantheon of classic fantasy films, as well as
fascinating details of production. The Road to Oz is an important
addition to the film-history bookshelf." --J.B. Kaufman, film historian
and author of The Fairest One of All: The Making of Walt Disney's Snow
White and the Seven Dwarfs "The Road to Oz is a gamechanger in the world
of motion picture history books. Long considered the leading authorities
on the making of The Wizard of Oz, Scarfone and Stillman have crafted
decades of extensive research into a new and unparalleled historical
recalling of the classic film." --Randy L. Schmidt, editor of Judy
Garland on Judy Garland: Interviews and Encounters and author of Little
Girl Blue: The Life of Karen Carpenter
