Happy Wizard of Oz Month, everyone!
The Wizard of Oz is celebrating its 81st anniversary!
Today, in particular is of interest because the movie was first shown on this exact day 81 years ago near where I’m located! I’m going to talk about the importance of that city and the song that would follow Judy Garland for the rest of her life. Do you know the song that almost never was?
What do you mean, “almost never was?”
I’m proud to say that the town where I was born, Oconomowoc, WI, saved “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Although no cast attended, the movie was originally previewed at The Strand Theater in Oconomowoc, WI, on August 12, 1939.
Before this, Louis B. Mayer, the head of MGM, wanted to cut the song. He felt that Judy Garland shouldn’t be singing in a barnyard because he was grooming her to be a star. Stars didn’t sing in barnyards!
Due to the positive response to the song in Oconomowoc, it was kept in and history was made! I don’t even want to think about a world where this song didn’t exist. It was so beautiful and a great scene of Judy’s. Cutting it from the film would have been awful.
The Theatre
Sadly, the theater is now gone and I never even had the chance to see it. There is a parking lot where it used to stand. It’s really too bad. Oconomowoc doesn’t even have any movie theaters anymore, but we classic movie fans should be glad that at one time it did!
Last year, the city celebrated the 80th anniversary with some great statues. Check out the pics below. Photo credit goes to my lifelong friend, Alyssa!
What’s in it for the kids?
My daughter has recently started singing pieces of the song randomly, which makes my heart so happy. Plus, the scene has a puppy. What more could a kid want?