The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz refers to a series of books written by American author L. Frank Baum, the first of which, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, was published in 1900. Baum wrote thirteen sequels to the original novel, and a total of forty books written by a variety of authors belong in the series' canon. None of the sequels, however, have reached the heights of popularity achieved by the first book, which has been adapted for the stage and screen on multiple occasions.
It has been stated that the popular 1939 MGM musical The Wizard of Oz was Jim Henson's favorite film,Daughter Lisa Henson shares his passion, and was one of the fans interviewed for Because of the Wonderful Things It Does: The Legacy of Oz, a special feature on an October 2005 DVD release of the movie. "Watching this exciting, magical movie led Jimmy to dream of one day creating his own fantasy adventures that would keep audiences -- and himself -- enthralled." —Jim Henson: Puppeteer and Filmmaker by James Robert Parish, 2006Henson recalls that his favorite movie was probably The Wizard of Oz. His parents told him that the MGM lion scared him as a child. —Meet Jim Henson by Louise Gikow, 1993 and the Muppets have made numerous references to it over the years. While most of these references have been based on the film, the Muppets' 2005 adaptation, The Muppets' Wizard of Oz, was based more on the original novel, as indicated by such inclusions as the Kalidahs, and the silver slippers as opposed to the ruby ones worn in the film.
In 2024, Jim Henson's Creature Shop fabricated puppets of Toto the dog for productions of The Wizard of Oz onboard Royal Caribbean's cruise ship Icon of the Seas.@jimhensonscreatureshop on Instagram, January 3, 2025
==Synopsis==
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz tells the story of a Kansas farmgirl named Dorothy Gale who is being raised by her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry when a tornado sweeps through their home and airlifts it, with Dorothy and her dog Toto inside, to the Land of Oz. When the house lands in Munchkinland, it crushes the Wicked Witch of the East and liberates the Munchkins she had enslaved. With guidance from the Tattypoo, the Good Witch of the North, Dorothy travels down the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City where she hopes the Wizard will be able to send her back home. Along the way, she befriends the Scarecrow, the Tin Thing, and the Cowardly Lion, destroys the Wicked Witch of the East's surviving sister, the Wicked Witch of the West, exposes the Wizard as a fraud, and meets Glinda, the Good Witch of the South, who shows her how to return home.
==References==
===The Muppets===
* In the 1970 special Hey Cinderella!, The Fairy Godmother offers to equip Cinderella with special shoes which can take her and her dog back home to Kansas. Later on, the Fairy Godmother accidentally makes Cinderella disappear, and upon reappearing, she assumes that she was just in Kansas.
* Although it predates The Muppet Show, Elton John sings his hit "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" in episode 214, an allusion to the road that leads to Oz.
* The Muppets Go to the Movies features Miss Piggy as Dorothy, Foo-Foo as Toto, Scooter as the Scarecrow, Gonzo as the Tin Woodman, and Fozzie Bear as the Cowardly Lion in a medley of songs from the MGM film, including "Over the Rainbow," "If I Only Had a Brain," and "We're Off to See the Wizard." Janice introduces the sketch, calling The Wizard of Oz her "favorite flick of all time...fer sure!" This sketch inspired the painted cover of Look-in Junior TV Times No. 29 in July of 1981.
* The Muppet Show episode 307 takes a break from its freaky tone (courtesy of Alice Cooper) when Robin the Frog sings "Over the Rainbow" by a pond.
* In episode 506, Fozzie dresses as the Tin Woodman when he mistakes the Muppets' presentation of Alice in Wonderland for The Wizard of Oz. Amid the chaos in the finale, the cast eventually breaks out into "We're Off to See the Wizard," with Rizzo the Rat as the Wizard.
* The Fall 1983 issue of Muppet Magazine features a comic spoof called "The Wizard of Foz."
* During a 1984 appearance on The Merv Griffin Show, Animal is asked if he's seen The Wizard of Oz. Animal reacts to several named characters, but says he didn't see it. Kermit assures Merv Griffin otherwise.
* A week's worth of The Muppets comic strips from October 28 to November 2, 1985 was dedicated to "The Muppets in Oz." Gonzo plays Glinda with Piggy as Dorothy, Foo-Foo as Toto, and Kermit as the Scarecrow.
* Kermit dressed as the Tin Woodman in a comic from the Fall 1986 issue of Muppet Magazine, "Little Swamp of Horrors."
* The Siskel and Ebert Muppets tell a series of movie-related jokes in the Summer 1988 issue of Muppet Magazine, including: "What is Gonzo's favorite movie? The Wizard of Odd."
* A lost carrier pigeon from Neat Stuff To Know & To Do thinks one way of getting back home is to follow the yellow-brick road.
* In the introductory video to The Muppet CD-ROM: Muppets Inside, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew says, "I can't come back! I don't know how it works!" quoting the Wizard in the film.
* The audio version of One Frog Can Make a Difference embellishes on the original text with added voices and sound effects. During the segment on the recipe for "Black Flies à la Kermit," one fly finds itself an ingredient in the dish. In a common conflation of two scenes from the movie — one in which the witch mocks Dorothy's cries for "Auntie Em" and another when the witch is melting — the fly delivers its final words in anguish by screaming, "Auntie Em!"
* Kermit appeared in the 1996 TV special Smithsonian Fantastic Journey commenting on the museum's exhibit for Dorothy's slippers worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 film. Against "We're Off to See the Wizard" as a backdrop, he paraphrases a line from the movie, "There's no place like home, Auntie Em." 17 years later, Miss Piggy posed with the slippers on the occasion of a collection gifted to the Smithsonian by the Henson family.
* In 1996, two pages from the book Look and Find Muppets featured Oz in a "Where's Waldo?"-type setting.
* In Muppets Tonight episode 103, Billy Crystal is trying to get Clifford to tell him what's wrong and asks, "we're not in Kansas anymore?"
* In Muppets from Space, as Rizzo the Rat is in the wind tunnel, he cries out, "Auntie Em! Auntie Em! It's a twister!" 
* Kermit's Swamp Years makes several references to The Wizard of Oz. Mary cites the film as her inspiration for studying science. Krassman also references the film when he says to Mary, "I'll get those frogs. And their little dog, too [laughs]." And again when he says of Mary, "If she only had a brain."
* Dr. Teeth gifts the Tin Woodman his heart in a brief cameo appearance from Muppet King Arthur #3.
* At a press conference for The Muppets, Kermit cites The Wizard of Oz as one of the first movies he ever saw that inspired him. "Sort of set me down a yellow brick road, so to speak," he says.
* In 2018, Kermit was cast as the Wizard in the Pasadena Playhouse production The Wonderful Winter of Oz, alongside Marissa Jaret Winokur as Glinda.
===Muppet Babies===
* The Muppet Babies episode "By the Book" adapted the story with the spoof characters Pigorothy, Rowlf-Rowlf, Kermit the Scarefrog, Fozzie the Cowardly Comic, and Gonzo the Tin Weirdo.
* When Baby Piggy defeats King Koopacabana at the end of Donkey Kong in "It's Only Pretendo," he melts while quoting the Wicked Witch, "What a world!"
* A photo storybook Muppet Babies: Classic Children's Tales with photo puppet versions of the Muppet Babies, featured Baby Piggy as Dorothy, Baby Kermit as the Scarecrow, Baby Gonzo as the Tin Woodman, and Baby Fozzie as the Cowardly Lion. The photo was also used in a calendar released the same year.
* Baby Piggy appears as Dorothy in the coloring book Muppet Babies Visit the Fifty States.
===Sesame Street===
;Episodes and Inserts
* A little girl named Jill tells Ethel Kennedy that The Wizard of Oz is her favorite book in Episode 0072.
* In Episode 0207, Bob demonstrates the use of a magnet, showing how it doesn't attract to people like Rico. He comments that he hopes Rico's hands aren't made of steel; otherwise he'd be the Tin Man.
* Oscar can be heard singing a tune to the melody of "The Merry Old Land of Oz" as he dusts his trash can in Episode 0554.
* Margaret Hamilton reprised her role of the Wicked Witch of the West in Episode 0847.
* Count von Count mentions having a "little dog, Toto" in Episode 1270.
* In Episode 1494, the directions to Snuffle Cavern include "follow the yellow brick road."
* Oscar the Grouch tells his niece Irvine the story of "The Wizard of Blaahs" in Episode 2254. It follows the adventures of a little Grouch girl named Dirtothy who travels to the land of Blaahs which is made entirely out of trash.
* In a sketch from Episode 2285, Elmo talks about exploring and states that you can explore the jungle "with lions and tigers and bears." And then, caught up in the reference, he yells "oh my!" too loudly.
* In Episode 2700, Oscar plans to watch a movie with Grundgetta. After finding a dogsitter for Preposterous he quickly leaves for the theater, excitedly saying, "Gonna see The Wizard of Oz!" 
* After a while imaginary car ride in Episode 3001, Telly gleefully shouts "There's no place like home!" over and over once they reach Sesame Street.
* Gordon dances a duck dance in Episode 3137 in exchange for a hat formerly owned by Dorothy's Aunt Em.
* After she is defeated at the end of Episode 3585, a sorceress sobs, "What a world! What a street!" à la the Wicked Witch of the West as she melts.
* Grundgetta and some grouches sing about her Grouch beauty salon in Episode 3695. The song parodies "The Merry Old Land of Oz."
* Upon finally being transported to Hooper's Store in Episode 3830, Telly exclaims, "There's no place like home!"
* In Episode 3853, Elmo tells Maria that the zoo also has "Tigers and monkeys and bears." Maria replies, "Oh my!"
* In Episode 4015, one of the kids in Gina's vet clinic has a fish named Toto.
* In Journey to Ernie segments from season 34 onward, when Big Bird is transported from Sesame Street to another land to find Ernie, he says, "I have a feeling we're not on Sesame Street anymore."
* Episode 4078 features an appearance of the Fairy Napmother, an Anything Muppet fairy performed by Fran Brill and modeled after Glinda the Good Witch from the 1939 film.
* In Episode 4100, Elmo tells Maria and Luis that Oscar's "What Happens Next?" show has "science, music, and worms," referencing the cadence of "lions and tigers and bears". Maria replies, "Oh my!"
* When Gordon, Maria and Alan "wake up" from having been turned into kids again by the Fairy Godperson in Episode 4119, they feel as though they've just been a part of a dream. They look at each other and each say some part of "and you were there, and you, and [you]," paraphrasing the famous ending of the 1939 film when Dorothy wakes up and recognizes her friends from both worlds.
* In Episode 4184, the Fairy Cookieperson (played by Sandra Oh) appears in a giant floating cookie in similar fashion to Glinda the Good Witch's bubble.
* Baby Bear's preschool teacher in Episode 4521 (played by Jane Krakowski) is named Ms. Goodwitch, a play on "good witch," and vaguely resembles a fairy godmother.
* Grover announces we'll be seeing some wild animals in Episode 4603, but doesn't notice the lion, tiger, and bear behind him.
* One segment features Mr. Snuffleupagus jumping so high on a trampoline that he lands on the roof of 123 Sesame Street. When Big Bird asks where he went, Count von Count replies, "I think, somewhere over the rainbow." 
* In Elmo's World: Weather, Elmo shouts "Auntie Em, Auntie Em!" when he meets the tornado.
* In Elmo's World: Wild Animals, upon introducing the topic, Elmo exclaims, "A lion, a tiger, and bear, oh dear!"
* In a "Letter of the Day" sketch, Cookie Monster brings in a lion, tiger and bear to keep him from eating the letter E cookie.
* In an installment of Bert's "Pigeon Patterns" game on Play with Me Sesame, Bert must follow the pattern based on their raincoats. When the rain clears, the pigeons all fly over the rainbow and Bert yells to them "Say 'Hi' to Dorothy for me!"
* An edition of Cookie's Crumby Pictures spoofs the film as The Cookie of Oz. Cookie Monster plays Dough-rothy who meets Glindagestion, the Good Witch of the Lower Intestine, a flying monkey, and the Cookie Tin Man.
;Other
* Ernie has a travel brochure for the Emerald City in What Ernie and Bert Did on Their Summer Vacation.
* In Follow That Bird, Sid Sleaze talks in his sleep, repeating "There's no place like home" and then talking to Toto.
* A lyric from a song in Big Bird in Japan recites, "We're off to Kyoto, like Dorothy and Toto," referencing Oz’s main character and her dog.
* A 1988 "Stars of the Past" poster is hung on a dressing room wall in the Shalom Sesame episode "Sing Around the Seasons." Among the stars visible are Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, and Jack Haley in a still from the 1939 movie.
* The book Best Friends shows the Muppets playing dress-up at pre-school as characters from the story, including Ernie as Dorothy, Bert as the Tin Man, Big Bird as the Scarecrow, and Snuffy as the Cowardly Lion.
* Upon accidentally revealing that he was in disguise throughout Sesame Street Stays Up Late, Telly tries to cover up his predicament by yelling "Pay no attention to that beard stuck to that suitcase!" inspired by the "man behind the curtain" line in the classic 1939 film.
* Rosie O'Donnell appeared in the 1994 special Stars and Street Forever! as the Good Hope Fairy, who was stylized after Glinda from the 1939 film.
* When Big Bird realizes that he's become separated from Maria in Big Bird Gets Lost, he exclaims, "I have a feeling I'm not in cans anymore!" (meaning the trash cans section of the department store he's in). This is a take on the famous line from the MGM film when Dorothy mentions to Toto that they're "not in Kansas anymore."
* The cover of Sesame Street Storybook Fun features Ernie as the Scarecrow, Prairie Dawn as Dorothy, and Bert as the Tin Woodman.
* Zoe appears dressed as Dorothy in the coloring book and in the theatrical short A Brief History of Motion Pictures. In the latter, Zoe is heard yelling "Auntie Em!" when a Muppet tornado destroys the set. A cow is seen being swept up in the whirlwind, much like the scene in the 1939 film.
* Upon his arrival in Grouchland (in The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland), Elmo references Dorothy's line to Toto when they arrive in Oz, "Elmo doesn't think he's on Sesame Street anymore." Adding to the reference, Grouchland's Grouch Mayor — with his fobwatch, top hat, and green, high-collared coat — dresses similarly to the Mayor of Munchkinland from the MGM movie.
* In a Q&A at MuppetFest, Elmo explains that his pet goldfish Dorothy is named as such because he loves The Wizard of Oz.
* As Abby Cadabby searched for her wand in Abby in Wonderland, the Cheshire Cookie Cat tells her to follow the Yellow Brick Road, before he realizes that's actually a different story.
* The film is referenced heavily by one of the Super Foods (the bread) in the resource video, Food for Thought. As she launches into her song about a rainbow of foods (which spoofs "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"), she exclaims, "Hold onto your ruby slippers, 'cause we're not in Kansas anymore!" She also claims to have learned the song from "Judy Garlic" (a pun on Judy Garland, who portrayed Dorothy in the 1939 film).
* In Elmo's Musical Monsterpiece, when Abby transports the gang to a magical, musical version of Sesame Street, Elmo says, "Elmo's got a feeling Elmo's not on Sesame Street anymore."
* Elmo quotes "There's no place like home" and clicks his heels together in a March 2017 Vanity Fair video.
* In the theater located at Sesame Street at SeaWorld, a call sheet for a Sesame Street Community Theater production of the movie is posted on a wall. Directed by Prairie Dawn and stage managed by Grover, the cast list features characters Dorothy (Abby Cadabby), Aunt Em (Mae), Uncle Henry (Louie), Toto (Snuffleupagus), Glinda the Good Witch (Rosita), the Wicked Witch of the West (Oscar), the Cowardly Lion (Cookie Monster), the Scarecrow (Ernie), the Woodsman (Bert), the Wizard of Oz (Count von Count) and the Munchkins (Elmo, Zoe, Big Bird, Little Bird, Telly, Julia, Rudy, Baby Bear, Baby Natasha, Honker, Dinger, Gonger, and the Twiddlebugs).
* When Elmo and Tango enter a magical land of flowers in The Nutcracker: Starring Elmo & Tango, Elmo says, "Elmo doesn't think we're in Elmo's room anymore."
* In the special Elmo's Mindfulness Spectacular, when Ernie's magically transported to the talent show, he says to Rubber Duckie, "Gee, I don't think we're in our bathtub anymore."
* In a post on Sesame Street's social media accounts in June 2023, the caption reads, "Flowers, butterflies, and Baby Bear, oh my!"
* Exploiting her role in Wicked, a November 25, 2024 YouTube Short features Cynthia Erivo making references to The Wizard of Oz such as mistaking Tango for Toto .
===Others===
thumb|300px|Jim Henson introduces a 1990 broadcast of the film on CBS.
* In one "Land of Gortch" sketch, King Ploobis and Scred "hit the sauce" and visit the Mighty Favog. Scred, drunk, states that he and his little dog Toto want to go back to Kansas. The Mighty Favog, fed up with them, sends a giant bolt of thunder and remarks, "The Mighty Oz has spoken."
* A copy of The Wizard of Oz can be seen in Sarah's room in Labyrinth.
* In the Jim Henson's Bedtime Stories short story "The Ant Farm," one of the ants is named Ant E.M. The story was reprinted in the book Off to Storyland.
* Jim Henson appeared in a montage of celebrity introductions for a February 20, 1990 broadcast of the film. He cites it as the very first film he ever saw, and still his favorite, and credits it for opening the way for the fantasy film genre. Other celebrities appearing in the introduction include John Forsythe, Leonard Maltin, Lindsay Wagner, Marlee Matlin, Tony Danza, and Angela Lansbury.
* In the Farscape episode "That Old Black Magic," after Rygel claims to have revived Crichton, Crichton replies, "Yeah. Of course you did. Oh, it's not Kansas. And you're way too homely to be Auntie Em. Come here, Toto."
* In the Farscape episode "Revenging Angel," animated Aeryn transforms into Dorothy.
* In the Farscape episode "Unrealized Reality," Crichton compares himself to "Dorothy Gale from Kansas". The next episode's title, "Kansas", continues the reference, although actually set in Florida.
* During Crichton's dream in the Farscape novel Ship of Ghosts, the Wicked Witch of the West flies by on her broom, telling him, "There's no place like home." However, instead of Margaret Hamilton, it is actually Crais in black drag. Prior in the book, Crichton reminisces on being shot through a wormhole, noting that moment was when he realized he was no longer in Kansas.
* The Animal Show DVD Lions, Tigers & Bears takes its title from a line in the classic 1939 MGM film.
* Jokes have been made over the years about performer Frank Oz's name; one notable example occurs during dialogue between the Wizard and Kermit (as the Scarecrow) when they meet in The Muppets' Wizard of Oz.
* In the Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock episode "The Great Wind," a windstorm blows through the Great Hall. Several Doozers are seen caught in the wind replicating the various individuals seen in the tornado from the 1939 film, such as an elderly female knitting in their rocking chair, a Doozer on a bicycle, and another rowing a boat.
==Connections==
* Jason Alexander voiced the Nome King and Mr. Bibb in Tom and Jerry: Back in Oz (2016)
* John Alexander played the Cowardly Lion, a Wheeler, and an asylum attendant in Return to Oz (1985)
* Robbie Barnett played a Wheeler in Return to Oz (1985)
* Sean Barrett voiced Tik-Tok in Return to Oz (1985)
* Frances Bergen played Glinda the Good in the Shirley Temple Storybook episode "The Land of Oz" (1960)
* Ailsa Berk played a Wheeler in Return to Oz (1985)
* Milton Berle voiced the Cowardly Lion in Journey Back to Oz (1974)
* Mel Blanc voiced Sawhorse and the Book in the Shirley Temple Storybook episode "The Land of Oz" (1960) and voiced the Crow in Journey Back to Oz (1974)
* Zach Braff voiced Finley and played Frank in Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)
* Denise Bryer voiced Billina in Return to Oz (1985)
* Layla Capers voiced Dee Davis in Dee & Friends in Oz (2024) 
* Bill Cobbs played the Master Tinker in Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)
* Lyle Conway voiced the Gump and was creature design supervisor in Return to Oz (1985)
* Sue Dacre was a supporting puppeteer in Return to Oz (1985)
* Jessica DiCicco voiced Wilhelmina and Patchwork Girl on Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz (2017 animated series)
* Peter Elliott played a Wheeler in Return to Oz (1985)
* Chris Eveleigh was a designer on Return to Oz (1985)
* Bill Fagerbakke voiced Scarecrow on Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz (2017 series)
* Faz Fazakas played the Tin Woodman in Bil Baird's off-Broadway marionette production (1968)
* Olga Felgemacher played Dorothy in Bil Baird's off-Broadway marionette production (1971) 
* David Greenaway was a supporting puppeteer in Return to Oz (1985)
* Lorne Greene played the title character in the English dub in the anime adaptation, The Wizard of Oz (1982)
* Joel Grey played the Wizard in The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True (TV, 1995)
* Margaret Hamilton played Miss Gulch/the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 film, and voiced Auntie Em in Journey Back to Oz (1974)
* Jess Harnell voiced Lion and Lyman the flying monkey on Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz (2017 animated series)
* Brian Henson voiced Jack Pumpkinhead in Return to Oz (1985)
* James Monroe Iglehart voiced The Jitterbug in Tom And Jerry: Back To Oz (2016) and Mr. Stuffley in Dee & Friends in Oz (2024) 
* Mila Kunis played Theodora the Wicked Witch of the West in Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)
* Gary Kurtz executive produced Return to Oz (1985)
* Nathan Lane played the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True (1995)
* Lesja Liber handled fabric design for the animatronic characters in Return to Oz (1985)
* Swee Lim was a supporting puppeteer in Return to Oz (1985)
* Paul Lynde voiced Pumpkinhead in Journey Back to Oz (1974)
* Pons Maar played the lead Wheeler, Nome messenger, and an asylum attendant in Return to Oz (1985)
* Jean Marsh played Mombi/Nurse Wilson in Return to Oz (1985)
* Andrea Martin voiced the Hungry Tiger in Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz (2016)
* Ethel Merman voiced Mombi in Journey Back to Oz (1974)
* Liza Minnelli voiced Dorothy in Journey Back to Oz (1974)
* Ella Mitchell played Evillene as a replacement during the original Broadway run and in the 1984 revival 
* Jerry Nelson played Toto and the Wizard in Bil Baird's off-Broadway marionette production (1968)
* Stephen Norrington puppeteered the Gump and was a designer in Return to Oz (1985)
* Chris Ostwald was a designer on Return to Oz (1985)
* Rob Paulsen voiced the Tin Man in Tom and Jerry and The Wizard of Oz (2011) and Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz (2016)
* Tim Rose puppeteered Tik-Tok and was senior designer in Return to Oz (1985)
* Deep Roy played the Tin Man in in Return to Oz (1985)
* Neal Scanlan was a mechanical characters technician on Return to Oz (1985)
* Colin Skeaping played a Wheeler in Return to Oz (1985)
* Michael Sundin played Tik-Tok in Return to Oz (1985)
* Philip Tan played a Wheeler in Return to Oz (1985)
* Jonathan Taylor Thomas voiced Scarecrow Jr. in The Oz Kids (1996)
* Frank Welker voiced Toto and Winged Monkeys in The Wizard of Oz (1990 animated series)
* Mak Wilson puppeteered Billina in Return to Oz (1985)
* Jonathan Winters played Lord Nikidik in the Shirley Temple Storybook episode "The Land of Oz" (1960)
* Exclusive sneak peeks of Oz the Great and Powerful were shown inside the Muppet*Vision 3D theaterGet a Sneak Peek at ‘Oz The Great and Powerful’ at Disney California Adventure Park During ‘Limited Time Magic’ - DisneyParks Blog
==Sources==
==See also==
*The Wiz
*Wicked
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