Disturbing Horrors Behind The Wizard of Oz That_ll RUIN Your Childhood • EWU Story Time

The Wizard of Oz is a beloved classic, but its production was a nightmare. A toxic copper-based makeup burned Margaret Hamilton, the Wicked Witch, and the original Tin Man nearly died from inhaling aluminum dust. The "snow" in the poppy scene was made of asbestos. Meanwhile, 16-year-old Judy Garland was put on amphetamines and sleeping pills, dieted to exhaustion, and reportedly sexually harassed by MGM executives and Munchkin actors. The film's author, L. Frank Baum, also wrote racist editorials calling for the extermination of Native Americans. This is the dark truth behind the magic.