Long before Judy Garland played Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, the silent original version of the classic was made in 1925. It was more of a spooky comedy featuring Dorothy as a teenage farm girl living with her uncle in Kansas but ends up becoming the Princess of Oz.
There was Scarecrow, The Tin Man, and The Lion, but no Toto, Yellow Brick Road, or Wicked Witch in sight; however, the villains went by Ambassador Wikked and Prime Minister Kruel. The film featured comedy legend Oliver Hardy, who was one half of the famous duo Laurel and Hardy.
What happened in the original ‘Wizard of Oz’ from 1925?
In the first-ever Wizard of Oz, Hardy’s character, The Tin Man, had a crush on Dorothy alongside another farmhand. The Tin Man and his counterparts had a backstory as humans and were more interested in mischievous antics than getting a heart.
The movie ended with Hardy’s character betraying Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion by throwing them into a dungeon. In an attempt to escape, Scarecrow falls to his death from thousands of feet above the ground as the biplane flies out of Oz.
The original ‘Wizard of Oz’ was a flop
Wizard of Oz did not do so well, as viewers thought it was an insult to L. Frank Baum’s novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Due to its failure, director Larry Semon, who doubled as Scarecrow, went bankrupt after investing in the production. He died three years after its release.
14 years later, MGM released their Technicolor musical version featuring Garland as Dorothy, which is one of the most beloved adaptations in cinematic history. It was in line with Baum’s book, with the Yellow Brick Road, Emerald City, and other significant highlights included. It received multiple awards and nominations, including Oscars for Best Original Song and Score, amongst others.
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