• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • ABOUT US
  • MEDIA
  • PRIVACY
  • TERMS
  • DMCA
  • CONTACT US
  • AUTHORS
do you remember

DoYouRemember?

The Home of Nostalgia

  • Celebrity News
    • Family
    • Obituaries
    • Life Behind the Fame
    • ICONS
    • Celebrity Feuds
  • Entertainment
    • Cast
    • Showbiz Rewind
    • Music
    • Beauty & fashion
  • STORIES
  • Celebrity Buzz!?
  • Sitcoms
    • Bewitched
    • Little Rascals
    • The Partridge Family
    • I Dream of Jeannie
    • All in the Family
    • MASH
    • Happy Days
    • Cheers
  • Celebrity Collections
  • SHOP DYR
    • DYR Book

Entertainment

Why Judy Garland Earned Less Than Margaret Hamilton In ‘Wizard Of Oz’ Despite Playing The Lead

by Peace A

Published December 13, 2024

how much did the wizard of oz stars make

Judy Garland famously played Dorothy Gale in the 1939 movie adaptation of Frank L. Baum’s novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. She starred alongside The Wicked Witch of the West’s Margaret Hamilton, who already gained fame as a Broadway star before Wizard of Oz. 

Despite playing the lead role and having more screen time, Judy was paid less than Hamilton. The highest-earning Wizard Of Oz castmate was Ray Bolger, who played the Scarecrow. Like Hamiton, he was already a known stage actor with appearances in Broadway and Radio City Music Hall.

Related:

  1. How Much Actors’ Earned Playing In ‘The Wizard Of Oz’
  2. ’40s Actress Margaret O’Brien Opens Up About Working With Judy Garland

How much did the ‘Wizard Of Oz’ stars make?

how much did the wizard of oz stars make
Wizard of Oz stars/Everett

Judy’s initial contract with MGM Studios in 1935 stated her payment to be $100 per week; however, it was increased to $500 while filming Wizard of Oz. In total, she made $9,600, which is about $218,000 today. Though a lot of money at the time and for teenage Judy, it was a wide gap from Hamilton’s $21,000 salary, which is nearly half a million today.

According to Oz expert John Fricke, who wrote The Wizard of Oz, The Official 50th Anniversary Pictorial History and The Wizard of Oz, An Illustrated Companion to the Timeless Movie Classic, Bolger’s salary added up to $72,000. His counterparts Bert Lahr, who played Lion, and Jack Haley, who played Tin Man, received similar amounts.

how much did the wizard of oz stars make
Judy Garland/Everett

Why did Margaret Hamilton earn more than Judy Garland?

Aside from being an established actress, Hamilton reportedly got a higher salary than Judy Garland due to the burns she suffered while filming a scene with fire. MGM acknowledged the accident and ordered that she be paid for each week whether she worked or not.

how much did the wizard of oz stars make
Wizard of Oz stars/Everett

However, Haley also suffered health problems due to his costumes, which included aluminum dust. He had an allergic reaction to the substance and ultimately got diagnosed with lung failure and eye infections, but there was no significant increase in his earnings compared to Hamilton. The terrier that played Dorothy’s dog, Toto, was also paid $125 per week.

Next up: These Flaws Were The Norm In Even The Best ‘70s Sitcoms, But Are Noticeable Today
Previous article: Elton John Thinks His Life Has Gone Downhill Since His ‘Peak’
Next Post: Teeter From ‘Yellowstone’ Is Actually The Daughter Of ‘Little House On The Prairie’ Actor

Primary Sidebar

© 2025 DoYouRemember? Inc.

  • about us
  • media
  • privacy
  • terms
  • DMCA
  • CONTACT US
  • AUTHORS