By John Fricke Last month’s blog spoke of the bittersweet passing of author L. Frank Baum in 1919, a somber note leavened by the happy fact that “official” tales of Oz didn’t end there, but continued – until 1963, in fact! Publishers Reilly & Lee were loath to lose the income and prestige of an […]
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CHRISTMAS AT THE BAUM HOUSE . . . AND SANTA CLAUS & THE OZIANS!
By John Fricke Whether on a regular or a drive-by basis, many of you who visit this blog are by now aware that Chittenango native L. Frank Baum — the man who “discovered” Oz — was a great one for family. (For any who might not be aware of that fact, it’s quite simply true!) […]
“DEAR MR. BAUM . . .” AND “BROTHER FRANK” – PART TWO: CORRESPONDENCE TO (AND REFLECTIONS, RESPONSES, AND INSCRIPTIONS FROM) THE ROYAL HISTORIAN OF OZ
By John Fricke Let’s begin by referencing last month’s blog (located just below this one, if you care to scroll down). And as the magazine, newspaper, and movie “cliffhanger” serials of many decades ago might have put it: “When last we left our intrepid hero, he had – after little more than ten years – […]
CORRESPONDENCE, REFLECTIONS, RESPONSES, AND INSCRIPTIONS FROM (AND TO) “THE ROYAL HISTORIAN OF OZ” – PART ONE
By John Fricke There is a major, inherent fact about Chittenango’s native son, L. Frank Baum, in the illustration above, so I’d like to start this month’s blog by encouraging you to please take a moment to take a good look at the art – and to read its caption, if you haven’t already done […]
A look Back-The Very First All Things Oz Blog
By John Fricke This week the museum was thrilled to get new ornaments designed by renown slipware pottery artist, Irma Starr. They represent Clarence and Maragaret (shown below with John Fricke), and we though that the best way to celebrate them, was to re-share the very first All Things Oz Blog! GREETINGS FROM THE BIRTHPLACE […]
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE L. FRANK BAUM’S HOMETOWN! 22,000 GREET THE RETURN OF OZ-STRAVAGANZA! (AND “MUNCHKID”/NEWBIE BETTY ANN BRUNO) DESPITE THREE-YEAR “INTERMISSION”
By: John Fricke With jubilant multitudes at every turn – and Ozzy, family, and festival enthusiasm throughout all three days of activities and merriment – the annual OZ-Stravaganza! roared to its latest success from June 3-5, in Chittenango, NY. Birthplace of Oz discoverer/chronicler (and first “Royal Historian”) L. Frank Baum, the quiet village of less […]
REMEMBERING DICK MARTIN: HE WAS POST-DENSLOW & NEILL; HE WAS PRE-GABRIEL GALE — AND HE WAS BOTH COMPATRIOT AND OZ ILLUSTRATOR EXTRAORDINARE!
by John Fricke Gabriel Gale and I recently finished another round of promotional work on behalf of the new book, THE ART OF OZ, which — of course — is built around his exciting, colorful, and glorious depictions of many of L. Frank Baum’s original characters. That Rizzoli volume also honors the first two preeminent […]
😊 OZ-STRAVAGANZA! RETURNS LIVE & “IN PERSON” – ON ITS 45TH ANNIVERSARY! CELEBRATE AN MGM OZ MOVIE “MUNCHKIN” IN HER CHITTENANGO DEBUT –PLUS THE 10th ANNIVERSARY OF THE “ALL THINGS OZ” MUSEUM!
By: John Fricke We’re back! for the (almost annual) forty-fifth time! Yes, we had to slow down for a couple of years, but it took a world-wide pandemic to do it. And now, for the first go-round since 2019, we’re once again “Off to See the Wizard” — and everyone else. (Toto, too!) Meanwhile, you […]
WHAT MIGHT FRANK HAVE THOUGHT? – PART THREE
by John Fricke Welcome! to the third and final installment of blogs that ponder the question, “What might L. Frank Baum have thought about the classic Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical movie made from his first Oz book?” – a film that wasn’t completed or released until twenty years after he himself had passed away. Baum, of course, […]
WHAT MIGHT FRANK HAVE THOUGHT? – PART TWO
By John Fricke Last month’s blog was conceived as a (pretty much unarguable) celebration of the two most important factors in the world’s continuing love affair with All Things Oz. These are, of course, the original story, characters, and concepts created by L. Frank Baum for his 1900 book, THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, and […]