THIRTY-FIVE YEARS LATER: REMEMBERING “THE WIZARD OF OZ” ON ITS 50th ANNIVERSARY IN 1989 by John Fricke I want to begin this month with a quick, genuine apology. When assembling the blog for last August, I planned a “look back,” some 35 years, to the 50th anniversary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s film triumph, THE WIZARD OF OZ. …
Tag Archives: Oz-Stravaganza
You Are There!
GABRIEL GALE (OZ AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR & ENTREPRENEUR) IS A SPECIAL GUEST AT THE LOS ANGELES PREMIERE OF “WICKED” By John Fricke I know it was promised that this month’s blog would offer the third (and final) reminiscence about the 50th anniversary celebrations of MGM’s THE WIZARD OF OZ back in 1989 – and I hereby vow …
Ha-Ha-Ha! Ho-Ho-Ho!
And a Happy, High-Spirited History of Last Month’s Magic (Or: Oz-Stravaganza® 2024 😊) by John Fricke After 46 prior and virtually annual jubilations, what can be said about Oz-Stravaganza® #47 that hasn’t been gratefully and proudly “sung out” before? Perhaps the most grandiose AND accurate declaration is that the weekend of May 31st-June 2nd, 2024, …
“L. Frank-ly, My Dear, We WILL Give a Fest!”
by John Fricke Given the paraphrased title of this month’s blog, may I remind you that this year marks the 85th anniversary of THAT film, too . . . . 😊 However, there’ll be no further homage to GONE WITH THE WIND! We’re all about ALL THINGS OZ, and we’re here to herald and celebrate …
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“ILL-OZ-STRATIONS” — DIVERSIFIED! Part Two
by John Fricke A bit of background to begin! Part One of this two-part series may be found by simply scrolling down past this entry; therein discussed are some of the early artists who pictured L. Frank Baum’s book, THE WIZARD OF OZ. There were comparatively few such illustrators, however; from its initial publication as …
Continue reading ““ILL-OZ-STRATIONS” — DIVERSIFIED! Part Two“
“THE LITTLE PEOPLE WHO LIVE[D] IN THIS LAND” – CONCLUSION
By John Fricke FOREWORD In our August 26th entry for 2023 — posted on Chittenango’s All Things Oz and OZ-Stravaganza! Facebook pages (as well as on this blog site) — we celebrated the Oz festival of last June. The highlights of that weekend, of course, were provided by the song, dance, autographing-and-reminiscing participation of ninety-one-year-old …
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“THE LITTLE PEOPLE WHO LIVE[D] IN THIS LAND” – PART 5
By: John Fricke FOREWORD In our August 26th entry for 2023 — posted on Chittenango’s All Things Oz and OZ-Stravaganza! Facebook pages (as well as on this blog site) — we celebrated the Oz festival of last June. The highlights of that weekend, of course, were provided by the song, dance, autographing-and-reminiscing participation of ninety-one-year-old …
Continue reading ““THE LITTLE PEOPLE WHO LIVE[D] IN THIS LAND” – PART 5“
“THE LITTLE PEOPLE WHO LIVE[D] IN THIS LAND” — PART 2
by John Fricke FOREWORD In our August 26th blog — posted on the various Chittenango (New York) All Things Oz and OZ-Stravaganza! Facebook pages — we celebrated 2023’s Oz festival. Its highlight, of course, was the song/dance/autographing/reminiscing participation of ninety-one-year-old Betty Ann Bruno, an original “MunchKid” from MGM’s feature film. This was Betty Ann’s second …
Continue reading ““THE LITTLE PEOPLE WHO LIVE[D] IN THIS LAND” — PART 2“
2023: TENS OF THOUSANDS JOY-OZ-LY TRAVEL
CHITTENANGO’S YELLOW BRICK ROAD . . .TAKING BETTY ANN BRUNO VERY MUCH TO HEART! By John Fricke [A BRIEF, PRELIMINARY NOTE FROM JOHN: The rough draft and art selection attendant to this “All Things OZ” Blog were basically wrapped up nearly two months ago. Then I was hit with sciatica, and everything went on hold …
OZ-STRAVAGANZA! BIGGER & BETTER &
“CLOSER & PRETTIER THAN EVER” —
AND 46 YEARS OLD!
by John Fricke Let the JOY-OZ news be spread: OZ-STRAVAGANZA! is JUST ahead! I know that isn’t at all the way “Yip” Harburg put it in his “Munchkinland” lyric in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s THE WIZARD OF OZ movie. Back then, however, he was “only” proclaiming the passing of the Wicked Witch of the East; WE’RE here today …
Continue reading “OZ-STRAVAGANZA! BIGGER & BETTER &
“CLOSER & PRETTIER THAN EVER” —
AND 46 YEARS OLD!”