{"id":566,"date":"2024-09-06T00:00:36","date_gmt":"2024-09-06T00:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allthingsoz.org\/blog\/?p=566"},"modified":"2024-09-06T00:02:48","modified_gmt":"2024-09-06T00:02:48","slug":"happy-birthday-to-the-green-book","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allthingsoz.org\/blog\/index.php\/2024\/09\/06\/happy-birthday-to-the-green-book\/","title":{"rendered":"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO \u201cTHE GREEN BOOK\u201d!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cTHE WIZARD OF OZ — THE OFFICIAL 50th<\/sup> ANNIVERSARY PICTORIAL HISTORY\u201d IS NOW 35 😊<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Part One – By John Fricke<\/h4>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Above: This is the front dust jacket cover of the book that celebrated the golden anniversary of MGM\u2019s THE WIZARD OF OZ just 35 years ago this summer . . . and on into that autumn and winter. Once the volume hit stores the third week of July 1989, there was such an immediate public response that Warner Books was propelled into two additional hard-cover printings well before the end of August.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This summer, the media launched \u2013 with doubtless more to come — all the expected (and still darn thrilling!) hoopla warranted by the 85th<\/sup> anniversary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer\u2019s 1939 motion picture, THE WIZARD OF OZ. There\u2019s a revitalized DVD package, a raft of glowing new products and merchandising, a schedule of special screenings and festivals, and a coming documentary. There\u2019s also a mounting series of YouTube-posted \u201creaction videos,\u201d wherein numerous young adults have recorded themselves as they watch the movie for the first time. (Some of them are instantly gleeful. Others initially manifest or feign blas\u00e9 sophistication. Yet all end up enthralled and rapturous by the end of the picture.) Social media, too, is in its own furor, mingling new peaks of Ozzy enthusiasm with unfortunate and burgeoning idiocies of inaccurate declarations, gossip, and dark-dark-dark stupidity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mostly, however, it\u2019s once again been about joy and magic and memories \u2013 which brings me to the topic of this month\u2019s blog. Amidst all the recent Ozzy Facebook offerings, I\u2019ve been grateful and proud to encounter a raft of postings about THE WIZARD OF OZ: THE OFFICIAL 50TH<\/sup> ANNIVERSARY PICTORIAL HISTORY. That was the first of the eight Fricke books to date, and it was done in conjunction with collectors Jay Scarfone and William Stillman. As noted in the caption above, it hit stores in July 1989, enjoyed three hardcover printings in just seven weeks, and reappeared as an oversize trade paperback in 1990 (and again in 1998). Originally bound in an emerald-colored covering, it instantly became known among fans as \u201cthe green book\u201d — nomenclature it retains to this day. 😊<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I hope any pride-between-the-lines here \u2013 and as I write along \u2013 will be pardonable. That \u201cgreen book\u201d continues to inspire exhilaration and gratitude in me; it was more-or-less the launching pad for these past 35 years of Oz and\/or Judy Garland related activities. Without getting into the specifics, I am in awe at how many of them there have been, and I am bound to be thankful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyway, I thought a look-back on how that first project came into existence might be of interest, particularly in terms of the discoveries made along the way. Oz devotees continue to this day to present copies to be autographed; they pose questions about the content; and if they\u2019re comparatively new Ozians, they kindly and\/or rabidly exult over the art, the anecdotes, and all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That book essentially grew out of a lunch date here in New York City roughly four years earlier. Brad Saiontz was visiting from Boston and reached out to me as a fellow Oz fan; he was also a keen collector and showed me a couple of exciting OZ stills I\u2019d never before seen. (Little did anyone know in the mid-1980s how many mountains of 1938-39 OZ visuals would come to light in succeeding decades!) What made Brad\u2019s pictures noteworthy was the fact that they had been taken during the initial two weeks of OZ filming in October 1938. This was when Judy was a blonde, wearing a different wig, dress, make-up, and shoes; when Ray Bolger and Margaret Hamilton\u2019s make-ups were peculiar; and when Buddy Ebsen was playing the Tin Woodman. (Just below is one of the photos Brad shared back in 1985 or so that provided me with an absolute jolt of elation. In addition to the difference in the characters\u2019 appearances, you can see that even the Yellow Brick Road is differently paved \u2013 and not curbed. Below this first visual are two other stills which turned up later in my own research and also date from those early days on the set. Once again, Judy is a blonde Dorothy, shown here with Margaret Hamilton\u2019s Wicked Witch of the West; the latter wears a different make-up, and her hair is in a sort of Marlo (THAT GIRL) Thomas \u2013 or Lea (GLEE) Michele \u2013 flip. Beneath this, the Famous Four are posed as they hope to escape up the staircase in the Witch\u2019s Castle. In addition to \u201cLolita Gale of Kansas\u201d (as she\u2019s been affectionately termed), you\u2019ll see the Scarecrow with a make-up that offers a certain \u201cMummy of Oz\u201d quality \u2013 along with Buddy Ebsen as the Tin Man.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Back to that opportune meeting with Brad. As his passion for OZ was most certainly a match for mine, we fell to discussing the idea that a majorly illustrated book about the film\u2019s creation might be a great idea for the coming 50th<\/sup> anniversary. We envisioned it, from the onset, primarily as a pictorial; THE MAKING OF THE WIZARD OF OZ book was then not even a decade old, and it was pretty much universally held that the backstory of the picture had been therein told by Aljean Harmetz. Meanwhile, my own college degree was in journalism, and \u2013 as of 1985 \u2013 I\u2019d been working in entertainment-adjacent public relations for more than fifteen years, so I had writing credentials. I was not, however, a collector on Brad\u2019s level, or that of Bill Stillman, whom I knew through The International Wizard of Oz Club; thus, Bill was readily invited to come on board, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To summarize the next couple of years: Michael Patrick Hearn, another Oz Club friend (since 1963!), introduced me to his book agent, Mitchell Rose, who endorsed the John\/Brad\/Bill concept and outlined the necessity for a proposal and portfolio sample of art which he could eventually circulate to publishers. While the Harmetz tome had included behind-the-scenes photos and reproductions of memos, NO book \u2013 to that date \u2013 had reproduced any of the beautiful (and COLORFUL) OZ posters, lobby cards, magazine ads, rotogravure pages, or samples from decades of Oz movie merchandising. Nor could one find anywhere depicted in color the covers of all forty (plus!) of the original Oz series \u2013 or the foreign edition movie-tie books \u2013 or the glorious exploitation aids for the film prepared by MGM for its theatrical engagements. (And etc.!) Because of the heavily promoted Technicolor splendor of OZ, many Kodachrome images were taken of the various stars and scenes in 1938-39. Most, however, had disappeared into long-forgotten filing cabinets and storage units, although we hoped to locate at least some of those true-color images for the book. (I\u2019m about to get a bit ahead of the story, but here\u2019s one we did! Please note the barely visible string used to tie Bert Lahr\u2019s tail into the appropriate angle for a photograph.)<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

So, Mitchell, Bill, and I were increasingly het-up about our ideas and the potential for the endeavor. Brad, however, unexpectedly dropped out of sight — and communication — for the interim years between 1987-1989; then a desired third contributor happily turned up in another Oz collector and club member, Jay Scarfone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout summer 1987, I was singing on the Cunard Princess cruise ship, up and down along the Alaska coast for ten weeks. It fell to me, during that time, to follow Mitchell\u2019s advisements and to write what turned out to be a twenty-page outline for the book\u2019s text and to assemble, as well, an oversize, seventy-page portfolio of suggested art: black-and-white and color photocopies from the collections of the three authors. I can\u2019t recall now if all three of these images just below were part of that presentation, but they certainly appeared in the finished product and definitely represented the sort of bright and bountiful artwork we hoped would enhance the book. At top, Judy and Ray pose with a momentarily docile apple tree; this shot was exclusively published in the NEW YORK SUNDAY MIRROR on August 20, 1939); a specialized, cartoon approach to OZ advertising that appeared in a number of Sunday newspaper \u201ccomic sections\u201d during that same month; and a title lobby card for the first OZ reissue in 1949. By then, Judy Garland had become such an international film star that her billing became much more prominent than that of the rest of the cast.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Another of Mitchell\u2019s dictates was the wise, savvy, and very challenging counsel that I needed to somehow get permission from the Turner Entertainment Company to DO such a book \u2013 along with their assurance they would license no other major WIZARD OF OZ anniversary tome! (Mind you, I had never before in my life sought the responsibility or demands required of an author; this was a new world, to be sure.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So . . . from Alaska, I wrote to Jack Haley, Jr. \u2013 both the \u201cSon of Tin Man\u201d and a highly-regarded force in Hollywood. (To offer that he was the producer and director of THAT\u2019S ENTERTAINMENT [1974] is credit enough and an indication of his status.) I\u2019d had dealings with Jack across the preceding eight years, often in connection with various MGM-related features I was preparing for the Oz Club magazine, THE BAUM BUGLE. We\u2019d corresponded and spoken on the phone, and though we\u2019d never met, he did know of me. So, I sent him the book outline, noted that I\u2019d be disembarking from the ship in San Pedro, and offering that I\u2019d call his office when I arrived, in case he would be willing to tell me to whom I should speak at Turner about licensing OZ material for such a venture. (The back story of the photo below will be offered in next month\u2019s blog, but by way of introduction, that\u2019s Jack, Sr., reading a favored book to five-year-old Jack, Jr., sometime between November 1938 and summer 1939.)<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Begging for courage, I did indeed place that call on my first morning in the Los Angeles area. I gave my name, and before I could ask to speak to Jack, his secretary exclaimed, \u201cOh, he\u2019s waiting to hear from you! Call him at home!\u201d A deeper breath, another call, and I got, \u201cJohn! Where are you staying? Have you got a car? Can you come right over? This is the address!\u201d (I was suddenly calmer \u2013 and much more motivated than trepidatious!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given his immediate kindness, Jack and I became instant friends, and after 45 minutes of get-further-acquainted and industry chatter, I finally ventured to bring up the topic of the proposal. (As much as I was reveling in the man\u2019s company, I was certainly still insecure enough to fear he was dancing through all the other topics while building up to telling me that my work was no good.) Finally: \u201cJack . . . about the book. Do you even think it\u2019s an okay idea? Or should we forget it? . . . Or DO you know to whom I\u2019d speak in licensing?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His reply: \u201cOh, don\u2019t bother with licensing! I went to Roger Mayer\u2019s office — he\u2019s the president and chief executive officer at Turner Entertainment \u2013 and I put the proposal on his desk. I told him, \u2018If you want a 50th<\/sup> anniversary OZ book, John Fricke is the person to do it\u2019!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay!!!! 😊<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As referenced above, the rest of the story will be along here in the next entry. Suffice it to say, Roger Mayer\u2019s coming approbation made a whole lot possible \u2013 even though it was misinterpreted by some . . . all to the book\u2019s advantage!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a final image to \u201cgo out on.\u201d This is the back dust jacket cover for the 1989 hardbound edition. The nine images here weren\u2019t used on the rear of the 1990 paperback, so I thought it would be nice to show them again here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And many thanks for reading!<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cTHE WIZARD OF OZ — THE OFFICIAL 50th ANNIVERSARY PICTORIAL HISTORY\u201d IS NOW 35 😊 Part One – By John Fricke Above: This is the front dust jacket cover of the book that celebrated the golden anniversary of MGM\u2019s THE WIZARD OF OZ just 35 years ago this summer . . . and on into … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO \u201cTHE GREEN BOOK\u201d!”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[27,3,8,21,2],"tags":[14,13,15,6,4,5],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/allthingsoz.org\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/566"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/allthingsoz.org\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/allthingsoz.org\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allthingsoz.org\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allthingsoz.org\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=566"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/allthingsoz.org\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/566\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":578,"href":"https:\/\/allthingsoz.org\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/566\/revisions\/578"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/allthingsoz.org\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=566"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allthingsoz.org\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=566"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allthingsoz.org\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=566"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}