Goin' Down the (Yellow Brick) Road Again – Part 2

The Wizard of Oz first came to television in 1956.

CBS paid MGM $900,000 for the privilege of showing it. The price reportedly covered four showings, but that didn't seem to happen – at least not right away.

July 25, 1956

But on November 3, 1956 – seventy years ago this month – The Wizard of Oz made its debut on CBS as part of the Ford Star Jubilee program.

Nov. 3, 1956

Ten-year old Liza Minnelli introduced that first broadcast of The Wizard of Oz with an assist by the Cowardly Lion himself, Bert Lahr.

Nov. 5, 1956

The Wizard of Oz was supposed to have its second showing in 1957, according to this TV column of August 7, 1957.

Aug. 7, 1957

But it didn't happen. The movie would not appear again on television until 1959, when Red Skelton hosted the program.

July 9, 1959

In 1960, Richard Boone (Paladin on Have Gun – Will Travel) and his son introduced the movie on the 1960 showing (the third overall), which took place on Dec. 11, 1960. (I couldn't resist leaving the ad for Alex Visci's musical instrument repair shop under the clipping.)

It's not clear by the TV listing who hosted in 1961. But online sources say it was Dick Van Dyke and his three children.

Dec. 9 1969

It was the same in 1962 – with Dick Van Dyke performing hosting duties with his kids.

The movie did not air in 1963. But it was back in 1964.

Jan. 25, 1964

Jan. 25, 1964

And here's the publicity photo (below) used in the above piece. Looks like the Tin Man was unceremoniously cropped out of the photo – a heartless action.

Note that Danny Kaye was the host for the 1964 broadcast, and would continue in that role for the next few years. I remember him as host, mainly because I didn't know who he was. He also skipped along an in-studio re-creation of the yellow brick road, right before the movie started.

Meanwhile, Bert Lahr was starring in a series of amusing commercials and ads for Lays Potato Chips, mugging for the camera and uttering the immortal tagline, "Betcha Can't Eat Just One."

Bert Lahr passed away on Dec. 4, 1967.

Dec. 5, 1967

The year 1967 was also the year that The Wizard of Oz appeared on CBS for the last time of the original run, before moving over to NBC in 1968. (It would return to CBS in 1976.)

Feb. 21, 1967

Dec. 22, 1967

The first NBC broadcast was on April 20, 1968.

And promotional photos and small blurbs appeared in the Journal just as they always had.

March 9, 1969

And it was back to CBS in 1976.

March 20, 1977

****

I hadn't watched The Wizard of Oz in decades – and had no interest in seeing it – when I stumbled upon it on MeTV during one of the recent showings. 

I happened to tune in around the point when the Wizard tells Dorothy and her friends that before he will grant their requests, they'll have to bring back the broomstick of the Wicked Witch of the West. He then orders them to get going. "But what if she kills us first?" asks the Cowardly Lion. "I SAID GO!!" booms the Wizard. Then follows the funniest scene of the movie.

After that I was hooked – and stayed with it to the end. 

Here's another great scene: the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion are ambushed by the Wicked Witch's guards – but manage to beat them up and steal their uniforms so they can sneak into the castle and rescue Dorothy! Note how Toto apparently took a bite out of one of them!

I guess you're never too old to enjoy The Wizard of Oz.