Tag Archives: Wizard of Oz

Westercon 66 Picks Guests

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Nicola Griffith and Kelley Eskridge.

Westercon 66, coming to Sacramento in 2013, has named its GoHs.

Author Guests of Honor are Nicola Griffith, multi-award-winning novelist and editor of several anthologies, and Kelley Eskridge, author of a New York Times Notable novel and prize-winning short fiction, who chairs the Clarion West Writers Workshop board.

Artist Guest of Honor Eric Shanower and Small Press Special Guest David Maxine are Wizard of Oz devotees whose shared fanac developed into a comfortable professional life. Eric Shanower has created Oz-based comic books, written Oz novels and Marvel graphic novelizations of Baum’s Oz books. David Maxine runs Hungry Tiger Press, which specializes in Oz-related publications.

Fan Guests of Honor are “The Three Who Rule,” Warren Frey, Steven Schapansky, Chris Burgess, from the Doctor Who-themed podcast Radio Free Skaro, voted the most popular Doctor Who podcast by members of Gallifrey Base.

Westercon 66 co-chair Andrew Trembly says:

We think this slate will both satisfy Westercon traditionalists on many grounds, and at the same time make them think about writing, art and fanac they may not have really noticed in the past. We also think these guests will draw the attention of fans who have wondered why they should spend their hard-earned dollars to come to another convention, or who didn’t even know about Westercon in the first place.

Back to the Future Auction

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Profiles in History will run the “Icons of Hollywood” auction December 15-17, featuring items from Back to the Future and a pair of ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.

A DeLorean auto from Back to the Future III will be on the block:

One of seven DeLoreans used on-screen in the Back to the Future trilogy, this particular car was used in the 1955 drive-in movie scene when Michael J. Fox drives it into the past and lands in 1885 to find Doc. It was built completely for off road use. Of the seven DeLoreans, only three have survived since filming, and this is one of those three – the only one in private hands.

And of course we have to keep track of the ruby slipper market:

There are four pairs of screen used Ruby Slippers known to have survived the seventy years since the making of The Wizard of Oz. One pair is the center piece of the Icons of American Culture exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and is one of the most asked about artifacts at the museum. So viewed are these slippers that the carpet in front of them has had to be replaced numerous times due to the crush of shoes that have brought visitors from all over the world to see their glimmer. Another pair was unfortunately stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and will likely never be recovered. The third pair is in private hands and will not be reaching the market any time soon.

The final fourth pair up for auction are marked on the inside lining, “#7 Judy Garland” and the leather soles are painted red on the bottom. The lack of felt, in addition to light, circular scuffs evident on the soles indicate their use in the extra-close-up or “insert” shots when Judy Garland taps her heels together at the film’s climax. Their condition is near mint and it is also believed that this “beauty” pair was placed on the protruding feet of the Wicked Witch of the East after she was squashed by Dorothy’s house since they exhibit slightly higher heels and the bottoms of the shoes were exposed to the camera.

[Thanks to David Klaus for the story.]

Grand Theft Slipper

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The theft of a pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz, having occurred in 2005, is less a news story than an invitation to explore the subset of the film’s fans who venerated these artifacts.

“Who Stole the Ruby Slippers?” in the March 2009 issue of Minnesota Monthly focuses on the ruby slippers owned by Michael Shaw – one of four pairs known to remain from the filming of The Wizard of Oz. They were burglarized from a display case in the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota and have remained missing since August 28, 2005.

The author, after surveying the fascinating personalities of several Oz collectors, concludes:

Yet in their new status as stolen property, the slippers feel more real than they have in years. They are mere objects again, to be lost or found, and perhaps this is for the best…

[Thanks to David Klaus for the story.]

Munchkin R.I.P.

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Mickey Carroll, one of more than 100 adults and children recruited to play Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz, died May 7 in Missouri at the age of 89. He had heart problems and received a pacemaker in February.

As Munchkinland’s “Town Crier,” Carroll was among those who advised Dorothy Gale, played by Judy Garland, to “Follow the yellow brick road” to the Emerald City. He also marched as a “Munchkin Soldier” and was the candy-striped “Fiddler” who escorted Dorothy down the road.