Fun Facts on MGM’s The Wizard of Oz

Oz by the number
3,700,000 Cost, in dollars, of making the film, plus prints and advertising
3,017,000 Gross receipts, in dollars, from the film’s initial release
1,500,000 The ‘Holy Grail’ of movie memorabilia, the ruby slippers value in 2000
165,000 1988 auction price, in dollars, of a pair of original ruby slippers
10,000 Fans thronging the August 15, 1939, Hollywood premiere
3,210 Costumes made for this film
1,100 Approximate number of wires used to rig the Flying Monkeys
1,060 Production number given the film at MGM
1,000 Number of costumes designed by Adrian
1,000 Amount, in dollars, of his weekly salary that Jack Haley gave back to the
studio in exchange for permission to work on his weekly radio program
during production
300 Extras hired for Emerald City crowd scenes
150 Six inch winged monkeys visible outside of the castle window
124 Total number actors portraying Munchkins
100 Approximate weight, in pounds, of the Cowardly Lion’s costume
50 Movies released by MGM in 1939
26 Designation of the soundstage housing the orchard and cornfield
18 Singer Midgets, members of the Singer Talent Agency
14 Fulllength
Oz stories created by L. Frank Baum
12 Approximate time, in minutes, Margaret Hamilton (Miss Gulch/the
Wicked Witch of the West) is on screen
11 Daily pay, in dollars, for the witch’s standin
10 Writers who worked on the screenplay
10 Number of dresses made for Dorothy
10 Films, including The Wizard of Oz, nominated for 1939’s Best Picture
Oscar
9 Other MGM projects being filmed when The Wizard of Oz shooting began
7 Seven pairs of the ruby slippers were made for this film
6 Total number of soundstages used
5 Number of known whereabouts of the ruby slippers
4.67 Height, in feet, of the tallest Munchkin
4 Total number of directors who worked on this film
3 Days director George Cukor worked on the film
2.25 Height, in feet, of shortest Munchkin
2 Hours in makeup
room each morning for Ray Bolger
1.41 Hourly wage, in dollars, of studio prop man (circa 1939)
1 Number of shoeshine boys on the studio payroll
.75 Duncan Spencer’s salary as a Scenic Painter