The Jitterbug - Cut from The Wizard of Oz

"The Jitterbug" was a song sung by Dorothy, together with the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion, that was cut from the soundtrack of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. It was both a jazzy development of the plot and a nod to the then-popular bobby-soxer dance craze. As the song begins, the four friends see a jitterbug flitting in the shadows from tree to tree and become frightened. The Jitterbug puts a magical influence on the characters, forcing them to dance the Jitterbug frenetically. Soon there are many jitterbugs, and eventually, everyone collapses from exhaustion and are subdued by the Witch's army of flying monkeys.

The Wicked Witch of the West makes reference to this number in the finished film, telling the leader of the monkeys that she had sent "a little insect to take the fight out of them", a line that is perhaps the most obvious continuity error in the film. The original Baum novel has no reference to Jitterbugs, but the Wicked Witch sends out a swarm of bees to sting Dorothy and her friends to death in Chapter 12, an attack that is thwarted by the Scarecrow and Tin Woodman.

The song was restored in various stage versions of The Wizard of Oz, including the 1942 Muny production and 1987 RSC version. It does not appear in the 2011 West End version.

[ddempslay]

Idk why this has such a creepy and unnerving quality to it and I kind of love it. It sounds like being on a nonstop carousel that won't let you off which is fitting considering it's about a spell the witch casts to make them dance forever

[crazylegskc]

Given The Wizard of Oz's status as one of the greatest films of all time, The Jitterbug is quite possibly the most famous deleted scene in movie history. Can you imagine how awesome it would be if they someday found actual footage of it somewhere? The film world would go nuts!

[Rick_King]

For decades, I wondered what the wicked witch meant when she told the flying monkeys "I've sent a little insect ahead, to take the fight out of them." Of course, that little insect was the jitterbug!

So glad for home movies, so we could see this!

[jeffethegamingadvocate]

Gregg did a fantastic job recreating this in Deck of Cards

[elsa]

Just came here straight from Randy Rainbow's latest vid - The Bunker Boy

[adelinesieber]

I’m glad more people are recognizing this. When my high school did the Wizard of Oz last year, we actually added in the Jitterbug scene.

[MNBluestater]

I cannot believe what it must have been like to dance those sequences, in those costumes, under the hot stage lights!

[apriltorres]

Judy's singing was just wonderful in this film clip !!
I can see why the dance scene was cut because it just doesn't fit in with the rest of the film.
Yet, on the other hand with this scene cut it doesn't explain why the lion has a butterfly net, the tin man a gun, and the scarecrow a mallet, after they leave the castle.
The one area of the film that I thought could have been reworked is near the end when Dorothy throws water from a bucket onto the Scarecrow and it accidentally splashes the witch.
I thought a hose connected to the castle wall would be a more realistic scenario than just the bucket sitting all by itself.
A great film and all of the actor's did their very best with the limited technology in 1938( Film released in 1939 ).

[gtlfb]

This number was cut because it was felt it stopped the action without advancing the story. As much fun as the song may be, I think it was good decision. There is one little hint to this song left in the movie - when the Witch orders the Flying Monkeys to get Dorothy, she says she “sent a little bug to take the fight out of them”.

[Olivia-cenq]

I like this song and Judy Garland is an outstanding actress/singer and dancer. R.I.P Judy!😢😭

[agp]

In 1989 when I was ten my parents bought the VHS 50th anniversary tape. It had this and alot of other rare footage after the movie was done.

[ferociousgumby]

I had an original cast record of Wizard of Oz as a kid, and yes, I remember this song! Every time I watched the movie I wondered why the song wasn't in it.

[TheGreekPianist]

When the witch said “I’ve sent a little insect ahead to take the fight out of them”, I think this is what she meant!

[tiamia]

This is my favorite movie of all time and this is the first time I ever heard of this scene. You can see what a fantastic dancer Ray Bolger was in this. So smooth while still keeping in character as the Scarecrow.

[kylephalen]

This footage was lost until it was restored by film buff Gregg Turkington for his film Deck of Cards (2022, 45 minutes)

[j.c.b]

I can see why it was cut, but it left us with a confusing line: "I sent a little bug ahead to take the bite out of them."

[timdvorak]

Our local children's theater just did Wizard of Oz. This song and dance was one the best scenes in the musical! 2nd graders through highschoolers were in it. Great performance!

[kayerin]

I was unaware of this song, despite my long time love of the movie, seeing it first at a drive in movie lot, back in the late 40's... Until my nephews class included it in their production of the Wiz in the 90's. They did a fantastic job. The music is terrific - so sad it got cut!

[mrmastergrimmbo]

Ok but this is honestly such a banger. I could see myself singing along with this one more than The Wonderful Wizard

[majkus]

Between this cut, the removal of Dorothy's tearful 'Over the Rainbow' moment near the crystal ball, and the removal of the 'Hail Hail the Witch Is Dead' reprise returning to the Emerald City, the film as a whole is completely front-loaded for musical numbers. There are no songs after 'The Merry Old Land of Oz' in the finished film. I notice that the stage version performed by high schools nowadays (the Royal Shakespeare Company version, I think) restores at least this number to the act, and makes more of the Winkie march, which balances things a little better.