UNKNOWN FACT ABOUT DOROTHY IN 'THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ'!

83 years ago, in 1939, a film I grew up with as a child, beginning in the 1950's, will aways have a special spot in my heart. One can't help to remember this beloved classic film whenever one witnesses a rainbow! Here is a short list of actors, and anyone else involved in the production of "The Wonderful Wizard of oz"! L Frank Baum, Judy Garland, Toto, Clara Blandick, Charley Grapewin, Billie Burke, Mickey Carroll, Meinhardt Raabe, Jerry Maren, Margaret Hamilton, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Buster Brodie, Mitchell Lewis, Frank Morgan, Harold Arlen, Herbert Stothart, Ken Darby, Carl Spitz, Buddy Gillespie, Adrian, Cedric Gibbons, Harold Rosson, Blanche Sewell, Mervyn LeRoy, Victor Fleming.

Interesting unknown or forgotten fact about how Dorothy acquired her name in the L. Frank Baum book "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz". This educational video visits how the death of a 5 month old child "Dorothy Louise Gage" in 1898, brought about Mr. Baum to name his main Character "Dorothy" in his new book "Wizard of Oz" published in the year1900. A fascinating story in itself, this video tells how a South Dakota historian, named Sally Roesch, in mid 1990's, found the true relationship between "Dorothy" in "Wizard of Oz" and a sweet child by the name of "Dorothy Louise Gage" who passed in 1898 in Bloomington, IL. Young Dorothy's Father was the brother to L. Frank Baum's wife Maud. And in order to bring some comfort to both his wife, and to the young Dorothy's parents, Mr. Baum decided to name his main character in his new book: "Dorothy".

Plus, while researching for this video, I found that a Michael Finocchiaro, whose stage name was "Mickey Carroll, worked with Francis Gumm, aka Judy Garland, on the Vaudeville circuit, where both became good friends. Since Mr. Carroll was only 4' 7" tall, Miss Garland called Mickey at his home in St. Louis, MO, and suggested he come out to Hollywood and try out for one of the "Munchkin" characters. Reluctantly, Mickey surrendered to Judy's request, and won the parts as the "Munchkin" who played the violin as "Dorothy" began her journey down the Yellow Brick Road on her journey to the "Emerald City", as the "Town Crier", and as a Munchkin Soldier. I later learned that Mickey Carroll and his brother stayed in the home of Judy Garland and her mother's during filming.

Then in 1997 Mr. Mickey Carroll attended a Commemoration ceremony of a new granite monument celebrating this remarkable and somewhat unusual relationship between the two Dorothys. Mr. Carroll donated the tombstone in addition to giving $1,000 to begin with the development of "The Dorothy Gage Memorial Gardens".

Interesting Facts: Mickey Carroll never watched the movie "Wizard of Oz" until 1956. In addition, the "Wizard of Oz" was his only acting job in the movie business. After the filming of the "Wizard...", Mr. Carroll and his brother Bud, traveled back to St. Louis to run the family monument business until his retirement in 1995. Mr. Carroll past May 7, 2009 at the age of 89. Oh, and by the way, Mickey's actual Godfather was Al Capone.

"The Wizard of Oz" was produced by MGM, and is property of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: Photographs and Short excerpts of media found in this video are copyright of their owners, and are used herein for educational commentary and reference under "fair use." Please immediately contact me with any copyright concerns if you find I failed the conditions of "fair use", and I will act in accordance with your wishes.

Drone flights as seen in this video adhere to all the rules as a Remote Pilot published in the FAA Part 107 Regulations.

Link to "Hollywood Graveyard Wizard of Oz"