Disclaimer: This article mentions dark themes such as sexual assault, exploitation, potential suicide, injury and animal cruelty.
1) The Dark Side of the Rainbow- One creepy fact about The Wizard of Oz (which isn't at all related to the production of the film but is fascinating nonetheless) is that it runs perfectly alongside Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Supposedly, if you start the album at the third roar of the MGM lion then the film and album run amazingly in sync, with the songs' lyrics and tempo eerily matching what's happening on screen. 'The Great Gig in The Sky' plays during the famous tornado scene, and the album's final heartbeat sounds in sync with Dorothy listening for the Tin-man's heart beat. This phenomenon is said to be a complete coincidence, with Pink Floyd denying any intentional connection.
2) The Treatment of Judy Garland- Garland, who was just 16 years old at the time of filming, was fed very little food during filming ( chicken soup and coffee to be exact) to maintain her small physique and was smacked by the director each time she laughed during a scene. The actress was given diet pills, shots of adrenaline to keep her filming for long hours and barbiturates to help her sleep. There are also reports that Garland was regularly mistreated and sexually abused by some of her fellow male actors.
3) The Exploitation of the Munchkins- The munchkins were played by actual little people who were ridiculed and exploited on set. Supposedly they were paid a measly $50 a week while the dog that played Toto was paid nearly three times as much!
4) Poison on Set- Much of the makeup and wardrobe used on set was poisoning the cast. The original actor for the Tin Man, Buddy Ebsen, was hospitalised after 9 days of filming due being covered in aluminium dust. His replacement, Jack Haley, also got an eye infection because of the aluminium. Margaret Hamilton, who played the iconic Wicked Witch of the West, was painted in a highly toxic green copper paint. On top of this, the production team decided to make it snow asbestos during the poppy-field scene (because who doesn't love being showered in carcinogenic substances?)
5) The Hanging Munchkin Myth- During one specific scene in the film, it is said that you can see a 'hanging munchkin' in the background, which led people to believe that an actor had committed suicide on set. This myth has since been disproven, with members of the production stating it was simply a large bird that could be seen hanging in the background. It's still a scary myth though...
6) The Wicked Witch of the West- Margaret Hamilton, who famously played the iconic green villain the Wicked Witch of the West, was horribly burned on her face during filming, after disappearing in a cloud of fire. Apparently the makeup team had to rush to remove her green copper makeup, to make sure it didn't seep into her wounds and cause further damage. Her stunt double was also badly burned during filming.
7) Bad Lighting- Since the film was mainly in technicolour, harsh lighting was required on set. It's said that temperatures on set would regularly exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit (nearly 40 degrees Celsius), which caused a build up of carbon dioxide and made some actors collapse from heat stroke.
8) The Lion Skin Suit- Shockingly, the Lion's costume was made from actual lion fur! Though potentially controversial to a 21st century audience, this was a choice by the production team to increase authenticity. I'm sure it smelt awful in that lion-skin suit, especially after long days of filming under such harsh heat.
9) The Tornado Scene- The famous tornado scene in the film, which looked incredibly realistic for a 1930s production (back when there was no CGI), apparently posed a risk to the cast and crew involved. Though only made out of muslin cloth and chicken wire, the realistic tornado replica had to be monitored closely and the scene had to be executed perfectly to ensure the safety of all cast and crew (though let's not forget that half of them were exposed to toxins anyway so health and safety was hardly the priority during filming).
10) Technicolour- Finally, the last fact and probably the least disturbing is that, despite common belief, The Wizard of Oz was not the first technicolour film! However, the iconic transition from sepia to colour was so influential and significant to the history of film that it somehow garnered the false title. Although many disturbing things happened on the set of The Wizard of Oz, there's no denying the lasting impact it's had on film.