Who was the special effects director for the 1939 film?
Answer
A. Arnold Gillespie
49 public questions with answers, drawn from the well. How many can you answer?
The Wizard of Oz trivia explores L. Frank Baum’s original book, the 1939 MGM film, its cast and crew, memorable songs, characters, production details, and its place in television and popular culture. Questions may move from the meaning of L. Frank Baum’s middle initial to the artists who illustrated early Oz editions and the specialists who shaped the film’s visual style.
This collection suits fans of classic Hollywood, children’s literature, musical cinema, and fantasy storytelling. You may be asked to identify the Kansas farmhand who becomes the Scarecrow, name the Cowardly Lion’s solo song, or recall when the film was first broadcast on television. It works well for family game nights, pub quizzes, classroom activities, and classic-film trivia rounds.
Answer
A. Arnold Gillespie
Answer
W. W. Denslow
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Harold Rosson
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Adrian
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Lyman
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If I Were King of the Forest
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If I Only Had a Heart
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If I Only Had a Brain
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Cairn Terrier
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Grauman's Chinese Theatre
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August 25, 1939
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Horse of a Different Color
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Frank Morgan
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E.Y. Harburg
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Winged Monkeys
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Surrender Dorothy
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Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead
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Return to Oz
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Ruth Plumly Thompson
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Jerry Maren
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The Marvelous Land of Oz
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Herbert Stothart
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Clara Blandick
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Terry
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courage
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a heart
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a brain
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Ray Bolger
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Toto
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$2.8 million
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Jack Haley
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Harold Arlen
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Over the Rainbow
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Margaret Hamilton
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"There's no place like home"
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Ruby red
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L. Frank Baum
Good questions cover the 1900 novel, the 1939 film, its performers, songs, costumes, cinematography, special effects, television history, and Oz characters. Examples include asking what L. Frank Baum’s middle initial means, who illustrated the first edition, or which farmhand becomes the Scarecrow.
The difficulty ranges from easy to challenging. Most players know Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion, while harder questions may involve production staff, book illustrators, costume designers, cinematographers, or the film’s first television broadcast.
The “L” stands for Lyman. The author was born Lyman Frank Baum in 1856 and became best known for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, published in 1900.
Hunk, one of Aunt Em and Uncle Henry’s farmhands, becomes the Scarecrow in Dorothy’s vision of Oz. In Kansas, Hunk is played by Ray Bolger, who also portrays the Scarecrow.
The Cowardly Lion’s solo number is “If I Were King of the Forest.” Bert Lahr performs it in the 1939 film, imagining how confidently he would behave if he ruled the forest.