Good News In History, November 3
Good News In History, November 3 69 years ago today, The Wizard of Oz was televised for the first time, and was so successful—with 53% of US television viewers tuning in—that it was destined to become an annual event in American homes. CBS ran it again three years later during the holidays and gained an even larger television audience. READ more about this famous production… (1956) MGM sold CBS the rights to televise the film for $225,000 per broadcast. Starring Judy Garland as ‘Dorothy’ and Ray Bolger as ‘the Scarecrow’, the TV premier of the film, which aired nearly 20 years after the film’s release, was hosted by Bert Lahr, who played ‘the Cowardly Lion’, and Garland’s 10-year-old daughter, Liza Minnelli. 1939 Photo of JACK HALEY, JUDY GARLAND, RAY BOLGER & BERT LAHR, by MGM Beloved for its use of Technicolor, fantasy storytelling, musical score, and memorable characters, The Wizard of Oz was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture of 1939, and won two—for Best Orig…
