So began the very first line of The Wizard of Oz, a novel by Frank Baum. It is this book that inspired the well-loved 1939 MGM musical fantasy known by the same name. Frank Baum's book was published in 1900 and has been a popular title in children's literature ever since. The story of Dorothy, the farm girl from Kansas, was first performed onstage in 1903. Several silent film versions followed and even Frank Baum himself set up his own production company to produce several films based on his novel. None of these ventures fared particularly well. Baum passed away and in 1934, Samuel Goldwyn bought the rights to the children's fantasy for $40,000. A few years later, Louis B. Mayer set up a deal through Loew's Inc, MGM's parent company, and purchased the rights to The Wizard of Oz for $75,000. ARTHUR FREED - THE MAN WHO FOLLOWED THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD The man who prompted Mayer to set the Oz wheels in motion was Arthur Freed. To give you an idea of Arthur Freed's connection to Louis Mayer, someone once said, "If you kicked L.B. Mayer in the ass, Arthur Freed would get a bloody nose". That's not to say that Arthur Freed did not earn his position at MGM on his own merits. Freed had entered MGM as a songwriter and quickly worked his way up the ladder, expanding his creative skills. His early credits include The Broadway Melody (1929), Hollywood Revue (1929), and Going Hollywood (1933). Mayer saw great promise in Freed and his instincts about him would pay off in the golden age of the MGM musicals of the 40s and 50s. Among Freed's producer credits are Gigi (1958), Singin' In The Rain (1952), On The Town (1949), and Ziegfeld Follies (1946). MUSICAL RECRUITS - ROGER EDENS & A THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD UNKNOWN Arthur Freed, always looking for new sounds and original ideas, had a keen eye for fresh talent. One of his recruits was Roger Edens. Edens' gift for musical arrangement was well known in the Broadway circle (He was a personal favorite of Ethel Merman). His Broadway experience was also an excellent preparation for MGM's musical productions. Another "discovery" of Arthur Freed's was Judy Garland. Freed reluctantly agreed to audition the then thirteen-year-old Garland but his attitude quickly changed once she opened her mouth to sing. Edens was also present at the audition, accompanying Garland on the piano, and both men were so impressed with Garland that they insisted L.B. Mayer join them to hear Garland sing. A contract was offered and Garland signed on with MGM on September 27,1935. Though she now had a contract, MGM did not place her in any pictures. Instead, the studio worked on expanding her exposure through radio spots and vaudeville appearances. INTRODUCING JUDY GARLAND After joining MGM, Judy Garland, whose real name was Frances Gumm, worked with Roger Edens on various occasions and he became a fond supporter. He arranged for her to appear at the star-studded Metro 36th birthday bash for Clark Gable. At this celebration, Garland performed a tribute to Clark Gable with a number written by James V. Monaco and Joseph McCarthy entitled "You Made Me Love You". Edens added additional lyrics turning the song into a musical fan letter. The reaction of the prestigious Hollywood crowd that day to Garland's performance was thunderously positive and directly led to her being cast in The Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937) where she performed the same song, now titled "Dear Mr. Gable." Soon after, Garland was cast in a string of movies, among them Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938) and Babes in Arms (1939). Her growing popularity coincided with Arthur Freed's debut as a producer. The latter was now firmly convinced of Garland's star power and he began to search for the perfect showcase for her. THE PERFECT DOROTHY The Wizard of Oz (1939) was a huge undertaking. Its fantasy theme demanded inventiveness in all aspects of the technical and creative production, from filming to set design, from wardrobe design to special effects and every other department. By the time the film was completed, it would run up a bill of $2.7 million, quite a large sum in the 1930s. The top brass wanted some box office insurance for this film and insisted on casting big names. For the lead role of Dorothy Gale, they wanted Shirley Temple. Shirley was still a phenomenal star at the time and would have been closer to Dorothy's age than Judy Garland. Despite Freed's opinion of Garland for the role, he sent Roger Edens out to test Temple's vocal abilities. Edens came back to report that Temple just didn't have the required range. Besides, Temple was under contract to another studio, which refused to lend her out anyway. Still, the final casting of Dorothy Gale was decided only after numerous attempts to seek out other, more prominent box-office names, though Freed and Edens continued to lobby hard for Judy. By Vicky Lee