One of the most beloved movies of all time, The Wizard of Oz was released in 1939. It is based on the children’s book by L. Frank Baum. Two earlier silent adaptions of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz were released in 1910 and 1925, but it’s the 1939 version that became the classic that we all know today, and also launched the career of Judy Garland.
Sony Pictures Studios
Even today, watching The Wizard of Oz can boggle the mind with the special effects and how good they looked. While some sets were clearly filmed on a soundstage, other scenes, like the farm, look like they were filmed on location. Despite this, the entirety of the movie was filmed on the MGM soundstages in Los Angeles.
The studio, located in Culver City, was owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for many years. It then passed to Columbia Pictures before being bought by Sony. It is now known as Sony Pictures Studios. Numerous soundstages on the lot were used to film The Wizard of Oz. According to The Studio Tour, stages 14, 15, 25, and 26 held various sets for the movie, and stage 27 housed Munchkinland.
There is a giant rainbow arch on the studio, honouring the history of the film. Sony Studios is open for tours to the public. You can read about my experience on the tour here.
The Ruby Slippers
Undoubtedly the most famous relic from the Wizard of Oz are Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers. A major plot point in the story, Judy Garland wore these slippers throughout her time in Oz.
While many sites have detailed history of the slippers, I will try to summarize a bit here. It is said that there were 6 pairs used in filming, and only 4 pairs are known to exist right now. Those 4 pairs are:
The Smithsonian Pair
This pair was anonymously donated to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. They are on display at the National Museum of American History, as the main attraction in the Pop Culture exhibit. It is thought that this pair was used for the dance scenes in the movie. This pair does have orange felt on the bottoms to muffle the sound during filming.
The Academy Museum Pair
This pair of shoes is thought to be the shoes used when Dorothy clicks her heels together and proclaims “There’s no place like home”. This is due to the scuffs on the soles of the shoes. As these shoes have no felt on the bottom, the theory is that they were used primarily for close-up shots. It is also believed that they were worn by the Wicked Witch of the East. Her legs are seen after Dorothy’s house lands on her in Munchkinland. This is the only time the bottom of the shoes are seen, and no felt is visible. This pair of shoes were purchased by Leonardo DiCaprio and Steven Spielberg, and are on display at the Academy of Motion Pictures Museum in Los Angeles.
When the museum first opened in 2021, the Ruby Slippers were on display as part of a larger Wizard of Oz display, which included a number of other costumes and props.
Many more costume pieces have been tracked over the years. Check out this Silver Screen Modes article about some of the items that have come up for auction over the years.
The Double Pair
This pair has the word double written inside, leading some to believe they were worn by Judy Garland’s film double, Bobbie Koshay. There are photos of Judy Garland wearing this pair during photo shoots. However there is some debate as to whether or not she wore them during filming. They also have orange felt on the bottoms. This pair is privately owned by David Elkouby, and are not on display.
The Stolen Pair
This last pair of shoes was owned by collector Michael Shaw, who displayed them at various attractions over the years. They were displayed for a period of time in the Old Central School Building in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. This Museum housed a number of displays dedicated to Judy Garland and the Wizard of Oz, as Grand Rapids was her home town. I remember visiting the museum as a child, and I vividly remember seeing these Ruby Slippers on display. While I’m sure we took a photo, I haven’t been able to locate it. I did, however, find a photo of my sister and I outside the museum.
Grand Rapids now has a Judy Garland Museum, located on the grounds of her childhood home. This museum is the location of the infamous theft of the Ruby Slippers. Shaw had loaned his shoes to the museum for display. In 2005 there was a break-in and the shoes were stolen. Nothing else was taken, and there was a theory about it being an inside job. As time passed, the legend of the theft took on new life. A variety of leads were followed, but nothing came of them.
As the years passed, the chances of recovery grew slim, at least, until the FBI held a press conference in 2018. The press conference announced that the shoes had been recovered in a sting operation. The shoes were transported to the Smithsonian where they were verified by the curators as the real pair.
Timeline
The theft has taken some twists and turns over the years. As best as I can put together, here is what has transpired:
August 27, 2005: The Ruby Slippers, belonging to Michael Shaw and own load to the Judy Garland Museum, are stolen in a late-night break-in.
Undetermined Date: Essex Insurance Company pays out $800,000 to owner Michael Shaw due to the theft.
June 2015: Divers in Itasca County search an abandoned mine pit, based on a tip that the slippers may have been thrown in the lake. The search turns up no results.
September 4. 2018: The FBI announces it has recovered the stolen Ruby Slippers in a sting operation. The slippers were verified by the Smithsonian Institute.
May 2023: Terry Jon Martin is indicted on one count of theft of a major artwork.
October 2023: Martin pleads guilty to the theft of the Ruby Slippers in Federal Court.
January 2024: Martin is sentenced for theft. Due to his declining health and being in hospice care, he is not sentenced to prison. He is ordered to pay $300 a month in restitution to the Judy Garland Museum.
February 1, 2024: The Ruby Slippers were returned to owner Michael Shaw, who purchased them back from the insurance company.
March 2024: A second man is indicted in the theft of the Ruby Slippers. The details of his involvement are not disclosed.
June 2024: The Judy Garland Museum, with funds from the State of Minnesota, announces their hopes to purchase the Ruby Slippers when they are auctioned off later in the year.
The Hollywood Museum Slippers
In the middle of Hollywood sits the Hollywood Museum, filled with props, costumes, and displays from pop culture. Amongst the exhibits on the ground floor is a pair of Ruby Slippers, identified as being from the Wizard of Oz.
Throughout my research, I haven’t been able to find any information regarding the history of this pair. They are not listed in any articles or documents that I could find. I emailed the museum a couple years ago inquiring about the history of this pair, and received no response. When I visited the museum in person, I asked but no one could give me any information.
There’s long been talk that many of the items in this museum are not genuine. It could mean they are replicas, or duplicate props, or just outright fakes. I don’t want to say for sure, but the fact that the history of these Ruby Slippers is untraceable doesn’t lend the museum any credentials. That being said, if these are fakes, they are very good fakes.
