The Wizard of Oz (TV series) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Wizard of Oz
Genre	Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical
Based on
Developed by	Doug Molitor
Written by	Elana Lesser Cliff Ruby Doug Molitor
Voices of	Charlie Adler Pat Fraley Liz Georges David Lodge Tress MacNeille Alan Oppenheimer Hal Rayle B.J. Ward Frank Welker
Composer(s)	Tom Worrall
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	13
Production
Executive producer(s)	Andy Heyward
Running time	30 minutes
Production company(s)	DIC Animation City Turner Entertainment Co.
Release
Original network	ABC
Original release	September 8 (1990-09-08) – December 28, 1990 (1990-12-28)

The Wizard of Oz is an animated TV show from 1990. It was made by DIC Animation City. The show was created to build on the popularity of the classic 1939 movie. DIC got the rights to the movie from Turner Entertainment, Co..

The series had 13 episodes and first aired on ABC on September 8, 1990. It featured many stories and characters from L. Frank Baum's original Oz books.

What the Show is About

Dorothy decides to go back to the magical Oz with her dog, Toto. She uses her special ruby slippers to get there. When she arrives, she meets up with her old friends: the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion.

But things aren't peaceful in Oz! Glinda the Good Witch tells Dorothy that the Wicked Witch of the West is back! Her evil winged monkeys brought her back to life. The Wicked Witch has taken over the Emerald City. Even the Wizard is in trouble. He's stuck in his hot air balloon, which is under a spell. An evil wind keeps blowing it around.

So, Dorothy, Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion must go on a new adventure. Their goal is to rescue the Wizard and defeat the Wicked Witch for good. Author Jeff Lenburg noted that a big part of the show is Dorothy learning to believe in herself.

How the Ruby Slippers Work

In the show, the ruby slippers don't always give Dorothy instant power against the Witch. They don't always work perfectly. This is because Dorothy isn't always sure how to use them. They often act in unexpected ways.

For example, in one episode, Dorothy clicks her heels four times to fix damage to the Emerald City. This suggests that four clicks might be more powerful than the usual three. Glinda often tells Dorothy to only use the slippers as a last resort.

The Wicked Witch also has a crystal ball, but it's also unpredictable. Sometimes it only works once a day. An episode called "Crystal Clear" explains why. The person who made the ball intentionally damaged it. They did this when the Witch tried to steal it. This stopped her from using its full power.

The Wicked Witch does manage to get the slippers once in the series. But then, one of her monkeys, Truckle, steals them from her. She can't use their power fully. The Cowardly Lion even gets to wear them for a short time!

Similarities to the 1939 Movie

The TV series used many ideas from the 1939 movie. For example, the Scarecrow still has his diploma. Dorothy still has her ruby slippers. The show also used music from the movie, like a slightly changed version of "We're Off to See the Wizard". Just like in the movie, Toto seems to be able to "smell" the Wicked Witch or her magic, even when she's in disguise.

However, Dorothy's look was different. She was designed to look like Ariel from Disney's The Little Mermaid. She was not meant to look like Judy Garland, who played Dorothy in the movie. Also, Dorothy's dress in the show is solid blue, not the checkered pattern from the movie.

One interesting change from the movie is how Dorothy gets back to Oz. In the show, she clicks her heels in her slippers and says, "There's no place like Oz."

Differences from the 1939 Movie

While the series is mostly based on the 1939 movie, there are some differences in the story's rules. In the movie, it's hinted that Oz might have been a dream Dorothy had after hitting her head. But in the TV series, Oz is a real place.

The only other story that shows Oz as a dream is the 1974 animated movie Journey Back to Oz. In that movie, Dorothy also gets a head injury before returning to Oz. The 1990 TV show is considered a spin-off. This is partly because it breaks a rule about the ruby slippers: they were never supposed to come off the wearer's feet as long as they were alive.

Episodes

The show had 13 exciting episodes. Here's a list of them:

Who Voiced the Characters?

Many talented voice actors brought the characters to life:

• Liz Georges as Dorothy Gale
• David Lodge as Scarecrow
• Hal Rayle as Tin Man
• Charlie Adler as Cowardly Lion
• Frank Welker as Toto and the Hyena (in episode 6)
• Tress MacNeille as the Wicked Witch of the West and Miranda (in episode 10)
• B.J. Ward as Glinda
• Alan Oppenheimer as the Wizard of Oz

Other Voices You Might Know

• Jack Angel
• Hamilton Camp
• Pat Fraley as Truckle the Winged Monkey
• Bibi Osterwald
• Rob Paulsen
• Ken Sansom
• Susan Silo as the Munchkin Mayor

Behind the Scenes Crew

• Susan Blu – Voice Director (she helped the actors with their voices)
• Ginny McSwain – Casting Director (she helped choose the voice actors)

Where Else Did the Show Air?

After its first run on ABC, the series was shown again on other channels.

• It aired in syndication (meaning it was sold to many different TV stations) on Bohbot Entertainment's Amazin' Adventures block from 1992 to 1993.
• It also aired on Toon Disney from when the channel started in 1998 until 2002.
• In Canada, the show was on YTV from 1990 to 1995.

Home Video Releases

You could watch The Wizard of Oz TV series at home on VHS tapes and later on DVDs.

United States Releases

International Releases

United Kingdom

Other Countries

The full series, translated into Serbian, was released on four DVDs in 2006. This was for the region of Serbia and Montenegro.