The Wizard of Oz: The Official 75th Anniversary Companion

The Ruby Slippers from the American classic film The Wizard of Oz are a must-see for anyone visiting the National Museum of American History. This beautiful book, commemorating the 75^th anniversary of the film, is packed with photographs, set illustrations, and little known stories from behind the scenes. You may know that the Slippers, which were silver in the Oz books, were changed to ruby red to make the most of Technicolor and to really stand out against the Yellow Brick Road. But did you know that Judy Garland originally was going to wear a long blond wig? This book has the only known color photo showing her as a blond Dorothy.

Each important character has their own section, showing test shots and costume variations. Another feature is a set of memorabilia tucked in an envelope, such as actor photos, a movie poster, and a Death Certificate for the Wicked Witch of the East. It even includes reproductions of the certificates awarded by the Wizard—a brain for Scarecrow, a heart for Tin Man, courage for Cowardly Lion, and home for Dorothy—those special things we know they had inside themselves all along.