More Wizard of Oz Fans Share Their Favorite Memories!

As far back as I can remember, I have loved Oz. The colors, the songs, Toto. I probably wore through several VHS tapes and put our DVD through its paces as a kid. I still remember the Tide commercial that was at the beginning of our VHS where kids were making costumes out of towels and what not (something I always wanted to try).

I know I only would wear shoes with red in them for a long time, and was so excited when I got a pair of red lo-top Converse- my own interpretation of the ruby slippers.

But when I FINALLY got a pair of sparkled knock-offs from Target? That was it. The end. I had died and gone over the rainbow. I wanted to wear those shoes all the time. I still have them, in fact, tucked away in my closet.Their sparkles have fallen off, but their luster to me remains.

-  Ashley

 My parents eloped in 1948 and went into the city (Cincinnati, OH) for the weekend as a honeymoon. They saw the Wizard of OZ live on stage for their first night as man and wife. My husband heard this story from my brother in law some time before we began dating. On our first official date, my now husband took me to see the Wizard of Oz live on stage nearly fifty years later!

Now our children love it and we all watch it together!

-  Sarah

My favorite memory is March 30, 1984. The night before my wedding I was with my family and we were channel surfing after the rehearsal dinner. My wedding day was my grandfather’s birthday. What we did not know at the time was within 3 months my Pop, as I called him, would be dead from undiagnosed stomach and liver cancer. While channel surfing, we found The Wizard of Oz playing. Pop sat with not just me, but, his other 3 grandchildren and his 2 daughters and sons in law and we watched it again while sharing birthday cake.

Since I had watched with my Pop the first time I ever saw the movie, it makes that memory of his final viewing of it that much more special for me.

-  Angela

I began to really enjoy and reflect upon The Wizard of Oz movie as I matured in age. I am now almost 61 years old and I have been exploring my own inner journey, with the help of Dorothy, down the Yellow Brick Road for many years.

My fondest memory was watching The Wizard of Oz with my elderly mother each Thanksgiving during the last 5 years of her life. We cared for her until she was 83 and then we found an appropriate retirement center that could help my mom and our family. Every family celebration and holiday we would pick my mom up and take her home.(There’s no place like home) She looked forward to our weekly visits but especially the family gatherings. She loved movies and next to My Fair Lady, The Wizard of Oz was her favorite. I would prepare the popcorn, desert and serve a little beer. Yes, my mom liked beer with her popcorn. My dear mom was a very classy, artistic lady and she loved the color, style, and Hollywood dramtic flare in The Wizard of Oz. I can not forget, she loved Toto too.

Even though the Great Wizard returned for my mom, Svea, in 2005 I have continued to travel along my Yellow Brick Road.

-  Elizabeth

I remember waiting and waiting all year long for the annual airing of The Wizard of Oz on CBS. It could never arrive soon enough. The week before that wondrous night I’d dive into the TV Guide and absorb everything Oz it included. It has always been my favorite movie. To this day, if ever I’m asked what movie is my favorite, my answer is ‘The Wizard of Oz’. It always will be.

Though I’ve seen the film many times on TV and DVD, my absolute favorite time was viewing it on a projector screen. It wasn’t the best quality or sound. In fact, there was much to be desired since the picture was quite grainy and the audio sounded as if it were emanating from a tin can. But, nonetheless, it is my favorite.

It was March of 2009. The movie was shown in a small conference room at a hotel in Orange Park, FL. I’d guess about 30 people were present. Included in the ticket price was a bag of popcorn, a drink and a candy bar. As I sat on the second row, I remembered those many times I had watched The Wizard of Oz as a child. It was actually hard to believe where I was, because sitting directly in front of me on the first row were three legends- Three actors I had watched over and over and over again in Munchkinland. Margaret Pellegrini, Karl Slover and Jerry Maren. The Flower Pot Hat Lady, The First Trumpeter and The Lollipop Kid.

There they were! It was such an unbelievable treat to watch the scenes of Munchkinland with the actual actors sitting literally right there in front of me! I was able to hear them talk among themselves as they made comments about who they knew and saw on the screen. Of course, whenever any of the actors were seen on screen the audience cheered and clapped, generating laughter and giggles from these three movie legends!

It’s not often one gets to watch a movie with actors who were in it. And it’s extremely rare that one gets to do so with their favorite movie. But it happened to me, and it’s a very special memory that I will take with me forever, and one day over the rainbow.

-  Rob

Comments

[Linda Servedio]

It's one of my all time favorite movies.. I watch it every year.. and shared all my memories with my three grandchildren. Nothing will ever be like this movie.. no movie gave me the feeling it gave me threw the years.. I still get chills when I see it. Love to all Linda Servedio

[Theresa]

I can remember watching this with my daughter who hated the flying monkey's she was so afraid of them. It was a little funny.

[nancy]

my favorite memory is munchinland and glinda it's so wonderful seeing all the nice colors and listing to the music they play on the movie.

[Becki]

I remember as a child, I waited every year for it to come on TV. I got to stay up late and have pop corn and red kool-aid!
The Wizard of Oz is and always will be my Favorite movie ever!

[Emily]

I literally watched this movie at least once a day as a child... sadly not a better film has been made sense! Each time I watch it I indulge in more and more whimsy and more and more meaning, truly the best of both worlds! As I have grown, it has not lost its enchanting truth and will forever hold a place in my heart like that of a family.

[Allison Stein]

The first time I saw The Wizard of Oz it was on TV, and it just so happened that a few days before it was to be on TV, my dad brought home our first VCR. So, my first viewing of the movie was also my parent's first attempt at recording something with the VCR. During the first commercial break, my mom couldn't quite figure out how to stop the recording, so there was a commercial or two in the recording. That said, my sister and watched that video tape over and over and over again!

[Sheila Sokolic-Rodgers]

my greatest moment was at the Wizard of OZ festival in chittenango,new york in 1991 and meeting the original coroner and a couple of the original munchkins,getting their autographs and always keeping the movie close to my heart and where my home is

[Ivy Yeager]

My fav memories from the movie is watching my dad and my little sister dance to somewhere over the rainbow. My sister would get soooo pretty for dad. She still watching the wizard of oz all the time. i think this is a movie that not one person will be able to say i never heard of it.

[tina]

The Wizard of Oz has always been my favort movie ever since i saw it the first time, on one fo the best days of my life the day my daughter was born,right ater the brith after all had left ue alone me and my new daughter just a half hour old i was looking for something to watch in my hospital room and there it was The Wizard of Oz the frist movie me and my daughter shared!

[Joe]

The Wizard Of Oz is my favorite movie of all time. It holds a very special place in my heart and I always cry everytime I watch it. I first saw The Wizard Of Oz when I was three years old. After it was over I turned to my mother and said, "that's what I want to do when I grow up." That movie made me want to become an actor, to go to fantasy lands and to give people the same pleasure as I got from watching those wonderful actors. I am proud to say that I followed my dream. I am a professional working actor in Hollywood, CA and whenever people ask me what inspired me to do what I do for a living, I always say The Wizard Of Oz. When I was little I use to play dress up while I watched it and act out all the parts and scenes. I knew the whole movie by heart: every word, every dance step, every song. But Oz also holds a special place in my heart as it was my grandfather's favorite movie as well. I still remember watching Oz with my grandma and grandpa and dreaming of the day they would watch one of my movies. Sadly, my grandfather passed away before I moved to Hollywood but I know he is forever with me, watching my movies and tv shows from the best seat in the house. Thank you. There truly is no place like home.

[Christine]

My favorite part of this movie starts with Glenda and the lollipop guild . I have loved this movie since I was a kid.

[Donna Sandefur]

My Grandfather had started a tradition when my dad was young, of the family sitting together the night before Thanksgiving and watching The Wizard of Oz, this is something that my dad continued as we were growing up, and now something that I have continued with my family now, and since my dad has passed away, my siblings now come to my house with their kids to watch it. It is pretty much just as important to us as the actual Thanksgiving Day traditions.

[Krystle R.]

When I was little I loved this movie and watched it so many times I broke a few tapes.Now I get to watch it with my kids and they love it just as much as I do.

[Tom Haney]

My greatest memory of the Wizard of Oz, was when Ray Bolger (The Scarecrow) called me at my house in Colorado, and even invited me to visit his house located at 618 N. Beverly Blvd. in Beverly Hills. Regrettably, I was never able to, but I have several photos he sent me and autographed, and of course I will NEVER forget his voice. We corresponded through the mail up until his death, and he was a HUGE part of my child hood. R.I.P. Ray!!

[Kelly]

I have ALWAYS loved The Wizard of Oz. My dad recorded it off of the TV and I would watch it every single day. I knew all of the words, even to the commercials. One year for my birthday my dad got me a pair of my very own ruby slippers. They were WAY too big on me, but I wore them 24/7. Now I watch The Wizard of Oz with my little girl. The look on her face and how excited she gets makes me remember why it will always be a part of my family.

[Michelle]

I LOVE THE WIZARD OF OZ. I EVEN HAVE A TATTOO OF THE OZ WITH THE RUBY SLIPPERS ON MY FOOT. MY LIVING ROOM IS MADE UP OF THE WIZARD OF OZ. I EVEN WENT TO MCDONALDS A FEW YEARS AGO AND BROUGHT ALL THE MUNCHKINS THAT THEY HAD IN THE HAPPY MEALS.

[Gary]

watched it as a family ritual every spring. remember every part of it, and that they always went to commercial after the lion jumped through the glass window. my favorite memory is getting into my Grandma Rose's real storm cellar in Oklahoma, and imagining we were just like the Gale farm in Kansas.

[Wanda Bush]

My mother said when I was little and Wizard of Oz came on TV, I would run hide under my bed when the flying monkeys came on. After I got married and moved away, I would include in my letter to my mom "Have to go clean out under the bed - just saw on TV that Wizard of Oz comes on this weekend!!" I had the privilege of meeting two of the original munchkins a number of years ago.

[Susan]

I was waiting in my hospital room waiting to be wheeled into surgery and I was feeling so nervous/scared as it was a serious procedure and doctors were not sure if it was cancer. The Wizard of Oz has always been my favorite movie of all time and when I saw that it was playing on tv while I was waiting, I knew right then and there that I was going to be ok. And I was.

[Misty]

:: The Wizard of Oz has always been a personal favorite! I enjoy the movie, the books, short cartoons, parodies in tv productions. But my absolute most favorite memory happened when I was about 7 or 8 years old. My parents took my younger brother and sister and myself to Indianapolis. We were told we were going to an Indianapolis Ice Hockey game (which we all enjoyed). I saw a few booths selling OZ merchandise, but thought nothing of it. Dad purchased my mother, sister, and I a light up Glenda's Wand and two matching Oz shirts for he and my baby brother... it was when we walked into the colosium that I saw the banner! OUR PARENTS TOOK US TO SEE THE WIZARD OF OZ ON ICE! The show was fantastic! lots of creative lighting, sets, and costumes combined with legendary music and plot! It was a dream come true that I have and never will forget!

[Shelley Amerson]

I have always loved The Wizard of OZ. As far back as I can remember I loved watching. But most of all I remember the times while my 3 nieces were young.Every year when out local station showed The Wizard of Oz they girls would come over to watch. I would spread a big blanket on the floor, pop a bunch of popcorn and we would sit and munch on the popcorn , loving every minute. Then one year as we practiced our yearly viewing things changed. My 2 grown brother ( one of them the girls father) were replacing the windows in our living room where we were watching the TV. Out of nowhere I hear " We represent the Lollipop Guild the lollipop guild."! Lo and behold my brothers were singing and doing the little dance.. the whole show they were saying and singing the songs right along with the show. How funny! It really made The Wizard of Oz even more special to me. I am now 59 years old and remember it like yesterday

[Carolyn]

I am 58 years old and have watched it every year, and it was required of my three children that they watch it every year they were growing up, i love it!!!

[Christine Barringer]

I am a fourth grade teacher and I always end the year (the last day of school) watching The Wizard of Oz with my students. I remember watching this movie as a child with my four sisters and mom and dad and loving it. I used to always joke around with my older sister that one day I was going to buy her her very own pair of ruby red slippers so she could click her heals together and always get home!!! Ha Ha! I am always amazed to learn how many of my students have never seen this classic movie! As a child, I never caught on to the farm "help" ending up being a part of the adventure -- the scarecrow, the tin man, the lion, etc.. I love pointing this out to my students at the end of the movie when all of the farm "helpers" are around Dorothy as she wakes up. It is really a wonderful movie with a terrific message -- there is no place like home being with the ones you love!!!

[amie ludwick]

i have two moments, the first is when i was about 5 or 6, laying on our living room floor the saturday before easter, with my mom and dad on either side of me. it was the coolest moment, and i thought it was the first time they ever saw it too. the second, and most precious to me is singing "somewhere over the rainbow" along to the tv to my 3 month old son. it was the only song i could remember while i was pregnant, and every time i sang it he would settle down in the womb. to be able to hold him and sing it to him made me cry. hes now 3, and its one of his favorite movies, and he sings "somewhere over the rainbow to me now... :)

[Christine Romero]

Beginning in 1959, watching the Wizard of OZ on television was a much anticipated yearly event. Of course, in those days, all we had was an old black-and-white TV. When I went away to college in the early 1970s, I saw they were showing the film at the newly restored Paramount Theatre in Austin, TX.

I settled in to the red velvet seat, and watched the film on the big screen for the first time in my life. When the twister deposited Dorothy in the Land of Oz and she opened the door of her house, it literally took my breath away. I had no idea the film was in color from that point - and what color it was! The birds and critters in the forest! The poppies! The glistening ruby slippers. I was witnessing a miracle, one to be remembered for the rest of my life.