Follow the twisted road of 'Wizard of Oz' through pop culture

April 11, 2017 at 7:44PM
Jessica Vosk as Elphaba in "Wicked."
Photo by Joan Marcus
Jessica Vosk as Elphaba in “Wicked.” Photo by JOAN MARCUS (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

1900: Publication of L. Frank Baum's book "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz."

1902: A stage production, "The Wizard of Oz: Fred R. Hamlin's Musical Extravaganza," is such a big hit that it inspires Baum to write a sequel, and spawns a rival operetta, "Babes in Toyland."

1925: Silent film version with Oliver Hardy as the Tin Man.

1939: Premiere of the celebrated film version.

1956: Film makes its TV debut. It becomes an annual event in 1959.

1973: Elton John finally finds where his future lies with bestselling album "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road."

1973: Pink Floyd denies that its album "Dark Side of the Moon" is set to match the action of the film; fans ignore them.

1974: "Tin Man," fourth Top 10 hit for the musical group America, pays homage to the "heartless" woodsman.

1975: Stephanie Mills and Dee Dee Bridgewater ease on down the road in the Broadway musical "The Wiz." Three years later, it becomes a film with Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.

1979: A pair of Dorothy's ruby slippers are donated to the Smithsonian and become one of its most-asked-about artifacts.

1981: "Under the Rainbow," a comedy set during auditions for the Munchkins, turns out to be one of Chevy Chase's biggest bombs — and that's saying something.

1985: In Martin Scorsese's "After Hours," Rosanna Arquette tells a cowardly Griffin Dunne she can only be sexually stimulated by hearing "Surrender, Dorothy!"

1990: In "Wild at Heart," David Lynch has Laura Dern click her heels, while Nicolas Cage dreams of Glinda the Good Witch.

2003: "Wicked" becomes one of Broadway's most enduring hits.

2004: ABC's "Lost" travels to the world of Oz throughout its six-year season, most slyly by identifying its chief villain as Henry Gale, the name of Dorothy's uncle.

2007: Zooey Deschanel and Richard Dreyfuss star in Syfy's "Tin Man," the highest-rated miniseries of the year.

2017: NBC's "Emerald City" put a dark twist on Baum's tale but audiences didn't give a flying monkey. Library of Congress selects Judy Garland's rendition of "Over the Rainbow" for preservation in the National Recording Registry.

November 10, 1978 Diana Ross, as Dorothy, clasps a fluffy bit of her past - - her beloved dog, Toto - - to her bosom as she warily wends her way through the fantastic, fun - filled and often awe - inspiring world of Oz in the spectacular musical movie, "The wiz. " a Motown Production for Universal release. "The Wiz, " a Motown Production for Universal release, stars Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Lena Horne and Richard Pryor as The Wiz. Produced by Rob Cohen, with Ken Har
November 10, 1978 Diana Ross, as Dorothy, clasps a fluffy bit of her past - - her beloved dog, Toto - - to her bosom as she warily wends her way through the fantastic, fun - filled and often awe - inspiring world of Oz in the spectacular musical movie, “The Wiz.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon
Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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