Behind The Scenes Secrets: The Wizard Of Oz

Judy Garland (Dorothy Gale)

Judy Garland may have been the second choice, but she may have been better off without the role. Beyond the well-documented actuality of forcing her to take drugs, she also had to wear a corset, since her body hadbeganto develop (she was 16). She was also told to lose 12 pounds.

Yes, theWizard of Ozrole catapulted her to stardom, but the obvious evidence of exploitation is also troubling. She was already sensitive about her weight (she thought she was overweight), so the constant oversight and demands on her to improve her appearance just further damaged her self-esteem. She once said, “I was frightful. I was fat – a fat little pig in pigtails.”