The curse of the WIZARD OF OZ

Did you know this colourful musical fantasy was plagued by tales of behind-the-scenes darkness?

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TIN MAN WAS POISONED

Buddy Ebsen was originally cast to play the beloved Tin Man, but the metal makeup – made out of pure aluminium dust – landed him in hospital nine days into filming. “He couldn’t breathe, and his fingers and toes started to cramp up,” says Buddy’s daughter Kiki. After a slow recovery – where he spent two weeks hospitalised in an oxygen tent and six weeks recuperating – the actor was put under the pump by Hollywood bosses to return to set. “They told me to get the hell back to work,” said Buddy. He was ultimately replaced by Jack Haley.

HAUNTING HANGING MUNCHKIN