Google's special logo for August 12, 2010 reminds us that it's the 71st anniversary of the release of The Wizard of Oz, which, though we now think of it as a classic film, wasn't all that highly regarded until it became a TV staple during the late 1950s.
An urban legend of more recent origin (possibly coinciding with the 50th anniversary video release in 1989) holds that unbeknownst to the director, cast, and crew, one of the actors who played a munchkin in the film committed suicide while the camera was rolling and for some reason the shot was never edited out. It can still be seen to this day (including in YouTube clips, some of which contain helpful blow-ups).
Here's an example of the factoid as posted on the Internet in 1993:
A co-worker told me today that there is a scene in the Wizard of Oz where you can see one of the midgets hanging from a rope in the background. She said set conditions were so bad, and all the midgets were treated really badly, and one decided to hang himself on a prop tree.
Amazingly, it's still in circulation despite having been debunked ad infinitum (by munchkin confidante Paula Poundstone, among others). As many have pointed out (and as can be clearly enough seen even in the fuzzy video clips), the dimly-lit figure moving around in the background of the scene is actually one of the live exotic birds distributed around the set for visual interest.
Read more:
• The Wizard of Oz - About.com Classic Movies
Comments
what if i can prove that there is someone hanging in the wizard of oz that no one else has is there a reward for proving that there is because i have run across something that nobody has ever seen
i wouls love to see it! i dont own the movie but i belive there was hanging it just wasnt whre they say it is in the movie
I heard not a munchkin but the guy that didn’t get the role of the scarecrow.
they thaught that optted it out but they missed a scene that shows the entire body up close just people dont know where to look, and i have found it.
@ dean.
sure bud. a billion people have watched this movie countless times and ONLY you have seen the ‘full hanging body’
no one is going to reward you but by all means prove me wrong and tell me what time to look at during the movie.
but wait let me guess i should find it myself because your waiting for the reward thats not coming right?
dear mike come to Louisville Ky and I will be glad too show YOu
Mike ive put it out there if i can not get a reward than im going to show it too the news for all to see
Yeah, you do that, Dean. If you’re going to tell us, tell us. Ah-DUH.
Please oh please show the world what you have seen!!!! There is no reward but you will be the person known for finding it out!!!
If you watch the whole scene and pay attention to the dog…he runs in that direction its my belief that the shape is actually a dog trainer/owner throwing a reward to the stunt dog…or possibly calling him over.
If you’ve watched the movie countless times because you have kids, you can OBVIOUSLY tell that most of those “munchkins” are children. I highly doubt it’s a hanging body.
@ kerry: sorry to inform you of this there weren’t as many “children” playing Munchkins as you think. Of the Munchkin actors, there are 124 midgets and 12 children.
If you guys want to see the actual “hanging munchkin” scene, the only way would be watching the original VHS copy. After the DVD version was made, they replaced the “hanging munchkin” with a bird. That’s why, there’s a confusion on finding the actual “Hanging Munchkin”.
http://youtu.be/P8YVeMwhDNI
the origional copy, the DVD and newer versions eddited it with a bird. so i believe this is true.
I have the original VHS version and its a bird. im on the fence with the whole hanging conspiracy, bc I’ve seen unedited videos and they look promising…still undecided on whether or not to believe its true.
I have made a video that proves without a doubt the hanging munchkin video is fake.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAqvkj3HtGY
Its obvious once youve seen it, parts of the bird appear from nowhere, proving the bird has been edited out
I have seen the original clip and there is definitely a hanging munchkin.. Believe what you want but you can even still slightly see his little munchkin costume on!!!
youre all munchkins !! get a life !!
No one here seems to know that the scene in question was filmed before the munchkins were even on the set of the movie so how can it be a munchkin if there were none on set at that time its a bird!
This discussion really strikes a nerve with me because nobody knows what they’re talking about. The scene with the hanging munchkin is NOT the scene in the forest, that is clearly a bird. It is when Dorothy first gets into Munchkinland before all the munchkins come out. I first saw it about 18 years ago on a VHS tape I recorded off of TV. It is not on the DVD and the earliest VHS release I have tracked down is 1983 and it is not there either. I’ve been looking for the original 1980 release of the VHS to review but I have not been able to get one as of yet. I have seen one comment over the years where someone has seen it like I remember it. The munchkin goes up a ladder and falls down, gets up and goes back up the ladder and hangs himself successfully. I will find it one day.
@ dean -I have seen the close up one isn’t it right after they run into the wicked witch. I saw it a while back.
Ok so i have the original version of the 1980s vhs tape of Oz. it clearly shows a person hanging from a prop tree. In the remastered DVD version they replaced it with the bird. (which u can clearly see). Now in the Cartoon Network version they re edited it again, putting in a large shrub.
I have the ORIGINAL 1980′s VHS release and the supposed “hanging munchkin” after the tin man scene is in FACT a bird! You people are absolutely insane!!! As far as the scene that bobby is talking about, I’ve never paid attention too but I definitely will take another look into it. My mother told me for years about the “hanging munchin” and I’ve done so much research and been in so many different blogs, I’m pretty much sure it IS a myth.
Okay if they were children or not most cases of suicide are in children you idiots i’m doing a report and this isn’t a myth im sure your not all to blind to see that they covered where the rope is hanging him by the waist so its true you all are half retarded
It is on there you can clearly see on vhs. It not on the dvd movie. Google the death of the time the movie was made you will get you answer.
The hanging is in the scene where the witch is on top of the roof with the ball of fire. And when the camera spans out to the forest, if you look towards the far back left (lower tree branch area) you clearly see someone come down on a rope.
This is crazy and hilarious haha. I have seen the movie maybe a dozen times, if not more, and remember that scene with the hanging. I have seen both versions – one where there is clearly a crane or flamingo of some type, kinda like bowing its head or something – and also the other version with the “hanging”. I put quotes because I simply do not know, fact or fiction.
Now, what Bobby says is REALLY intriguing me. This part is never talked about, if not rarely. I have never taken a look at this scene and also it must be SO much harder to spot. LO! I own an original VHS version.. TIME TO HUNT IN THE ATTIC AND COME BACK WITH RESULTS
Yeah, when you see the clip that they exchanged the old one with, its a bird. I believe they were covering it up. In the original, there is a body swaying back and forth from a rope in the background.
Actually the Edited him out & Added the Bird but thats what i think
People it was a sand bag that you saw i know i am an actor after all
You can all thank me for finding out the TRUTH!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8YVeMwhDNI
I win:o)
I have seen the original vhs from the 80′s and I’ve seen the real hanging munchkin. You see him throw the rope go up the tree and then he’s hanging swinging back and forth in the background as Dorothy sings and dances up the yellow brick road. I want to find the original tape but I have a feeling my parents threw it out with all the other vhs tapes from our playroom. The novie replaced the munchkin with a bird so unless you have the original vhs you won’t see it.
Alright based on what i’ve seen the hanging munchkin. In the remastered vhs in like the 80s they replaced the munchkin with a bird. I am still searching but have yet to find when the witch is on the roof. Im tellin ya its real
i saw the tape and i do really do believe that that is a hanging person i dont know if its a person or a munchkin but something is hanging there and if its a crane WHERE ARE ITS LEGS AND ITS WINGS
i believe…. i beleve
Ok guys so one it cant be a bird and then they edited a person in… the year the hanging one came out was before the newly edited new one. There is also another scene when dorothy is in munchkin land and you look in the top left corner you can see legs swinging… anyway does anyone have a link to see the original 1980s full tin man/ hanging scene because apparantly you can see him get the rope ready and see him fall and i think that would be great proof for all non-believers
CLEAR PROOF RIGHT HERE
http://youtu.be/P8YVeMwhDNI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5w7RH06EEI&feature=youtube_gdata_player
the object in the background was a crane or a type of bird, you could obviously see it flap it’s wings. I also saw black and white feathers.
Don’t you think when they were cleaning up the set they would notice him and couldn’t we ask one of the actors that are still alive like one of the monkeys or munchkins at least tell us so we won’t be freaking out trying to figure it out for the rest of everyone’s lives
My husband says its not in the scene (Tin man scene) everyones talking about. Its when Dorothy first gets to munchkin land. Somewhere in the top right corner of that scene. Has anyone else heard this?
Jen I just saw it on youtube. It does look like a munchkin is hanging by its feet. Its under Wizard of Oz suicide. But heres the thing look around at the other munchkin dressed the same and how their hands are and you will notice that its not hanging its just a blurred image.
On the VHS it looks like a midget hanging himself, but in the new DVD of The Wizard Of Oz, it’s a bird. If it was really nothing, why would they put a decoy in the movie?
The bird is fake it was pute there in the remake find the origanel film its there I promise you will see it!
No! It’s real! It’s real! This is what the holly-weird (ebrejis) producers want you to believe! A munchkin (dwarf) did hang himself! It’s all a cover up! Let it be known that a man killed himself on the set of the wizard of oz! Nothing to do with ruinging a wonderful story! This really, really happened! They put the bird in after the munchkin hung himself! It’s a total cover up!
Look to the left theres a man holding the rope for the hanging and moves his legs. Murder. Not suicide. Notice the scarecrow look at him. The director was a violent man.