The famous pet that accompanied Dorothy in the 1939 film received an unusual salary for the time.
the movie The Wizard of Oz It marked a before and after in the history of cinema. The production was very innovative for the time due to its visual impact, but there is a detail that today seems completely illogical, since the dog who played Toto He received a higher salary than several of the actors of the cast.
The detail became known years after the premiere, when the salaries for the filming were revealed. The story of this little dog is not only notable for her role alongside Judy Garland, but also for the treatment she received on Hollywood’s most famous set in 1939.
Dorothy and Toto 2
How much did the dog from “The Wizard of Oz” earn?
Terry, a purebred dog cairn terrierwas in charge of interpreting TotoDorothy’s faithful companion. His weekly salary was 125 dollarsa figure that today is equivalent to about $2,730. The money was managed by her trainer, responsible for training her for the complex scenes she had to carry out.
During filming, Terry suffered a fracture in one of his legs due to an accident on the set, which forced part of the filming to be suspended until he recovered.
His contract was more generous than that of the actors who gave life to the munchkinsthe inhabitants of the world of Oz. These interpreters were paid between 50 and 100 dollars per weekless than half of what the animal earned. In comparison, Judy Garland won 500 dollars a weekwhile male protagonists such as Ray Bolger (the Scarecrow) or Jack Haley (the Tin Man) reached the 3,000 dollars.
Why the film was so iconic and how it affected Judy Garland
The Wizard of Ozand became a cultural icon by popularizing the color cinema and combine fantasy, music and visual effects, which were something unprecedented for the time. But the success of the film contrasted with the personal suffering of its protagonist, Judy Garlandwho had only 16 years during filming.
The young actress was subjected to a extreme control by the MGM studiowhich regulated his diet, his physical appearance and his training routines. In addition, he had to endure long days of recording under stifling temperatures due to the powerful lights necessary to film in Technicolor.
The atmosphere on set was very hostile and full of excesses. Garland endured humiliating comments, harassment and work pressures that affected her mental health. The study doctors began giving him amphetamines and sleeping pillsbeginning a dependency that accompanied her throughout her life.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
