Is it true that someone actually hung themself on the set of The Wizard of Oz?

Answer 1

No. The activity in question is actually just a crane (bird). It's an urban legend.

The alleged suicide comes not at the end of the apple-tossing scene (at which point the Tin Woodsman hasn't yet appeared) but roughly eight minutes later, after the Wicked Witch has made a surprise visit and then vanished in a cloud of orange smoke. Resolving to be brave, Dorothy, the Scarecrow, and the now-present Tin Man link arms, march out to the yellow brick road, and dance around a bit. In the background at this point, in about the center of the frame, one can see a dimly lit stand of trees. Something is moving near these trees, but it's hard to make out what. The trio sashays off toward the rear of the set, in the general direction of the trees, then veers and exits stage right. Just as they leave the frame, a limblike thing near the trees swings up briefly into a horizontal position, then drops again. A suicide kicking the ladder out from beneath himself? Or--you have to consider all the possibilities--the leg of a naked woman in the throes of a passionate embrace?

You can guess what I saw. However, the most common version of the legend has it that this is the on-camera suicide of a despairing Munchkin. (Runner-up: a despairing, or just accident-prone, stagehand. Some claim the victim had recently been fired.)

The Straight Dope research department, known for its dogged investigative skills, tracked down Stephen Cox, author of an entertaining volume entitled The Munchkins of Oz (1996). Cox, who interviewed more than 30 Munchkins to collect stories about the making of the movie, dismissed the suicide story and hinted at an alternative theory, which we'll get to in a moment. He also put us in touch with Mickey Carroll, 78, one of 13 Munchkins still alive today (out of an original 124). Carroll said he'd first heard the story about five years ago but also thought it was bunk. "We were on the set for two months," he said. "I think I would have known if someone committed suicide." (Incidentally, several Munchkins did get fired--one for threatening his wife with a gun--but apparently none was the suicidal type.)

Well, OK. But then what are we seeing? Cox points out that if you look closely during the eight or nine minutes preceding the "suicide," i.e., from just before Dorothy and the Scarecrow encounter the apple-tossing trees, you can spot a large bird strolling around the set--maybe a crane or a stork. (For much of the time it appears to be tethered near the house on which the Wicked Witch perches.) Presumably the bird is supposed to provide atmosphere, but basically all it does is pop into the frame at odd moments. Reviewing the "suicide" with this in mind, we instantly realize: it's the stupid bird pecking the ground and then flapping its wings!

Answer 2

Teacher helper is correct. If you watch the scene directly before the "hanging", you can see this large bird hanging out on the lawn in front of a house. it's the scene where they pick apples from the talking trees, then they discover the Tin Man, then dance off. As they dance off, look in the background by the trees. Once you KNOW that it's a large bird, the movement will look more like a bird lowering its head and less like a Munchkin jumping from a tree.

Answer 3

Buddy Ebsen (the original Tin Man) didn't die, although he came close...when Jack Haley took over the role, they changed the makeup from a powder to a paint. And ironically, although Ebsen never appeared in the movie, he'd go on to outlive all the other cast members before passing away in 03.

Answer 4

No it is not true. In the scene where Dorothy, the scarecrow, and the tinman are skipping away, you can see a shadow of a figure hanging itself but it is fiction. It is actually a crane borrowed from the nearest zoo. The munchkins were party drinkers. Only a few had an alcohol problem.

Answer 5

I have seen the video some years ago from an older tape of the movie. To me it did look like a hanging and not a bird flapping around. You can see the silhouette of the rope, and definately a large mass swinging from side to side. It definately looked like a person, but i wasn't there, so i can't say for sure.

Answer 6

Just an urban legend from Snopes
Not the real deal

Answer 7

No, but I did hear that the tin man died of skin cancer because of the metallic paint they were using on him, it was toxic.

Answer 8

ok actually i just found out it is NOT true. Read the description on the link given above. It's a made-up story

Answer 9

supposedly. but others say it was just someone jumpimg or something. you can see it on line. i am not sure of the links, but just type in wizard of oz hanging and it will take you to it

Answer 10

It's an urban legend reported on snopes.com