When you think of a gingham dress and ruby slippers, one face immediately flashes into your mind. It’s Judy Garland. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine anyone else standing on that yellow brick road. But the story of who plays Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz isn’t just a simple casting credit; it’s a saga of studio politics, lucky breaks, and a performance that basically defined 20th-century cinema.
She was only sixteen.
While the film was released in 1939, Garland had been working since she was a toddler. She wasn't even the first choice for the role, which is wild to think about now. MGM originally wanted Shirley Temple. Seriously. Temple was the biggest child star on the planet, but her studio, 20th Century Fox, wouldn't let her go. So, the role fell to the "girl with the great big voice" from Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
Why Judy Garland Almost Didn't Get the Part
It’s one of those Hollywood "what ifs" that keeps historians up at night. If Shirley Temple had played Dorothy Gale, The Wizard of Oz would have been a completely different movie. Temple had a specific, cutesy energy. Garland brought something else—a raw, soulful vulnerability that felt way older than her years.
MGM executives, specifically Louis B. Mayer, were initially skeptical. They thought Garland looked too old. They tried to "de-age" her by binding her torso and giving her a blonde, wig-heavy look that looked totally fake in early screen tests. Thankfully, they scrapped the blonde wig. They let her stay a brunette. They let her be Judy.
The production was a nightmare. That’s not an exaggeration. The set was sweltering because of the Technicolor lights, which required temperatures often exceeding 100 degrees. Garland was reportedly pushed to the limit, working grueling hours while being pressured to maintain a certain weight. It’s the dark side of the "Silver Screen" era that we often gloss over when we're humming "Over the Rainbow."
The Magic Behind "Over the Rainbow"
You know the song. Everyone does. But did you know it was almost cut from the movie?
The producers felt the Kansas scenes were dragging. They thought a teenage girl singing a ballad in a barnyard was too slow for a children's movie. It took the intervention of associate producer Arthur Freed to keep it in. He told the bosses that the song stayed or he walked.
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Garland’s performance of that song is why she is the answer to who plays Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. She didn't just sing the notes. She acted them. There’s a slight catch in her voice—a longing for something "beyond the moon"—that resonated with audiences in 1939 who were just coming out of the Great Depression. It felt real because, for Garland, the struggle was real.
The Other Dorothys You Might Not Know
While Garland is the definitive version, she wasn't the only one. This is where film buffs get to flex their muscles. Before the 1939 masterpiece, there were silent films.
- Bebe Daniels played Dorothy in a 1910 silent version when she was just nine years old.
- Dorothy Dwan took on the role in 1925. That version was weird—it focused more on slapstick comedy and less on the magic of Oz.
Then you have the later reimagining. In 1978, the legendary Diana Ross stepped into the silver slippers (which were actually silver in the original book!) for The Wiz. That version moved the setting to a dreamscape version of New York City. More recently, we’ve seen voices like Lea Michele in animated versions and Adria Arjona in darker TV adaptations like Emerald City.
But let's be real. When someone asks the question, they're looking for Judy.
What It Was Like on the Set in 1938
The filming started in October 1938. It was a chaotic mess of revolving directors. Richard Thorpe was fired. George Cukor came in but didn't stay. Victor Fleming eventually took the reins, and he’s the one who famously slapped Garland when she couldn't stop giggling during the scene where Dorothy slaps the Cowardly Lion.
It sounds harsh. It was harsh.
Garland was surrounded by veteran vaudevillians—Bert Lahr, Ray Bolger, and Jack Haley. They were all trying to out-perform each other, often stealing scenes. Garland had to hold her own against three grown men in heavy prosthetic makeup. She had to react to a mechanical dog (Toto was played by a female Cairn Terrier named Terry) and pretend a painted backdrop was a magical land.
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The chemistry you see on screen? It was earned through 16-hour days and constant retakes.
The Physical Toll of Being Dorothy
We have to talk about the costume. That blue and white gingham dress was designed by Adrian, the legendary MGM costume designer. It was intended to blur Garland's curves to make her look like a pre-pubescent child.
The ruby slippers were a stroke of genius by the studio. In L. Frank Baum’s book, the shoes were silver. But MGM wanted to show off their expensive Technicolor process. Silver looked dull on screen. Red popped. Those shoes became the most famous props in movie history, with one pair even being stolen from a museum and recovered by the FBI years later.
But for Garland, the experience wasn't all magic. She was put on a strict diet of chicken soup, black coffee, and cigarettes to keep her thin. The studio even gave her "pep pills" to keep her energy up for long shoots and then "downers" so she could sleep. This started a lifelong struggle with substance abuse that eventually led to her tragic death at age 47.
The Lasting Legacy of the Girl from Kansas
So, who plays Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz? It’s a girl who gave everything to a role that paid her significantly less than her male co-stars. While the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion were making roughly $2,500 to $3,000 a week, Judy was making about $500.
Despite the pay gap and the grueling conditions, she created a character that is timeless. Dorothy isn't a "damsel in distress." She's the leader of the group. She kills two witches (mostly by accident, but still). She stands up to a giant floating head. She is the moral center of a world gone mad.
The film wasn't an instant blockbuster, by the way. It made money, but because the production was so expensive, it didn't turn a profit for MGM until it was re-released years later. It was television that made it an icon. Starting in 1956, the annual broadcast became an event. Families gathered. Kids hid behind the sofa when the flying monkeys appeared. And Judy Garland became a permanent fixture in the American psyche.
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How to Experience the Legacy Today
If you're a fan of the performance, you don't have to just watch the movie on repeat. There are ways to actually connect with the history of the girl who played Dorothy.
- Visit the Judy Garland Museum: It's located in her birthplace, Grand Rapids, Minnesota. You can see the house she grew up in and a massive collection of Oz memorabilia.
- Check out the Smithsonian: The National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., usually has a pair of the ruby slippers on display. They are smaller than you’d expect.
- Listen to the Decca Recordings: Garland recorded the songs from the movie for Decca Records shortly after the film's release. Her voice on those tracks is hauntingly clear.
- Read "The Real Dorothy": If you want to dive into the inspiration for the character, look into the life of Dorothy Gage, the niece of author L. Frank Baum, who died as a baby and for whom the character was named.
Judy Garland’s Dorothy is a masterclass in screen acting. She managed to be earnest without being cheesy. She was brave but allowed to be scared. Most importantly, she made us believe that there really is no place like home, even when "home" was a sepia-toned farm in the middle of a dust bowl.
She didn't just play a part. She inhabited a myth. And that’s why, nearly a century later, we still know her name.
Summary Checklist for Oz Fans
- Name: Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm).
- Age during filming: 16.
- Iconic Song: "Over the Rainbow."
- Salary: $500/week (compared to her co-stars' $2,500+).
- Key Props: Ruby Slippers (originally silver in the book), Gingham Dress.
- Co-stars: Terry the Dog (Toto), Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Margaret Hamilton.
To truly understand the impact of the role, watch the film again but focus only on Garland’s eyes. In every scene, she is fully present, reacting to the absurdity around her with a groundedness that keeps the movie from flying away. That is the mark of a pro.
If you want to see more of her range, watch A Star is Born (1954). You’ll see the same Dorothy Gale spark, just weathered by time and incredible talent. The girl from Oz grew up, but she never lost that voice.
To dive deeper into the technical side of the film, research the "Three-Strip Technicolor" process. It explains why the colors look so saturated and why the set had to be so incredibly hot for the actors. You can also look up the various "Lost Scenes," like the "Jitterbug" dance number that was cut from the final film to save time. Exploring these archives gives you a much better appreciation for what Garland and the crew actually pulled off in 1939.