Video: THE WIZARD OF OZ Ruby Slippers and Witch Hat Spotlighted on TODAY SHOW
The iconic pair of ruby slippers are valued at approximately $3.5 million.
By: Josh Sharpe Nov. 21, 2024
As BroadwayWorld previously reported, a pair of the iconic Ruby Slippers from 1939's The Wizard of Oz are currently up for auction. On Thursday morning, The TODAY Show took a closer look at the piece of movie memorabilia, along with the pointy hat worn by Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch.
The segment included an interview with Brian Chaniss, senior director of Hollywood and entertainment at Heritage Auctions where the pieces are being auctioned. The history of the Judy Garland-worn shoes is complicated. In 2005, the pair was stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Minnesota and were missing until 2018. As of November 21, the current bid for the shoes is over $1 million and are valued at approximately $3.5 million.
With the Wicked movie bringing the world of Oz into the current cultural zeitgeist, the auction comes at an opportune moment. "It's serendipity, really," says Chaniss. "We did not plan this." Watch the segment on the morning show now!
This now-classic musical film The Wizard of Oz stars Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, the young Kansas girl dreaming of a life away from her family farm. What begins in dull black-and-white soon becomes a Technicolor extravaganza as Dorothy and her dog Toto are whisked away to the colorful world of Oz.
The Wicked film adaptation stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Ethan Slater as Boq, and Marissa Bode as Nessarose. The first part will be released on November 22, 2024, with Part Two hitting theaters on November 21, 2025.
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