Return to Oz (TV program)
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- For other uses, see Return to Oz (disambiguation)
Return to Oz (1964) was an animated television special produced by Rankin/Bass. It first aired 9 February 1964 in the United States on NBC's General Electric Color Fantasy Hour.
The special was produced by Crawley Films for Rankin/Bass. Crawley Films also produced the earlier 1961 animated series, Tales of the Wizard of Oz and brought similar artistic character renditions to the special.
A DVD version of this special was released by Sony Wonder on 7 March 2006.
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[edit] Characters
The following characters appear in the special, with associated voice actors:
- Dandy Lion (Cowardly Lion) - Carl Banas
- Dorothy Gale - Susan Conway
- Glinda, the Good Witch of the North - Peggi Loder
- Munchkins - Susan Morse
- Rusty the Tinman (Tin Woodman) - Larry D. Mann
- Socrates the Strawman (Scarecrow) - Alfie Scopp
- Toto
- Wicked Witch of the West - Peggi Loder
- Wizard of Oz - Carl Banas
[edit] The Plot (1964 version)
Dorothy receives a letter from Socrates the Strawman telling her that everyone is happy with the gifts the Wizard gave them, and that they miss her very much. Dorothy goes to find her silver slippers and is instantly taken to Oz again by another Kansas Twister, this time not by house, but an apple tree. Once she arrives back in Oz she is greeted by the Munchkins in Munchkinville, Glinda arrives to tell Dorothy that The Wicked Witch Of The West is not dead and that she has taken Socrates' diploma and burned it up, Rusty's Heart by turning herself into a female tin lady and dropping poor Rusty into the water where his Chocolate heart melted and he rusted from the fall, Danny's Medal by turning it into a daisy, and is planning to get Dorothy's Silver Slippers again.
Dorothy sets of to find her friends, without knowing the Wicked Witch is watching them in her Crystal Ball. Dorothy finds Rusty who has rusted after the witch had tricked him. They find Socrates in a corn field on a pole scaring crows again. Danny finds them by running into them as he was being chased by his own shadow. The friends being reunited arrive at the Emerald City, only to be tricked by the Witch, who has captured the Wizard and taken over as Oz. The Wizard/Witch tells them to destroy the Witch again and he will give them what they want. The Witch arrives back at her castle just in time for Dorothy to arrive, but before they arrive she sends flying alligators to kill them, with Socrate's think fast he saves them by hiding them under his hay. Rusty saves them from the lighting bolt which kills Rusty, Dorothy ask's Glinda if she will help and a glowing ball brings Rusty back to life. The friends arrive and are trapped by the Witch, the Witch grabs Dorothy and tries to take her Silver Slippers. The Gang (including the Wizard himself) try to get Dorothy back from the Witch. The Witch gives Dorothy and Danny the Slippers. Dorothy, who is being held up-side down from the window, tells Danny that he will turn to stone if he takes the Slippers. The Witch takes the slippers only to be turn in stone and crumble and fall apart. The Gang return to the Emerald City, only to find out that the Wizard is humbug once again. Glinda appears to tell Dorothy the reason why her friends didn't turn to stone was because they had brain, heart, and courage. Dorothy wishes to go back and instantly a Kansas twister wisks her and Toto back home to Aunt Em and Uncle Henry again.
[edit] Video/DVD
After it aired on NBC in 1964 it was one of the many Rankin/Bass TV Specials not seen again until the 2000's when Sony released them under the DVD Company Classic Media. In March 2006, this lost animated TV special was released on DVD for the first after it was released in the late 80's on VHS by Prism Entertainment. It had previously been available for syndication, and a few local stations picked it up.
[edit] External links
This article relating to the book "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz", the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz" or one of their derivative works is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
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