Pre-production and development Gordy originally wanted the teenaged future R&B singer Stephanie Mills, who had originated the role on Broadway, to be cast as Dorothy. When Motown star Diana Ross asked Gordy if she could be cast as Dorothy, he declined, saying that Ross—then 33 years old—was too old for the role.
Nichelle Lewis will play Dorothy in the upcoming touring production of "The Wiz." Photo courtesy of Nichelle Lewis/Instagram. Stephanie Mills played Dorothy when “The Wiz” had its world premiere in Baltimore in 1974. Diana Ross had the role in the 1978 movie.
Why didn t stephanie mills play Dorothy in The Wiz?
Stephanie was a big Diana Ross fan and did not have any desire to play Dorothy on film. She had played the role on Broadway. She has been asked this question many times and has never said or indicated any bad feelings toward Motown, Berry Gordy or Diana. Last edited by captainjames; 02-19-2023 at 08:44 PM.
However, a Motown singer and personal friend of Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, also wanted the role of Dorothy. Despite her manager Berry Gordy's discouragement, she managed to convince the film's exec producer, Rob Cohen, to arrange a deal where he would produce the film if she was cast as Dorothy.
But early on, the movie's production staff put Garland in a long blonde wig and heavy makeup, with defined eyebrows and lots of blush and lipstick. In L. Frank Baum's original book, Dorothy is portrayed as blonde. According to Scarfone and Stillman, Garland liked her initial look.
Stephanie Mills on Playing Dorothy in OG 'The Wiz', Why Diana Ross Was Cast for the Film (Part 1)
Who was Dorothy based on?
Dorothy's character was probably named after Baum's own niece, Dorothy Louise Gage, who died in infancy. Baum's wife was very attached to her and was deeply grieved by her death, so there is speculation that Baum inserted her name into his stories as a memorial.
He idolized Ross, and some have said he even tried to emulate her. "Raising children was the most important role Michael Jackson believed he had, and to put down that Diana Ross would replace his mom, you can't have any greater honor," said Stacy Phillips, a family attorney not working for the Jacksons.
This was the first big African American film production, costing twenty-four million dollars, and unfortunately it failed at the box office. The Wiz was a flop. The perception was white people weren't seeing The Wiz and African American audiences were not active enough movie goers to support a large budget feature.
But even with Diana's hints and gentle let downs, in Michael Jackson's naïve mind, he and Diana were in a relationship and he had hopes that they would ultimately be together. In 1983, Michael Jackson once said in an interview, 'Diana Ross is everything you could wish for, I love her. I hope she marries me.
When Judy Garland was cast in the role of Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz, she was not their first choice. Producers Arthur Freed and Mervyn LeRoy indeed wanted her cast from the beginning, but the studio chief wanted Shirley Temple from 20th Century Fox.
Dorothy represents Everyman; the Tin Woodman is the industrial worker, the Scarecrow is the farmer, the Cowardly Lion is William Jennings Bryan, the Wizard is the President, the munchkins are the "little people" and the Yellow Brick Road is the gold standard. Toto probably represents a dog.
9. "I think I'll miss you most of all." Thus Dorothy says goodbye to the Scarecrow. Why the strange partiality? Because, in an earlier draft of the script, Dorothy and the Kansas counterpart of the Scarecrow are sweet on each other.
In the 1900 book, the character of Dorothy is no older than 10 years old, yet Judy Garland was 16 when she portrayed Dorothy in the 1939 film. In the film, Dorothy is supposed to be 12 years old. Dorothy does not sing in the Oz books. In the Oz books, the fate of Dorothy's parents is never revealed.
in wicked the musical all we ever see of Dorothy is her silhouette. this was to avoid copyright. and to avoid comparisons to the mgm musical in early trial runs of wicked. they did have Dorothy on stage and then they changed it and I thought that was a good move.
Trivia Time: In what order did Dorothy meet Lion, Scarecrow, and the Tin Man? Answer Update: She met them in this order - Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Lion.
Critical reception. Critics panned The Wiz upon its October 1978 release. Many reviewers directed their criticism at Diana Ross, whom they believed was too old to play Dorothy. Most agreed that what had worked so successfully on stage simply did not translate well to the screen.
It was not about Lady Diana. It was about certain kinds of girls that hang around concerts or clubs, you know, they call them groupies. I've lived with that all my life. These girls…they do everything with the band, everything you could imagine.
Jackson credited the “Godfather of Soul” James Brown as his major influence. Jackson grew up watching his idol on television and loved the singer's moves, which he thought were effortless, and his style. We can see where Jackson got some of his moves.
However, she has been married twice, first to music executive and businessman Robert Ellis Silberstein, the father of her daughters Tracee and Chudney, and second to billionaire shipping magnate Arne Naess Jr., the father of her two sons Ross and Evan.
from Chapter 23 - Glinda The Good Witch Grants Dorothy's Wish. Glinda the Good stepped down from her ruby throne to give the little girl a good-bye kiss, and Dorothy thanked her for all the kindness she had shown to her friends and herself.
3. He said he got the name Oz from his filing cabinet. Three years after The Wonderful Wizard of Oz came out, Baum recalled how he came up with the name Oz: He was looking at the filing cabinet in his study. There were three drawers marked “A to G,” “H to N,” and “O to Z.” And so Oz was born.
