American Oz: The True Wizard Behind the Curtain
Division of Public Programs
Advertising poster for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, published in 1900.
—George M. Hill Company, public domain
Advertising poster for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, published in 1900.
—George M. Hill Company, public domain
American Oz captures the life of author L. Frank Baum, the true wizard behind the curtain of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. By the time this literary masterpiece was published in 1900, Baum had pursued a series of jobs in pursuit of success, including chicken breeder, actor, and newspaperman. In his life, Baum witnessed firsthand America coming to terms with the economic uncertainty of the Gilded Age as he traveled to Chicago and the Great Plains during America’s final frontier days.
Throughout his life, Baum never lost his childlike sense of wonder. American Oz captures how Baum crafted his observations into a magical tale of survival, adventure, and self-discovery that has been reinterpreted through the generations in films, books, and musicals.
The Chicago Sun-Times called American Oz a “superb portrait” of Baum’s life and dreams. The PBS American Experience film is available online.