The Wizard of Oz (1939) has many great actors and actresses within the movie. For the purpose of this blog I have chosen three I feel were key parts in the movies, as well as versatile in their careers.
To begin I will start with the ‘protagonist’ or “main character” (Goodykoontz, 2014, 3.2) of the film, Dorothy Gale, who’s real name is Judy Garland or Frances Ethel Gumm, born 6-10-22 (2014, imdb). While Mrs. Garland was the main character of the movie I believe she would be characterized as a “personality actor . . . at some level playing themselves” (Goodykoontz, 2014, 5.5). Garland had a hard life growing up and in a sense she may have wanted to leave as a child like her character Dorothy did. With her “deep, sultry voice . . . powerful, wide ranged vocals” (2014, imdb) Garland was in many musicals. In 1942 Garland played a “vaude villain” in For Me $ My Gal which would be a change from her typical role as a good girl teenager. Because of the life Garland lived I believe she was a method actor, “more generally feel the emotions they’re portraying instead of just pretending to” (Goodykoontz, 2014, 5.4).
The next character I chose played two parts in the movie; The Wicked Witch of the West and Miss. Almira Gulch, both of whom would be considered villains in this film, Margaret Brainard Hamilton, 12/9/02 – 5/16/85 (2014, imdb). IMDb.com, Inc. showed Hamilton’s part of “the wicked witch of the west . . . one of the screen’s greatest and most memorable villains of all time” with her “rapid fire delivery of lines . . . distinctive high-pitched voice” (2014, imdb). Hamilton would be characterized in the wild card category because of the variety of roles she played in not only movies, but commercials. Hamilton was not always the villain, she was Maxwell House coffee’s “Cora the Coffee Lady . . . in the mid to late 70’s” (2014, imdb). Hamilton also played in musicals and comedies from the (1932) Another Language to the (1969) Screenplay ‘Come Summer’ (2014, imdb). Because of her varying roles Hamilton would be characterized as a “wild card, an actor who is difficult to classify as one certain type often because he or she can play a wide variety of characters equally well without becoming typecast” (Goodykoontz, 2014, 5.5). This would ensure a actor or actress could and does play a variety of roles or parts in different kinds of movies, allowing that they are not just an evil or good person, they can be funny or serious as well.
The third and final character to be discussed actually played several parts in the movie. Frank Morgan, born as Francis Wuppermann, 1890 (2014, imdb) played not only “The Wizard of Oz, Professor Marvel, Doorkeeper of Emerald City, the Wizards Doorkeeper, and Coach Driver” (www.afi.com). With so many parts being played in just on movie, one can see how Morgan would also be characterized as personality actor. IMDb.com, Inc. characterized Morgan as “jovial, somewhat flamboyant . . . playing courtly, sometimes eccentric or befuddled but ultimately sympathetic characters” (2014, imdb). With IMDb.com, Inc. characterizing Morgan in this way it is easy to see why Morgan has typically played parts in comedies or musicals. His easy going, sympathetic, eccentric character is shown from 1922’s Seventh Heaven to 1920’s Her Family Tree and 1943’s The Human Comedy (2014, imdb).
References:
Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2014). Film: From watching to seeing (2nd ed.). San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. This text is a Constellation™ course digital materials (CDM) title
http://www.afi.com/10top10/moreDetail.aspx?id=7892&thumb=1
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000023/bio
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002121/bio
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002121/otherworks?ref_=nmbio_ql_2
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0604656/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0604656/otherworkds?ref_=nmbio_ql_2
The Wizard of Oz 