A ‘The Wizard of Oz’ dress—missing for decades—discovered at Catholic University

An Iconic Gingham Dress

Back to the beginning. Another iconic piece of movie legend has been found. This is a short post to fill a page and fill in missing pieces of another Oz story. I wonder how many treasures are to be discovered buried in the archives. Of course, are uncovering hidden gems all over the planet.

 

Dorothy’s iconic ‘The Wizard of Oz’ dress—missing for decades—discovered at Catholic University | America Magazine

It turns out there really is no place like home for a prized piece of movie memorabilia that came to The Catholic University of America’s drama department about 50 years ago.

Missing for decades, the university’s long-rumored possession of the blue gingham dress worn by Judy Garland as Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz” showed up without much Hollywood fanfare this summer in a white trash bag stashed high in a theater department’s office.

The piece of movie history, one of six original dresses believed to be in existence, was a gift from Mercedes McCambridge, an actress and friend of Garland’s, who was artist-in-residence at the university in 1972-1973. A 1973 article in the campus newspaper, The Tower, said she donated Garland’s dress to be a “a source of hope, strength and courage” to the students.

This is where the story picks up for me; “a source of hope, strength and courage.”  

For now, it is in safe keeping and being lovingly restored.
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