Cowardly Lion

Last updated
The Cowardly Lion
Oz character
Cowardly Lion.png
The Cowardly Lion as illustrated by William Wallace Denslow (1900)
First appearance The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)
Created by L. Frank Baum
Portrayed byFred Woodward ( His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz )
Spencer Bell ( The Wizard of Oz )
Bert Lahr ( The Wizard of Oz )
Ted Ross ( The Wiz )
Cedric the Entertainer (1995 Apollo Theater Revival)
John Alexander ( Return to Oz )
David Alan Grier ( The Wiz Live! )
Voiced by Jim Belushi ( Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return )
Jess Harnell ( Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz )
In-universe information
Alias Dandy Lion
Species Lion
GenderMale
TitleKing of the Forest
OccupationKing of the Forest of Wild Beasts
Ozma's chariot puller

The Cowardly Lion is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. [1] He is depicted as an African lion, but like all animals in Oz, he can speak.

Contents

Since lions are supposed to be "The King of Beasts", the Cowardly Lion believes that his fear makes him inadequate, without understanding that courage means not a lack of fear but acting in the face of fear, which he does frequently. Only during the aftermath of the Wizard's gift, when he is under the influence of an unknown liquid substance that the Wizard orders him to drink is he not filled with fear. He argues that the courage from the Wizard is only temporary, although he continues to do brave deeds.

The Cowardly Lion is in fact brave, but he doubts himself. In many scenes of the classic book and film, he shows bravery in the face of danger, similar to the Scarecrow who wants a brain even though he is the smartest one, and the Tin Man who wants a heart but cries to his detriment when he does anything remotely mean by accident and rusts himself still.

Books

Dorothy meets the Cowardly Lion, from the first edition. Cowardly lion2.jpg
Dorothy meets the Cowardly Lion, from the first edition.

The Cowardly Lion makes his first appearance in the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz . He is the last of the companions Dorothy befriends on her way to the Emerald City where he ambushes her, Toto, Scarecrow, and Tin Woodman. When he tries to bite Toto, Dorothy slaps him. She calls the Lion a coward and the Lion admits that he is. The Cowardly Lion joins her so that he can ask The Wizard for courage, ashamed that he is not brave enough to play his cultural role of the King of the Beasts. [2] Despite outward evidence that he is unreasonably fearful, The Cowardly Lion displays great bravery along the way. During the journey, he leaps across a chasm on the road of yellow brick multiple times, each time with a companion on his back, and then leaps back to get the next one. When they come into another, wider chasm, the Cowardly Lion holds off two Kalidahs while the Tin Woodman cuts a tall tree to cross it. In spite of his fears, he still goes off to hunt for his food, and he even offers to kill a deer for Dorothy to eat, but the idea makes her uncomfortable.

The Wizard gives him a dish of unknown liquid, telling him it is "courage" to drink. In the remainder of the book, the Lion becomes aggressive and ready to fight. He accompanies Dorothy on her journey to see Glinda, and allows his friends to stand on his back in order to escape the Dainty China Country.

His favored companion is the Hungry Tiger. This may well be the "Biggest of the Tigers" he and his friends encounter in the Forest of Wild Beasts in the Quadling Country [3] In this forest, all of the lions and many of the other animals have been eaten by a Giant Spider. The Lion finds the Giant Spider asleep and decapitates it. The Tiger and the other animals bow to him and ask him to be their king, and he promises to do so upon his return from accompanying Dorothy to Glinda. Glinda orders the Winged Monkeys to carry him back to the Forest once Dorothy has returned home.

In the rest of Baum's Oz series, the Lion never again played a major role. In later books, The Cowardly Lion often accompanies Dorothy on her adventures. He is Princess Ozma's chief guardian on state occasions, and he and the Hungry Tiger pull Ozma's chariot. In subsequent Oz books by Baum, the Lion was shown to have continued being courageous and loyal, although still considering himself a coward and regularly frightened, even by Aunt Em. He befriended the Hungry Tiger in Ozma of Oz , if this was not the earlier Tiger (which The Patchwork Girl of Oz implies that it is by calling both Lion and Tiger "largest of their kind"), and the two have become Ozma's personal guards. In Glinda of Oz he is on Ozma's board of advisers.

In "The Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger" in Little Wizard Stories of Oz , the Lion begins with cowardly bravado, intending to find a man to tear apart, and the Tiger a fat baby to devour. Instead, they find a small child (bigger than a baby) and return it to its mother.

In a later book in the Oz series, The Cowardly Lion of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson, Mustafa of Mudge, a wealthy sultan at the southern tip of the Munchkin Country, kidnaps the Cowardly Lion for his large collection of lions that he feels would be incomplete without Oz's most famous lion. He was turned to stone by the giant Crunch, but rescued by American circus clown Notta Bit More and orphan Bobbie Downs, whom the clown prefers to call by the more optimistic-sounding Bob Up.

For the most part in later Oz books, though, the Cowardly Lion is a cameo appearance rather than a major character. His other significant appearances include Ojo in Oz , where he is turned into a clock by Mooj and saved by Ozma and the Wizard. He assisted against the Stratovanians in Ozoplaning with the Wizard of Oz , Terp the Terrible in The Hidden Valley of Oz , and accompanied Dorothy and Prince Gules of Halidom in Merry Go Round in Oz . John R. Neill portrayed him primarily as a beast of burden in his three Oz books. In all, the only three books in which the Cowardly Lion does not rate at least a mention are The Tin Woodman of Oz , Grampa in Oz , and The Silver Princess in Oz .

Film portrayals

His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz

In the 1914 film His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz , the Cowardly Lion was played by Fred Woodward.

The Wizard of Oz (1925)

In the 1925 silent film The Wizard of Oz , directed by and starring Larry Semon, the Cowardly Lion was played in disguise by Spencer Bell.

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion for the 1939 film. The Wizard of Oz Bert Lahr 1939.jpg
Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion for the 1939 film.

In the classic 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz , the Cowardly Lion was a humanoid biped and played by Bert Lahr, a popular vaudeville and Broadway star, with many of Lahr's trademark mannerisms deliberately worked into the film. In this version, the liquid courage given to him by the Wizard is replaced with a medal marked "Courage". Bert Lahr's biography, written by his son John Lahr, is entitled Notes on a Cowardly Lion.

The movie was made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which uses a lion as its mascot. In fact, MGM even considered using their mascot for the role of the Cowardly Lion.

In the movie, the Lion walks on his hind legs instead of all four, except when he is first seen bounding out of the forest to attack Dorothy's friends. After roaring fiercely at them on all fours, he does stand up on his hind legs.

Lahr also portrayed the Lion's Kansas counterpart, Zeke (one of Aunt Em and Uncle Henry's farmworkers). Screenwriter Noel Langley created this character for the film. [4] Zeke helps Hickory (Tin Man's alter ego) lower a bed into its place on a wagon at the farm. He then moves the hogs into the pig pen and pours feed into their trough. When Dorothy falls off the railing that encircles the pen, Zeke jumps in and rescues her. With Dorothy safe, Zeke sits down beside the pen, breathing heavily and seemingly about to faint. The others realize that he had been afraid of the pigs, and playfully mock him. Zeke wears his hat throughout the entire film because he does not struggle to open the cellar when the tornado approaches the farm. Hunk (Scarecrow's alter ego) closes and locks the cellar with him when Dorothy arrives at the farmhouse. Zeke and Professor Marvel (The Wizard's alter ego) are the only men wearing hats when Dorothy awakens from being unconscious.

Cowardly Lion Courage Medal

Cowardly Lion's courage medal used for the 1939 film. Medal001.jpg
Cowardly Lion's courage medal used for the 1939 film.

The original Courage Medal prop from the 1939 film, a cross-shaped medal made of poly-chromed metal and measuring 7.5 × 7.5" (19.1 × 19.1 cm), features a lion in profile above a crown and a knight's helmet and the word "Courage" in raised blue scroll lettering. In the late 1950s, Mal Caplan, the head of the costume department at MGM was in a life-threatening automobile accident, and spent months in the hospital before returning to work. For some time he was unable to sit upright and had to work from a chaise longue. In recognition of his courage, his colleagues and the management at MGM presented him with the Cowardly Lion's Courage Medal. He was also given the Tin Man's "heart", but he gave that to "someone who needed it", a man in the same hospital who was having open heart surgery. The current whereabouts of the heart clock are unknown. The Courage Medal remained in the Caplan family until it was consigned to a Sotheby's Entertainment Memorabilia auction in May 1997. [5] [6] [7] The medal was purchased by a New Jersey collector, and in November 2010 was featured on episode 7 of the TV show Hollywood Treasure.

Cowardly Lion costumes

An original Cowardly Lion costume from The Wizard of Oz was packed away after filming and forgotten for decades. [8] It was found barely in time to be included in the landmark 1970 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer auction, where it sold for $2400 to a California chiropractor. [8] In 1985, sculptor Bill Mack acquired it; [8] he could not recall the exact price, but stated, "It was several thousand dollars, instead of several hundred thousand". [9] He had it restored by a taxidermist and "recreated the headpiece with a lifelike sculpture of Lahr". [8] In December 2006, he sold it for $826,000. [9]

Another costume currently resides in the Comisar Collection, the largest collection of television artifacts in the world. [10] [11] Curator James Comisar acquired the costume, after verifying to his satisfaction that it had been worn in the film, and set about restoring it. [12] The major challenge was the weight of the tail caused rips across the back of the costume that needed to be patched, which was done by Cara Varnell, a textile conservation expert at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. [13] The Cowardly Lion's original facial appliances had been glued directly to Bert Lahr's face and did not survive the production, [13] so Comisar asked Lahr's son, Herbert, to model for another face cast, as he had an uncanny resemblance to his father. [13] Herbert Lahr remarked:

The Lion’s suit was very interesting. It was a real lion skin, and it weighed 60 lbs. My dad had to be in it all day, he couldn’t eat because of the way the mask was, so he had to eat his lunch through a straw. [13]

The Cowardly Lion's mane was re-created from human hair imported from Italy at a cost of $22,000, and more than twenty-one artisans worked for two years completing the conservation. [12]

Comisar's Cowardly Lion costume has been featured in the national media, including on The Oprah Winfrey Show, when it was then valued at $1.5 million. [14] The costume is thought to be among the most valuable and iconic Hollywood objects in existence.[ citation needed ] “Most of us cannot relate to not having a brain or a heart; we can all relate to not having enough courage, and it is for this reason I believe the Cowardly Lion is the character we respond to the most,” said Comisar. [12] Many potential buyers have expressed interest in buying the costume, but so far he has rejected all offers. Comisar's costume was offered by Bonhams in their TCM-themed auction that took place in New York City on November 24, 2014, [15] where it received great interest and realized the selling price of $3.1 million, [16] and this is the highest known price point for a costume worn by a male performer in any Hollywood production.

William Stillman, a noted historian and co-author of several books about the film, featured a full-page photograph of this Cowardly Lion costume in his book, The Wizardry of Oz: The Artistry and the Magic of the M.G.M. 1939 Classic. The accompanying text states, "While Bert Lahr appears to wear the same costume throughout the picture, others were available for dress rehearsals or for the stunt double to bound onto the Yellow Brick Road, leap through a window in the Emerald City, or scale the cliffs outside the Witch’s castle." [17] In 1998, both Comisar and auctioneering company Profiles in History, on behalf of Mack, insisted they had Lahr's costume. [18]

The Wiz

The Cowardly Lion is a featured character role in The Wiz , an all-Black Broadway musical adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with songs by Charlie Smalls, a book by William F. Brown, and direction by Geoffrey Holder. Ted Ross first portrayed the Lion when The Wiz debuted on Broadway in 1975, and he won the 1975 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his portrayal. [19]

Ross reprised his role as the Lion in Motown Productions and Universal Pictures' 1978 film version of The Wiz, directed by Sidney Lumet. David Alan Grier portrayed the Lion in 2015's The Wiz Live! , an NBC television special adapted from the musical by director Kenny Leon and teleplay writer Harvey Fierstein.

Return to Oz

In the 1985 spiritual sequel to The Wizard of Oz, the Cowardly Lion is briefly seen at the end of the film. Unlike the 1939 film, this version is a puppet and walks on all fours.[ citation needed ] He is also shown growling rather than speaking.

The Oz Kids

In the 1996 animated cartoon series The Oz Kids, the Cowardly Lion (voiced by unknown) rules the kingdom to the south of Emerald City, Quadling Country and has two cubs, Bela and Boris. His son Boris is afraid of things, like his father.

Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return

The Cowardly Lion appeared in the animated film Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return (which is based on Dorothy of Oz ), voiced by Jim Belushi.

Oz: The Great and Powerful

The Cowardly Lion makes a brief cameo in the 2013 film Oz: The Great and Powerful , as a CGI character. He briefly tries to attack Oz (played by James Franco) and his monkey companion Finley (voiced by Zach Braff), but Oz uses his magic to create a velvet fog that intimidates the lion, causing him to immediately retreat.

Later works and parodies

Although not a direct adaptation to the literature itself, the 2013 Super Sentai series, Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger features the Deboth Army's members being themed after the characters in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Raging Knight Dogold is designed with the motif of the Cowardly Lion, whose loss of Utsusemimaru as his host parallels his source of inspiration joining Dorothy to earn courage.

Speculated origins

In the original Oz books, the Lion's origins were never explicitly stated. However, many works since then have either hinted at or revealed elements of backstory for the Cowardly Lion. Partly due to the large amount of written material about Oz, many of these stories are contradictory to each other or to the "Famous Forty" Oz books, and many fans do not accept them as canonical. The canonical books give no indication the Lion did not originate in Oz, essentially as a normal, if unique, lion.

A skittish and fearful lion cub is seen at Shiz University in Gregory Maguire's novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West . The cub had been the result of cruel experiments by Dr. Dillamond's replacement teacher (in the musical, it was an agent of the Wizard) and was saved by Elphaba and some other students. This is heavily hinted to be a younger form of the Cowardly Lion. The Tin Woodman confirms this in the Broadway musical adaptation Wicked , in the song "March of the Witch Hunters": "And the lion also has a grievance to repay! If she'd let him fight his own battles when he was young, he wouldn't be a coward today!"

Maguire's third book in The Wicked Years, A Lion Among Men , is told primarily from the Lion's viewpoint, and its plot is centered around Brrr's account of his own origins, or lack thereof (he is unsure, as his narration begins, of the whereabouts of his parents, pride, etc.).

The book Lion of Oz and the Badge of Courage and its accompanying animated feature, Lion of Oz , show the Lion as having grown up in a circus in America. His caretaker, Oscar Diggs, was the man who would become the Wizard of Oz; this man took the Lion on a balloon ride one night, which resulted in the two becoming stranded in Oz.

The film Oz the Great and Powerful shows Oscar Diggs driving away an attacking lion with a smoke bomb, suggesting that this lion is Dorothy's future companion.

In the 2017 TV series Emerald City , the Lion is a former guard in the Wizard's army who is cursed into the form of a beast for his actions against the former Royal Family of Oz.

Political interpretations

Some historians, such as Henry M. Littlefield in American Quarterly , [20] have suggested that Baum modeled the Cowardly Lion after politician William Jennings Bryan, or politicians in general.

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>The Marvelous Land of Oz</i> 1904 childrens novel by L. Frank Baum

The Marvelous Land of Oz: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, commonly shortened to The Land of Oz, published in July 1904, is the second book in L. Frank Baum's Oz series, and the sequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900). This and the following 34 books in the series were illustrated by John R. Neill. It was followed by Ozma of Oz (1907).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dorothy Gale</span> Fictional protagonist in Oz novels

Dorothy Gale is a fictional character created by the American author L. Frank Baum as the protagonist in many of his Oz novels. She first appears in Baum's classic 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and reappears in most of its sequels. She is also the main character in various adaptations, notably the 1939 film adaptation of the novel, The Wizard of Oz.

<i>The Magic of Oz</i> Book by L. Frank Baum

The Magic of Oz is the thirteenth book in the Oz series written by L. Frank Baum. Published on June 7, 1919, one month after the author's death, The Magic of Oz relates the unsuccessful attempt of the Munchkin boy Kiki Aru and former Nome King Ruggedo to conquer Oz. It was followed by Glinda of Oz (1920).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wizard of Oz (character)</span> Character from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkle Emmannuel Ambroise Diggs is a fictional character in the Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. The character was further popularized by a stage play and several films, including the classic 1939 film and the 2013 prequel adaptation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glinda</span> The Wonderful Wizard of Oz character

Glinda is a fictional character created by L. Frank Baum for his Oz novels. She first appears in Baum's 1900 children's classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and is the most powerful sorceress in the Land of Oz, ruler of the Quadling Country South of the Emerald City, and protector of Princess Ozma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tin Woodman</span> Character from Oz series

Nick Chopper, the Tin Woodman, is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. He first appeared in his 1900 book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and reappeared in many other subsequent Oz books in the series. In late 19th-century America, men made out of various tin pieces were used in advertising and political cartoons. Baum, who was editing a magazine on decorating shop windows when he wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, was inspired to invent the Tin Woodman by a figure he had built out of metal parts for a shop display.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Land of Oz</span> Fantasy land created by L. Frank Baum

The Land of Oz is a magical country introduced in the 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarecrow (Oz)</span> Character in L. Frank Baums fictional Land of Oz

The Scarecrow is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum and illustrator W.W. Denslow. In his first appearance, the Scarecrow reveals that he lacks a brain and desires above all else to have one. In reality, he is only two days old and merely naïve. Throughout the course of the novel, he proves to have the brains he seeks and is later recognized as "the wisest man in all of Oz," although he continues to credit the Wizard for them. He is, however, wise enough to know his own limitations and all too happy to hand the rulership of Oz to Princess Ozma and become one of her trusted advisors, though he typically spends more time having fun than advising.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wicked Witch of the East</span> Fictional character

The Wicked Witch of the East is a fictional character created by American author L. Frank Baum. She is a crucial character but appears only briefly in Baum's classic children's series of Oz novels, most notably The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mombi</span> Fictional character

Mombi is a fictional character in L. Frank Baum's classic children's series of Oz Books. She is the most significant antagonist in the second Oz book The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904), and is alluded to in other works. Mombi plays a very important role in the fictional history of Oz.

<i>The Wonderful Wizard of Oz</i> (TV series) 1986 TV series

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, known in Japan as Ozu no Mahōtsukai (オズの魔法使い), is a Japanese anime television series adaptation based on four of the original early 20th century Oz books by L. Frank Baum. In Japan, the series aired on TV Tokyo from 1986 to 1987. It consists of 52 episodes, which explain other parts of the Oz stories, including the events that happened after Dorothy returned home.

<i>The Wonderful Wizard of Oz</i> (1910 film) 1910 American silent fantasy film by Otis Turner

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, also known as The Wizard of Oz, is a 1910 American silent fantasy film and the earliest surviving film version of L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The film was made by the Selig Polyscope Company without Baum's direct input. It was created to fulfill a contractual obligation associated with Baum's personal bankruptcy caused by the failure of his theatrical production The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays. It was partly based on the 1902 stage musical The Wizard of Oz, though much of the film deals with the Wicked Witch of the West, who does not appear in the musical.

<i>The Wizard of Oz</i> (1982 film) 1982 anime film directed by Fumihiko Takayama

The Wizard of Oz is a 1982 anime feature film directed by Fumihiko Takayama, from a screenplay by Akira Miyazaki, which is based on the 1900 children's novel by L. Frank Baum, with Yoshimitsu Banno and Katsumi Ueno as executive producers for Toho.

<i>The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True</i> 1995 American film

The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True is a 1995 television musical performance based on the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. The book and score of the film were performed on stage at Lincoln Center to benefit the Children's Defense Fund. The concert featured guest performers including Jackson Browne as the Scarecrow, Roger Daltrey as the Tin Man, Natalie Cole as Glinda, Joel Grey as the Wizard, Jewel as Dorothy, Nathan Lane as the Cowardly Lion, Debra Winger as the Wicked Witch, and Lucie Arnaz as Aunt Em. The Boys Choir of Harlem appeared as the Munchkins, and Ry Cooder and David Sanborn performed as musicians.

The Soldier with the Green Whiskers is a character from the fictional Land of Oz who appears in the classic children's series of Oz books by American author L. Frank Baum and his successors. He is introduced in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900). His name is Omby Amby, but this was so obliquely stated that he also became known briefly as Wantowin Battles.

<i>The Wizard of Oz</i> (2011 musical) 2011 musical based on the 1939 film

The Wizard of Oz is a 2011 musical based on the 1939 film of the same name in turn based on L. Frank Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, with a book adapted by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jeremy Sams. The musical uses the Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg songs from the film and includes some new songs and additional music by Lloyd Webber and additional lyrics by Tim Rice. It is the third stage musical adaptation of the film following the 1942 version for the St. Louis Municipal Opera and the 1987 version for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

<i>The Wizard of Oz</i> (1942 musical) 1942 musical commissioned by the Muny

The Wizard of Oz is a musical commissioned by The Muny based on the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum and the 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, using the film's songs by Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg. The book of the musical is by Frank Gabrielson, who would later write an adaptation of The Marvelous Land of Oz (1960) for Shirley Temple.

<i>Dorothy Must Die</i> 2014 novel

Dorothy Must Die is a 2014 young adult book by Danielle Paige and her debut novel. The book, which was produced through Full Fathom Five, was released on April 1, 2014 through HarperCollins and was preceded by the novella No Place Like Oz.

References

  1. ↑ Jack Snow, Who's Who in Oz, Chicago, Reilly & Lee, 1954; New York, Peter Bedrick Books, 1988; p. 46. ISBN   0-87226-188-3
  2. ↑ L. Frank Baum,The Annotated Wizard of Oz, Michael Patrick Hearn, ed., New York, Crown, 1976; p. 148. ISBN   0-517-50086-8
  3. ↑ Snow, p. 99.
  4. ↑ "Witness".
  5. ↑ Sotheby's Auction Catalog – May 21, 1997
  6. ↑ Sotheby's Entertainment & Memorabilia Auction Beverly Hills, CA – May 21, 1997
  7. ↑ John M. Glionna (May 22, 1997). "Lights, Camera, Auction". Los Angeles Times .
  8. 1 2 3 4 David Allen Ibsen (January 1, 2007). "Cowardly, but Costly: Wizard of Oz's Cowardly Lion Costume Auctioned-off on eBay". Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  9. 1 2 Chuck Haga (December 19, 2006). "King of Forest rules at auction; Somebody put up $826,000 to buy the Cowardly Lion costume from a Twin Cities artist". Star Tribune .
  10. ↑ M. P. McQueen (May 16, 2007). "Perishable Art: Investing In Works That May Not Last". The Wall Street Journal .
  11. ↑ "Ann Curry interview with James Comisar on The Today Show". tvtour.org. Archived from the original on 2011-11-07. Retrieved 2011-06-29.
  12. 1 2 3 "The History Channel documentary on the Cowardly Lion costume". YouTube .
  13. 1 2 3 4 "TLC's Hunt for Amazing Treasure April 27, 2004 episode". tvtour.org. Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  14. ↑ "The Oprah Winfrey Show episode "America's Fascination with Hollywood Memorabilia"". Facebook .
  15. ↑ Wall Street Journal "Old Pelt for Sale" November 14, 2014
  16. ↑ CNN Money "Cowardly Lion costume sells for $3.1 Million" November 24, 2014
  17. ↑ The Wizardry of Oz: The Artistry and the Magic of the M.G.M 1939 Classic, William Stillman and Jay Scarfone
  18. ↑ "Whose Cat Suit Is It, Anyway?". People magazine. December 21, 1998. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  19. ↑ Jones, Kenneth (2002-09-04). "Ted Ross, Tony-Winner as The Lion in The Wiz, Is Dead at 68" . Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  20. ↑ Gerald Leinwand, William Jennings Bryan: An Uncertain Trumpet, Lanham, MD, Rowman and Littlefield, 2007; p. 171. ISBN   0-7425-5158-X
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.