Toto (Oz)

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Toto
Oz character
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, 013.png
Illustration by W. W. Denslow
First appearance The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)
Created by
Portrayed by Terry ( The Wizard of Oz )
Voiced by Chris Cox ( Lost in Oz )
In-universe information
Species Dog
GenderMale

Toto is a fictional dog in L. Frank Baum's Oz series of children's books, and works derived from them. He was originally a small terrier drawn by W. W. Denslow for the first edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900). He reappears in later Oz books and in numerous adaptations, such as The Wizard of Oz (1939) and The Wiz (1978). [ citation needed ]

Contents

Books

Illustration by W. W. Denslow The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, 007.png
Illustration by W. W. Denslow

The classic books

Toto belongs to Dorothy Gale, the heroine of the first and many subsequent books. In the first book, he never spoke, although other animals, native to Oz, did. In subsequent books, other animals gained the ability to speak upon reaching Oz or similar lands, but he remained speechless.[ citation needed ] In Tik-Tok of Oz , continuity is restored: he reveals that he is able to talk, just like other animals in the Land of Oz, and simply chooses not to. [ citation needed ] In The Lost Princess of Oz , he often talks continuously.[ citation needed ] Other major appearances include The Road to Oz , The Emerald City of Oz , Grampa in Oz and The Magical Mimics in Oz , in which he is the first to recognize the Mimics. [ citation needed ]

In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz , Baum did not specifically state Toto's breed, but wrote "he was a little black dog with long silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled merrily on either side of his funny, wee nose." [ citation needed ] However, from the illustrations in the first book many have concluded that he is a Cairn Terrier while others believe he is a Yorkshire Terrier as this breed was very popular at the time and it fits the illustration quite well.[ citation needed ]In subsequent books he becomes a Boston Terrier for reasons that are never explained, but then resumes the earlier look in later books.[ citation needed ]

Toto plays a central role in several critical points: he runs away at the beginning and end of the book and Dorothy changes plans to catch him; he pulls away the curtain to reveal the Wizard is a fake. [ citation needed ] Scholar Keri Weil analyzes the role:

Toto is the driving force behind Frank Baum’s narrative because it is Dorothy’s love for the dog that leads her to run away and escape the dreary moral landscape of Kansas and its arbiter, Miss Gulch. “It was Toto who made Dorothy laugh and saved her from growing as grey as her surroundings,” wrote Baum in the original version of the story. [1]

Later works

In Gregory Maguire's novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , Toto is a minor character who is only described as being vile and annoying.[ citation needed ] In the musical adaption Wicked , he is only mentioned briefly when Glinda mistakenly calls him "Dodo".[ citation needed ]

Michael Morpurgo published Toto: The Wizard of Oz as told by the dog in 2020.[ citation needed ]

Films

Terry and the MGM film

Terry as Toto with Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz (1939) The Wizard of Oz Judy Garland Terry 1939.jpg
Terry as Toto with Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz (1939)

In the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz , Toto was played by a female brindle Cairn Terrier named Terry. She was paid a $125 salary each week, which was more than some of the human actors (the Singer Midgets who played the Munchkins reportedly received $50 to $100 a week).[ citation needed ]

Terry/Toto's memorial at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery Toto - HF.jpg
Terry/Toto's memorial at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery

During production, Terry's foot was broken when one of the Winkie guards accidentally stepped on it. A second dog had to be used while she healed. Due to the popularity of the movie, and because that role was the one she was most remembered for, her owner and trainer changed her official name to Toto. She actually appeared in 13 films. [2] She died at age 11. Willard Carroll wrote her "autobiography," I, Toto (2001).

When Terry died in 1945, Carl Spitz buried her on his ranch in Studio City, California. However, the construction of the Ventura Freeway in 1958 destroyed her grave. On June 18, 2011, a permanent memorial for her was dedicated at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles. [3]

Later film versions

Video games

Wizard101

In Wizard101 , Toto is adapted as Mr. Toto, a dog man that appears to resemble a terrier. In the sidequest "Not in Kansas Anymore", players meet Dorothy Gale, who asks them to check up on her friends Mr. Toto and the Tin Man, who she was having over dinner. Toto tells them that they haven't left yet because Tin Man couldn't find his oil can, and that he is afraid of seizing up on the way to Dorothy's house. Toto then tells the player to tell Dorothy that they are simply running "late as usual".[ citation needed ]

Influence

The inspiration for the name Toto is the small town of Toto, Indiana, near the Baum family cottage at Bass Lake. [7]

Toto has been widely recognized as one of the most famous of all dogs in movies and television. For example Time magazine in 2015 includes Toto in "The Most Famous Dogs in Movies and Television". [8] Also in England, Neil Oliver. writes in The Sunday Times that 2020 has been. ”A tornado of anxieties....Like Toto, the little dog in The Wizard of Oz, we find ourselves far from home. I've a feeling we're not in Kansas any more. Also like Toto, no one understands our small voices. In this incomprehensible new place, we are to be silent while others speak." The last point emphasizes how important it is to be a quiet observer. [9]

Members of the American rock band Toto have said the band was named after the dog. [10] Though it was perhaps the original source for the name appearing on their demo tapes, they chose their name based upon the meaning of the Latin word toto ("all-encompassing"). [11]

TOTO is a backronym for 'TOtable Tornado Observatory', adapted from the name of Dorothy's dog from The Wizard of Oz. [12] It is an in situ instrument for recording data from tornadoes.

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>The Wonderful Wizard of Oz</i> 1900 childrens novel by L. Frank Baum

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a 1900 children's novel written by author L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. It is the first novel in the Oz series of books. A Kansas farm girl named Dorothy ends up in the magical Land of Oz after she and her pet dog Toto are swept away from their home by a cyclone. Upon her arrival in the magical world of Oz, she learns she cannot return home until she has destroyed the Wicked Witch of the West.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow brick road</span> Element in the novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

The yellow brick road is a central element in the 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by American author L. Frank Baum. The road also appears in the several sequel Oz books such as The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904) and The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1913).

<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.

<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, also known as the "Wizard of Oz" and, during his reign, as "Oz the Great and Terrible" or the "Great and Powerful Oz", 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.

<i>The Wizard of Oz</i> 1939 film based on the book by L. Frank Baum

The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). An adaptation of L. Frank Baum's 1900 children's fantasy novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, it was primarily directed by Victor Fleming, who left production to take over the troubled Gone with the Wind. It stars Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Billie Burke, and Margaret Hamilton. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, while others made uncredited contributions. The music was composed by Harold Arlen and adapted by Herbert Stothart, with lyrics by Edgar "Yip" Harburg.

<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.

The Wicked Witch of the West is a fictional character who appears in the classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), created by American author L. Frank Baum. In Baum's subsequent Oz novels, it is the Nome King who is the principal villain; the Wicked Witch of the West is rarely even referred to again after her death in the first book.

<i>The Muppets Wizard of Oz</i> 2005 musical fantasy The Muppets television film

The Muppets' Wizard of Oz is a 2005 musical fantasy television film directed by Kirk R. Thatcher, and the third television film featuring the Muppets. The film stars Ashanti, Jeffrey Tambor, Quentin Tarantino, David Alan Grier, Queen Latifah, as well as Muppet performers Steve Whitmire, Dave Goelz, Bill Barretta, and Eric Jacobson. A contemporary adaptation of the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, the story follows young Dorothy Gale, who works in her Aunt Em's diner, but dreams of becoming a singer somewhere beyond her small Kansas town. Swept up by a tornado, in her trailer home with pet prawn Toto, she lands in Oz and embarks on a journey to meet the Wizard who can help make her dreams come true.

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

Billina is a fictional character in the classic children's series of Oz books by American author L. Frank Baum. She is introduced in Ozma of Oz (1907).

Aunt Em is a fictional character from the Oz books. She is the wife of Uncle Henry and the aunt of Dorothy Gale, who lives together with them on a farm in Kansas. In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, she is described as having been a "young, pretty wife" when she arrived at Uncle Henry's farm, but having been "grayed" by her life there, implying that she appears older than her years. Baum writes that when Dorothy came to live with her, Em would "scream and press her hand upon her heart" when startled by Dorothy's laughter, and she appears emotionally distant to her at the beginning of the story. However, after Dorothy is restored to her at the end of the book, her true nature is seen: she cries out, "My darling child!" and covers her with kisses.

<i>The Wizard of Oz</i> (1925 film) 1925 film

The Wizard of Oz is a 1925 American silent fantasy-adventure comedy film directed by Larry Semon, who has the lead role of a Kansas farmhand disguised as the Scarecrow.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terry (dog)</span> Hollywood film performer (1933–1945)

Terry was a female Cairn Terrier performer who appeared in many different movies, most famously as Toto in the film The Wizard of Oz (1939). It was her only credited role, though she was credited not as Terry but as Toto, and because of the role's popularity her name was officially changed to Toto in 1942. She was owned and trained by Carl Spitz and Gabrielle Quinn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carl Spitz</span> Dog trainer in Hollywood

Carl Spitz was a Hollywood dog trainer, most famous for owning and training the female Cairn Terrier Terry, who portrayed Toto in the 1939 MGM fantasy film The Wizard of Oz. Spitz developed the method of using silent hand signals to direct an animal.

<i>The Wizard of Oz</i> (1902 musical) 1902 musical extravaganza

The Wizard of Oz was a 1902 musical extravaganza based on the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Although Baum is the credited bookwriter, Glen MacDonough was hired on as jokewriter after Baum had finished the script, and the book was largely ghostwritten by a man named Finnegan. Much of the original music was by Paul Tietjens and has been mostly lost, although it was still well-remembered and in discussion at MGM in 1939 when the classic film version of the story was made. The original show was particularly popular because of its two comedy stars: Fred Stone playing the Scarecrow, and David C. Montgomery as the Tin Woodman.

<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>Dorothy and the Witches of Oz</i> 2012 American film

Dorothy and the Witches of Oz is a 2012 film directed by Leigh Scott, based on the early 20th century novels The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Ozma of Oz, The Road to Oz and The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum. The film stars Paulie Redding, Billy Boyd, Eliza Swenson, Mia Sara, Lance Henriksen, and Christopher Lloyd. A longer version of the film was originally released as a TV miniseries in 2011 called The Witches of Oz, distributed by MarVista Entertainment. The miniseries was over an hour longer and had earlier versions of the special effects. The miniseries was originally released in 2011 in Europe, though its United Kingdom premiere was not until July 5, 2012 on the Sci-Fi Channel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cowardly Lion</span> Fictional character from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

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

References

  1. Keri Weil, Thinking Animals: Why Animal Studies Now? (Columbia University Press, 2012) p. 146.
  2. Terry at IMDb
  3. "HOLLYWOODLAND". Archived from the original on 2011-08-23. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
  4. Galuppo, Mia (July 12, 2018). "Animated 'Oz' Movie in the Works From Warner Bros., 'Madagascar' Writer (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Valence Media. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  5. D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 16, 2021). "Warner Bros. Dates Blue Beetle, Last Train To New York & Toto For 2023 & Beyond". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  6. D'Alessandro, Anthony (2023-04-05). "'Aquaman 2' Shifts Five Days Earlier, Warner Bros Dates 'The Wise Guys', 'Minecraft'". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  7. Potempa, Philip (April 15, 2020). "Here are some fun facts about northwest Indiana". chicagotribune.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  8. “The Most Famous Dogs in Movies and Television, Time (August 13, 2015) online
  9. Neil Oliver, “Yellow brick road is smoother when we travel it all together” The Sunday Times (June 28, 2020) online
  10. Campbell, Mary (July 11, 1982). "Toto's biggest hit". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Associated Press. p. 29 (top right). Retrieved November 30, 2016. Paich says, 'Jeff remembered the name of the dog in The Wizard of Oz. We were going to put it on the demonstration records and change it later. We just never found another name.'
  11. Metzger, Greg. Rock Band Name Origins , p. 200. McFarland, 2008.
  12. "TOTO: TOtable Tornado Observatory (Online Tornado FAQ)". www.spc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 19 April 2019.