Ruby Slippers Get a Face Lift At Smithsonian

Iconic Shoes Worn By Judy Garland in MGM Wizard Of Oz  Restored

The iconic Ruby Slippers worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 MGM film The Wizard of Oz are to be removed from display at the Smithsonian (National Museum of American History). This will take place in February in order to prepare them for a new exhibition called “American Stories,” opening April 5. The slippers are currently on view in “1939” at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History through Feb. 22.

The Ruby Slippers were worn by Dorothy Gale, a character played by Judy Garland (1922–1969) in the MGM film, "Wizard of Oz," 1939. This fantasy tale about a journey to a magical land was based on the 1900 novel by L. Frank Baum (1856–1919); it had previously been a book, a cartoon, a stage musical, and several silent motion pictures before MGM created its hit film. In addition to its many other merits, the MGM movie ranks as a milestone in the history of Technicolor because of its extensive color sequences set in the Land of Oz.

The magical shoes, changed from the book's silver slippers to those with an iridescent red hue, were created by Gilbert Adrian, MGM Studios’s chief costume designer, and played a central role in the film. Dorothy obtained them from Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, and kept them from the Wicked Witch of the West in order to get home.
 
The Wizard of Oz is a fantasy tale about a journey to a magical land and was based on the 1900 novel by L. Frank Baum (1856-1919). In addition to its many other merits, the MGM movie ranks as a milestone in the history of Technicolor because of its extensive color sequences set in the Land of Oz. The magical shoes, changed from the book’s silver slippers to those with an iridescent red hue, played a central role in the film. The Ruby Slippers were designed by Gilbert Adrian, MGM Studios’ chief costume designer. Adrian also designed the many costumes in The Wizard of Oz, including Ray Bolger’s Scarecrow costume.

“These slippers are beloved by our visitors, and we are honoring that affection by placing them in a central location among the great stories of American history,” said Marc Pachter, interim director.

“American Stories” will showcase historic and cultural touchstones of American  history through more than 100 objects from the museum’s vast holdings. Joining Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers will be the rarely seen walking stick used by Benjamin Franklin, a sunstone capital from the Mormon temple at Nauvoo, Ill., Abraham Lincoln’s gold pocket watch, Archie Bunker’s chair, Muhammad Ali’s boxing gloves, a fragment of Plymouth Rock and Kermit the Frog.

The Ruby Slippers were donated anonymously to the museum in 1979 and have been on almost continuous display since. The yellow brick road will still be represented to visitors by the hat from the Scarecrow costume worn by Bolger in the film. Because of the delicate nature of that costume, the museum is rarely able to exhibit it. Visitors can also visit the website to see the slippers under conservation.

The movie’s costume designer altered commercially manufactured red shoes by attaching red netting to their tops and heels and covering it with red sequins. Movie costumes and props are made quickly and cheaply; they are meant to last only for the brief duration of the shoot—not for posterity. Now in their seventh decade, the shoes are fragile. In the current “1939” exhibition, the slippers have been displayed under a red-filtered light to help the color seem more robust.

Several pairs of slippers were made for the movie, a common practice with important costumes and props; this pair was worn by Garland in dance scenes. The felt on the soles muffled her dancing footsteps on the yellow brick road. The most pervasive and influential form of popular art in the 20th century, American movies reach millions of people around the world and provide passing images that help shape perceptions of and about Americans. Unlike most films, "The Wizard of Oz" has endured and even attained greater popularity as it was introduced to new generations of audiences through television. One explanation for the movie's lasting appeal to Americans is its central message: In pursuing what you need, you find that you already have it—an affirmation of the virtue of self-sufficiency.

Dorothy’s ruby slippers and Abraham Lincoln’s top hat will bunk with historic air and spacecraft when the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History presents "Treasures of American History" at the National Air and Space Museum. Opening Nov. 17, the exhibition will feature more than 150 objects from the National Museum of American History’s collections while its building is closed for architectural renovation.
     

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