Dorothy Test Dresses -Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows

Today I thought I would break into the vault and post some costumes that don't get shared very often. When I first started to collect costumes, a family member was integral in helping acquire some of my first pieces.   Without their help I wouldn't have the complete "set" of test costumes.  As a result, these are among my most treasured. 

Throughout the years many historians have published fantastic books on the creation of the 1939 MGM film, The Wizard of Oz.  The two most visually stunning are The Wizard of Oz- The official 50th Anniversary Pictorial History by Authors John Fricke, Jay Scarfone, & William Stillman and The Wizards of Oz -The Artistry And Magic Of The 1939 M-G-M Classic by authors Jay Scarfone & William Stillman.  These two books opened my world on the creation/test process of the wardrobe used for the classic film.  I was amazed at the intended color choices, styles, and makeups for many of these iconic and beloved characters.  

When Lorna Luft's ABC miniseries Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows aired on February 25th, 2001-I was even more intrigued by Adrian's creative design process.  Many of the test Dorothy costumes that were created for the 1939 MGM classic had been carefully reproduced for the ABC Documentary.  I soon became obsessed with the possibilities of "What might have been."

Soon thereafter my Grandmother had called and told me that Lorna Luft- daughter of Judy Garland and partner- ABC studios were set to purge their costume inventory from the Emmy Award winning documentary.  The sale would go live through ebay and the entire world could bid on the costumes.  

When the day came my heart raced as it would be my first auction experience.  Being very young at the time, a relative helped me through the process and we successfully won two of the Dorothy Test Costumes.  They arrived shortly after, but I soon noticed my set was incomplete.  My relative and I searched for years trying to find the third missing costume, and one day it just fell in his lap.  Here are the costumes from the documentary including the original test dresses they were modeled after.  

Richard Thorpe Dorothy Costume from the first few weeks of filming

Life With Judy Garland Me and My Shadows recreation 

  

Blue Test Dress with raised white polka dots 

The ABC documentary creatively changed the color of their test dress to pink

 Another Test Dress With A Test Apron Covering

The Surviving Test Dress

My Test Apron From Life With Judy Garland Me and My Shadows.  

The Apron appears over the blue Thorpe test dress within the documentary.

AS THEY LOOK NOW:

My Oz Costume Wish List:

1: "Off-Camera" Dorothy Dress

2: "On Camera" Dorothy Dress

I'm looking for ANY Dorothy Test Costume tested during the pre-production phase of the 1939 MGM classic The Wizard of Oz. I'm also hoping to find the two Dorothy costumes pictured above that were used within the ABC Documentary.  

Please Contact for sale or Chat:

OzCostumeCollector@gmail.com

Twitter: @HedleyScott

Thanks! 

Swing Mr. Mendelssohn!

This past month I was fortunate enough to be contacted by a wonderful man who knew of my collection.  He had found a costume that I would most certainly be interested in.  One of my favorite MGM films from the 30's is "Everybody Sing."   It features a fantastic cast including stars Judy Garland, Billie Burke, and Fanny Brice.

Probably the most notable scene within the film is  "Swing Mr. Mendelssohn," performed by a very young Judy Garland.  This scene has been used within countless documentaries and lasts as a prime example of Garland's talent level at a young age.

Although the costume is not Garland's and that of an extra's, the example is still incredible and I couldn't pass it up.

I had to get this piece.

The costume will go through a careful restoration as to remove the stains so that it may be preserved for many generations to come.