The 1939 classicThe Wizard of Ozfeatures a snow scene, an effect created with the help of asbestos, of all things. One of thegreatest movies of all time,The Wizard of Ozcaptures the golden age of Hollywood cinema like nothing that came before it and like nothing has done for an era of filmmaking afterward. Alongside a fantastic story, groundbreaking visuals, and moving performances,The Wizard of Ozis also known for its complicated production and shoot, which saw actors and directors rotated and replaced, and plenty of other on-set controversies.
Some of the controversies include the disturbing treatment ofJudy Garland on the set ofThe Wizard of Oz, actors not being able to eat with their makeup, and much more. One particular scene has an infamous legacy that you may have thought was only an urban legend. In the “poppy field” scene, Dorothy (Garland) wakes up in a snow-covered poppy field, the falling flakes created by Glinda the Good Witch (Billie Burke). That “snow” was actually asbestos, and while that might seem horrible now, it was a pretty standard prop for decades.
Why Asbestos Was Used To Create The Snow Effect In The Wizard Of Oz
Asbestos Has Been Linked With Mesothelioma
In the scene, Dorothy, the Tin Man (Jack Haley), the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), and the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr) can see Emerald City just across a poppy field after their long journey. As they walk through the field, Dorothy and the Lion begin to fall asleep, courtesy of a spell put on the field by the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton). Fortunately, Glinda intervenes and wakes up Dorthy and the Lion with a snowfall. It’s a beautifully staged scene, with the bright white snow contrasting nicely with the pink and yellow of the flowers.
Wizard of Oz: All On Set Injuries Explained
Wizard of Oz may be one of the most beloved films of all time, but behind the scenes, the making of the movie was often a nightmare.
As pretty as the scene is, it has a sinister secret: asbestos was used to create the snow (viaSmithsonianMag). What’s worse, it was known at the time that asbestos was cancer-causing and linked with mesothelioma (viaAtlasObscura). It was used because asbestos is fireproof, which ostensibly made it “safer” than other common snow stand-ins like cotton. Asbestos was also used to make the Wicked Witch’s broom and the Scarecrow’s outfit.The Wizard of Ozisn’t unique in that regard, andIt’s a Wonderful Lifealso used asbestos on set (viaLife).
Asbestos has slowly been phased out of movies and almost every other part of life as more research comes out about its harmful effects.
Asbestos has slowly been phased out of movies and almost every other part of life as more research comes out about its harmful effects. By 1965, marble dust was being used for snow inDr. Zhivago, then later salt in the 1978Superman, and now, CGI and environmentally friendly products like Snowcel keep film sets snowy and safe. Amazingly, no one on set ended up dying from causes related to asbestos later in life (viaKazanLaw).
The Wizard Of Oz Production’s Many Safety Hazards, Explained
Margaret Hamilton Was Burned By Pyrotechnics On Set
There were plenty of other problems on the set ofThe Wizard of Ozthat presented safety hazards (viaForbes). The first Tin man,Buddy Ebsen, sustained severe aluminum poisoning from his makeupand had to be replaced by Haley. Haley later developed an eye infection from the makeup. Hamilton suffered significant burns when a special effect caught fire.
When Hamilton’s stunt double stepped in to redo the scene, the effect broke again and injured Betty Danko so badly, she required a hysterectomy. Even the flying monkeys suffered injuries from being dropped by a faulty wiring system. The rules seemed to be a little different in 1939 on the set ofThe Wizard of Oz, and a dangerous snow effect may have actually been the least of anyone’s problems.
