The Dreamer of Oz

The Dreamer of Oz is a 1990 live-action biographical TV film based on the life of L. Frank Baum and his creation of the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The film was a joint production by Bedrock Productions, Adam Productions, and Spelling Entertainment. It aired on December 10, 1990 on NBC. It was written by David Kirschner and Robert M. Myman, produced by Ervin Zavada, and directed by Jack Bender.

During the opening night of MGM's The Wizard of Oz in 1939, Maude Gage Baum tells an aspiring young reporter the story of how she met Baum, a struggling actor, and how he went from job to job to support their family, all the while he developed what became The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which he struggled to get published.

Characters
Tim Eyster Christopher Pettiet (teen Frank Jr.)
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Announcer
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Dale Tarter
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Albert
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| John Cameron Mitchell
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Maude Gage Baum
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Annette O'Toole
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| L. Frank Baum
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| John Ritter
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Harriet Alvena Baum Neal
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Nancy Lenehan
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Matilda Joselyn Gage
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Rue McClanahan
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Actress
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Laura Owens
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Frank Joselyn Baum
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Joshua Boyd (young Frank Jr.)
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Matilda Joselyn Gage
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Rue McClanahan
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Actress
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Laura Owens
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Frank Joselyn Baum
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Joshua Boyd (young Frank Jr.)
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Frank Joselyn Baum
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Joshua Boyd (young Frank Jr.)
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Robert Stanton Baum
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Ryan Todd
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Charlie H. Gage
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Pat Skipper
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Helen Leslie Gage Gage
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Pat Skipper
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Dorothy Leslie Gage
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Courtney Barilla
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mr. Harris
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Rod Gist
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Ned Brown
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Ed Gale
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Farmer
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Ed Gale
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Scarecrow
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| David Ellzy
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mr. Southby
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mrs. Southby
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Uncle Henry
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Aunt Em
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Tin Man
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Derek Loughram
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Al Badham
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Charles Haid
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Mrs. Badham
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Harry Neal Baum
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Jason Ritter
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Cowardly Lion
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Charles Haid
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Sullivan
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Frank Hamilton
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Salesman
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Roger Steffans
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Tobey
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Dorothy Gale
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Courtney Barilla
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Toto
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mr. Munchkin
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Jerry Maren
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mrs. Munchkin
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Elizabeth Barrington
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| William Denslow
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| David Schramm
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| George Hill
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Steven Gilborn
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Publisher
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Bill DeLand
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mr. Reynolds
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Roger Steffans
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Tobey
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Dorothy Gale
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Courtney Barilla
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Toto
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mr. Munchkin
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Jerry Maren
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mrs. Munchkin
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Elizabeth Barrington
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| William Denslow
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| David Schramm
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| George Hill
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Steven Gilborn
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Publisher
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Bill DeLand
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mr. Reynolds
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| George Hill
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Steven Gilborn
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Publisher
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Bill DeLand
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mr. Reynolds
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Mr. Reynolds
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable

Organizations

 * MGM (mentioned)
 * Dakota Pioneer
 * Siegel Cooper and Company
 * Chicago Press Club
 * George Hill Publishers

Locations

 * Earth
 * United States
 * California
 * Los Angeles
 * Hollywood
 * Hollywood Boulevard
 * The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
 * Grauman's Chinese Theatre
 * Hollywood Walk of Fame
 * New York
 * Fayetteville
 * Gage residence
 * Massachusetts (indirectly mentioned)
 * Boston (mentioned)
 * Cornell University (mentioned)
 * Syracruse
 * Dakota Territory
 * Alberdeen
 * Charlie H. Gage's residence
 * Baum's Baza
 * Dakota Pioneer building
 * Illinois
 * Chicago
 * Campbell Park
 * Siegel Cooper and Company building
 * George Hill Publishers building
 * Pennyslvania (indirectly mentioned)
 * Philadelphia (mentioned)
 * Kansas (mentioned)
 * Europe (mentioned)
 * Far East (mentioned)
 * Oz
 * Land of the Munchkins
 * Emerald City

Objects

 * Dakota Pioneer newspaper
 * Yellow Brick Road
 * Mother Goose in Prose
 * The Wizard of Oz
 * Father Goose (mentioned)

Vehicles

 * Nothing of importance

Music
The score was composed and conducted by Lee Holdridge. The music coordinator was Frank Capp.

Release
Dates are in order of release:


 * United States: December 10, 1990 on NBC

Home availability

 * In Australia:
 * Circa 1990: CLC Video releases The Dreamer of Oz on VHS.
 * In the United States:
 * September 29, 2009: Warner Home Video releases The Wizard of Oz: 75th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition on DVD.
 * September 29, 2009: Warner Home Video releases The Wizard of Oz: 75th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition on Blu-ray Disc.