MovieChat Forums > The Wizard of Oz (1939) Discussion > Uncle Jed

Uncle Jed

posted 8 years ago by dlynch843
15 replies | jump to latest

I've always wondered how Buddy Ebsen would've been as The Scarecrow. I've seen film of him as a song and dance man (including a scene with Judy Garland) and he had a special quality--a lankiness in the way he danced---I understand why the producers first picked him to play the Scarecrow. Bolger was great--but I think we all (especially Ebsen) missed something by not seeing Ebsen in Oz.
The background: When Ebsen got sick from the Tin Man's make-up and ended up in the hospital, the producers thought he might be faking it, after being given the shorter role of the Tin Man. But the sickness was real. Jack Haley was hired, they used different make up and the rest is cinematic history. I felt sorry for
Jed Clampett.

[–] rorysa 8 years ago

I don't think they believed he was faking it--he was in an iron lung at the hospital. But they didn't want to wait for him to recuperate to continue shooting the film.

[–] dlynch843 8 years ago

I read in 'The Making of The Wizard of Oz' that the producers really were suspicious of the whole sickness story, even with the iron lung--I guess they thought that could be faked, too.

[–] jimjackfunk 8 years ago

I have watched this movie over and over since I was a kid. I could swear Buddy is in the movie as one of the witch's guards.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] djrosenblatt 7 years ago

Funny -- I just watched the film and happened to make the same observation. The guard who speaks up at the end ("All hail Dorothy") does look like Ebsen.

Have to think it's a coincidence, though: that really isn't much of a consolation prize to have offered him.

Badgers? We don't need no stinkin' badgers! But if you could show us something in a nice possum…

[–] peeaecee 8 years ago

Would you have this movie any different?

That said, I've seen the makeup tests for Ebsen's Tin Man, and it's creepy. He probably would have played the role well, though. Not exactly sorry that he didn't though, if you get my meaning.

[–] dlynch843 8 years ago

But the way Ebsen looked and danced, I would've liked to see how he was as the Scarecrow, since he was picked to play that role originally. I always liked Bolger--no complaints there, but Bolger was picked to play the Tin Man. Ebsen had the same fluidity as Bolger.

[–] peeaecee 8 years ago

True. What eventually turned out was classic and all, but it's interesting to see what could have been. If Ebsen had played the role, he would have been the longest surviving main cast member of the film.

[–] rorysa 8 years ago

Ebsen is still in the film--at least his voice is--whenever the group sings "We're Off to See the Wizard."

[–] djrosenblatt 7 years ago

He did have a unique, flexible style of dance -- "lankiness", as you put it. I always find myself coming back to this clip of Ebsen with Shirley Temple in "Codfish Ball": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zpqt3zgdYUw. Just can't get enough of it.

Badgers? We don't need no stinkin' badgers! But if you could show us something in a nice possum…

[–] dlynch843 7 years ago

Thanks for this clip. There's another one with Judy Garland where they ride a prop limo across a stage. I think Ebsen wears a tux.

[–] wwkentucky 7 years ago

Buddy Ebsen did not leave this film due to illness . . . he was FIRED!

They fired him because in every scene, he kept looking down at Toto and saying, "Wellllll, doggie."

[–] bobbiekaye69 7 years ago

If that was supposed to be a joke, I don't get it.

The silver makeup made him ill, and he couldn't do the film. He was replaced, but he wasn't fired.

I intend to live forever.
So far, so good.

[–] jad1986 7 years ago

As someone with respiratory issues, that's really not funny.

What we see and what we seem are but a dream. A dream within a dream.

[–] pointer165 7 years ago

Buddy was super talented and a great dancer.. that's why he got the role to begin with.. that makeup being Toxic is interesting to me because they had test filmings.. maybe the sweating and the makeup did not mix well