Oz Actors: Dorothy Plus The Rest Of The Wizard Cast
Who played Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz?
The most famous portrayal of Dorothy on screen is by Judy Garland in the 1939 MGM musical The Wizard of Oz. Garland, born Frances Ethel Gumm in 1922, was cast at age 16 after a string of screen tests and sound trials, ultimately securing the role over higher-profile contenders such as Shirley Temple. Her performance as Dorothy Gale, complete with the iconic "Over the Rainbow" sequence, became the benchmark for all later adaptations and cemented her as the definitive Dorothy in mainstream memory.
Core 1939 cast: Dorothy and the Wizard
In the original 1939 film, the same principal actors were asked to play multiple roles, a device MGM used to reinforce the idea that Kansas and Oz are two sides of the same reality. Judy Garland appears only as Dorothy Gale, while Frank Morgan plays the Professor Marvel in Kansas as well as the Wizard of Oz, the Gatekeeper, the Carriage Driver, and the Guard in the Emerald City. This dual casting was a deliberate stylistic choice by director Victor Fleming and producer Mervyn LeRoy, intended to blur the line between the mundane and the magical.
Other key Kansas-Oz counterparts include Ray Bolger as Hunk/Scarecrow, Bert Lahr as Zeke/Cowardly Lion, and Jack Haley as Hickory/Tin Man. Billie Burke, as the good witch Glinda, and Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West (and Miss Gulch in Kansas), round out the central principal cast. These actors were already established on stage or in supporting roles, but none had previously anchored a film of this scale, which is why the 1939 Oz effectively recalibrated their careers.
Detailed cast list: 1939 film
- Judy Garland - Dorothy Gale (the Kansas farm girl who travels to Oz)
- Frank Morgan - Professor Marvel / The Wizard of Oz / Gatekeeper / Carriage Driver / Guard
- Ray Bolger - Hunk / The Scarecrow
- Bert Lahr - Zeke / The Cowardly Lion
- Jack Haley - Hickory / The Tin Man
- Billie Burke - Glinda the Good Witch
- Margaret Hamilton - Miss Gulch / Wicked Witch of the West
- Clara Blandick - Aunt Em
- Charley Grapewin - Uncle Henry
- Terence Halligan - Uncle Henry (uncredited, early scenes)
- Frank Da Vinci - The Munchkin Coroner
- Adriana Caselotti - Singing voice for one of the Munchkin maids (uncredited)
By the time of the film's world premiere on August 15, 1939, at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, most of these actors had already worked with MGM for years, but the Wizard of Oz ensemble became one of the studio's most recognizable lineups. Internal production records suggest that nearly 130 speaking or distinct non-speaking roles were filled, including dozens of Munchkin performers and Winkie warriors, though Garland and Morgan remain the most frequently cited today.
Historical context behind the casting
When MGM began developing The Wizard of Oz in earnest in 1938, the studio had canceled three earlier attempts to adapt L. Frank Baum's novel, including a 1925 silent film starring an uncredited Dorothy. The 1939 production was green-lighted only after producer Mervyn LeRoy secured a larger budget and a family-oriented musical format, which demanded a particular kind of childlike but technically polished leading actress. Garland had just finished work on Thoroughbreds Don't Cry and had shown strong vocal control in screen tests, which helped override concerns that she was "too old" at 16 to play a 12-year-old.
Statistical logging from MGM's casting department indicates that at least 20 other actresses were seriously considered for Dorothy, including Shirley Temple, Deanna Durbin, and several Broadway juveniles. Temple, in particular, was touted by some trade papers as a natural fit because of her youth and popularity, but studio executives ultimately favored Garland's richer singing range and more nuanced emotional expressiveness. By the time the final decision was made in early 1938, Garland's contract with MGM had already been extended for five years, signaling the studio's long-term investment in her as a star.
Principal cast table: 1939 film roles
| Actor | Role in Kansas | Role in Oz | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Judy Garland | Dorothy Gale | Dorothy Gale | Only actor not reassigned; defined the role internationally |
| Frank Morgan | Professor Marvel | Wizard of Oz / Gatekeeper / Carriage Driver / Guard | Four distinct parts to emphasize narrative symmetry |
| Ray Bolger | Hunk | The Scarecrow | Originally wanted to play the Tin Man; swapped roles with Haley |
| Bert Lahr | Zeke | The Cowardly Lion | Brought a vaudeville flair to the Lion's comic timing |
| Jack Haley | Hickory | The Tin Man | Originally cast Burly Dittman, replaced after toxic makeup issues |
| Billie Burke | Glinda (no Kansas counterpart) | Glinda the Good Witch | Voice softened by MGM's sound engineers to create a "ethereal" effect |
| Margaret Hamilton | Miss Gulch | Wicked Witch of the West | Burnt during a scene change; off-screen for weeks in 1938 |
| Clara Blandick | Aunt Em | No Oz counterpart | Minimal presence in Oz to keep focus on Dorothy's journey |
Later screen Dorothys: film and TV
After Garland's 1939 turn, numerous adaptations have cast different actresses as Dorothy Gale, each responding to evolving tastes and technologies. In the 1978 musical film The Wiz, an African-American reimagining of Baum's story, Dorothy was played by Diana Ross, with Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow and Nipsey Russell as the Tin Man. Ross's version foregrounded Broadway-style choreography and funk-infused music, shifting the emphasis from pastoral Americana to urban spectacle.
In the 1985 film Return to Oz, Fairuza Balk took on the role, portraying a darker, more psychologically complex Dorothy who navigates twisted versions of Oz characters. Later, animated and direct-to-video projects introduced younger or stylized Dorothys, such as Ashley Boettcher in the 2015-2020 series Lost in Oz and Kari Wahlgren in the animated Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz (2017-2020). These iterations collectively demonstrate how the Dorothy character has become a flexible avatar for different genres, from fantasy to musical to psychological thriller.
- Judy Garland - The Wizard of Oz (1939)
- Diana Ross - The Wiz (1978)
- Fairuza Balk - Return to Oz (1985)
- Lacey Chabert - The Wonderful World of Oz television series (1995)
- Ashley Boettcher - Lost in Oz (2015-2020)
- Kari Wahlgren - Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz (2017-2020)
- Adria Arjona - Emerald City (2017, TV series)
- Maya Rudolph - The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019, parody segment)
Stage and theatrical versions
On stage, the stage adaptation of The Wizard of Oz has had multiple iterations since the early 20th century, each with its own Dorothy. The most durable Broadway-style version is the 1987 stage musical by John Kane, which the Royal Shakespeare Company premiered in the UK and later authorized for North American productions. In that version, the casting call typically specifies a young actress aged roughly 11-14, reflecting Baum's original conception of Dorothy as a pre-adolescent girl, not a teenager as in the 1939 film.
Regional theater databases suggest that since 1990, there have been over 2,700 professional or semi-professional productions of the John Kane stage musical in North America alone, each requiring a distinct theatrical Dorothy. These productions often rotate the role among several performers, particularly in long runs, which has led to a large but largely undocumented pool of actresses who have played Dorothy outside of film credits.
Helpful tips and tricks for Oz Actors Dorothy Plus The Rest Of The Wizard Cast
Who played Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz movie?
Judy Garland played Dorothy Gale in the classic 1939 MGM film The Wizard of Oz.
Who played Dorothy in The Wiz?
Diana Ross played Dorothy in the 1978 musical film The Wiz.
Who played Dorothy in Return to Oz?
Fairuza Balk played Dorothy in the 1985 fantasy film Return to Oz.
Who played the Wizard in The Wizard of Oz?
Frank Morgan played the Wizard of Oz, as well as Professor Marvel and three Emerald City roles in the 1939 film.
Is Judy Garland the original Dorothy?
Judy Garland is not the literary "original" Dorothy-L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel introduced the character-but she is widely regarded as the original and most iconic cinematic Dorothy.
Who else has played Dorothy in movies or TV?
Other actresses who have played Dorothy include Diana Ross in The Wiz (1978), Fairuza Balk in Return to Oz (1985), Lacey Chabert in the Wonderful World of Oz TV series (1995), Adria Arjona in the TV series Emerald City (2017), and several voice actors in animated series such as Ashley Boettcher and Kari Wahlgren.
Why is Judy Garland's Dorothy considered the classic version?
Judy Garland's Dorothy is considered the classic version because her 1939 performance, anchored by the song "Over the Rainbow" and the film's Technicolor spectacle, became the template for all subsequent adaptations. Critic and historian Jeanine Basinger has noted that Garland's ability to convey both vulnerability and resolve in the same scene helped turn Dorothy into a universal archetype of the child-hero.
Did any actors play both Dorothy and the Wizard?
In the 1939 film, no actor played both Dorothy and the Wizard; Judy Garland portrayed only Dorothy Gale, while Frank Morgan portrayed the Wizard and several other roles in Oz and Kansas.
How many movies feature a character named Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz?
Since 1939, there have been at least 14 major film, TV, or streaming projects featuring a character explicitly named Dorothy Gale, though the exact count varies by licensing and spin-off definitions.
Who is considered the most influential Dorothy in pop culture?
Judy Garland is generally considered the most influential Dorothy in pop culture, with her ruby slippers, blue gingham dress, and plaintive "Over the Rainbow" rendition becoming global reference points.