First showing (World Premier) of the Wizard of Oz - former Strand Theater, Oconomowoc, WI
Posted by: 
adgorn
N 43° 06.635 W 088° 29.881
16T E 378117 N 4774183
A commemorative engraved stone marker plus plaza (called Oz Plaza, where the theater used to be) featuring statues of the movie's characters.
Waymark Code: WM16HKF
Location: Wisconsin, United States
Date Posted: 08/05/2022
Views: 1
The plaza has the Yellow Brick Road leading to statues of Dorothy and Toto, and the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion. The Wicked Witch hovers in the background. And a painting of the Emerald City adorns an adjacent wall. A plaque listing donors who funded the plaza is on the wall opposite.
The black stone marker states: "This commemorates the World Premier of MGM's The Wizard of Oz shown here in downtown Oconomowoc at the Strand Theater on August 12th, 1939." Adjacent is a welcoming statue of Professor Marvel/The Wizard.
In addition to the TCM site below, see (
visit link)
"The film classic opened Aug. 12, 1939, for a five-day run at Oconomowoc’s long-gone Strand Theatre; that was three days before the movie’s Hollywood premiere and five days before its New York City debut. It was 25 cents for the matinee, 40 cents for the evening show, “10 to 15 cents higher than the average movie of the time."
Of course, there is some debate as to how precise this is, given several other showings around that time around the country. But if it's good enough for TCM, it's good enough for me!
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