Production #1060 page 9 by ric gustafson
The longest search was for just the right dog to play Toto. The Property Department was given a copy of Baum's book and was told to find a dog that looked like the one in the book. A Hollywood animal trainer named Carl Spitz was called and he was asked if he had an animal that might work. He told them that he had just acquired a female Cairn terrier four years earlier.
An MGM director named Clarence Brown went to the kennel and spent time with the terrier. Spitz agreed to a salary of $125 a week for the dog. The dog was selected to play Toto. Terry the Terrier was paid the least of all the actors. Judy Garland got $500, Grapewin and Blandick $750, Billie Burke $766, Margaret Hamilton $1000, Ebsen $1,500, Bert Lahr and Frank Morgan $2,500, Haley and Bolger got $3,000 a week.
research help: ' The Making of the Wizard of Oz' by Aljean Harmetz
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
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