Oz page 14

Oz page 14 by ric Gustafson

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MGM in the late 1930's was a film factory. They had four thousand salaried employees and released a film every week. Sixty percent were top product with the Leo the Lion logo. The other forty percent were animated cartoons and short subjects. When Production # 1060 the Wizard of Oz was put on the schedule, there were top notch directors and screen writers available.
Up until 1946, MGM made large profits. When the war ended, movie attendance slumped because of a postwar economy. An antitrust suit against MGM and other studios prevailed and MGM's income greatly suffered. During the 1950's, big budgets and box office duds hurt MGM. The studio system began to crumble and film stars began to form their own production companies. MGM began to sell off it's assets in the 1960's and in 1970 began a public auction.

research help: ' The Wizard of Oz FAQ' by David J Hogan


Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric