Many People think The Wizard of Oz is a classic movie, but there are many facts about what happened during filming that raise questions. Looking at production, there were multiple accidents, injuries, and unsafe working conditions that were not fully addressed.

One example is Margaret Hamilton, the actress who played the Wicked Witch of the West. During the Munchkinland scene, there was supposed to be a trapdoor, allowing her to exit while flames appeared on screen. However, the trapdoor malfunctioned and did not open on time. This caused her to be exposed to the fire, leading to second-degree burns on her face and third-degree burns on her hand. She needed about six weeks to recover because she was covered in green makeup; removing it from her burned skin required alcohol, which caused her additional pain. The scene where she was injured was not used in the final version of the movie, which suggests that the studio removed evidence of the accident. 

Another actor, Bert Lahr, who played the Cowardly Lion, also experienced difficulties. His costume was made from real lion fur and weighed between 90 and 100 pounds. Because of this, he often became overheated while filming. This costume also did not allow proper airflow. At one point, he had to drink liquids like soup and milkshakes through a straw so he would not ruin his makeup. Later, he insisted on removing and reapplying the makeup so he could eat normally. 

There were also serious issues with the role of the tin man. The original actor, Buddy Ebsen, became very sick after inhaling aluminum dust from his makeup. After about 10 days of filming, he developed severe lung problems and had to be hospitalized for two weeks. He was replaced by another actor, Jack Haley. The makeup was changed to a paste instead of powder, but Haley still had problems, including an eye infection. The original costume was also reported to have sharp parts that caused discomfort. 

Judy Garland, who played Dorothy, was only 16 years old at the time, and reports say that the studio controlled her diet and encouraged her to use substances like cigarettes,coffee, and sleeping pills. This was done to keep her energy up for long work hours and to maintain her appearance.

All the examples show that the production of the movie involved multiple injuries and difficult conditions. Some people believe that the studio may have hidden these problems by editing scenes or not fully reporting what happened. There are also rumors connecting ideas that the production pushed actors too hard.