Langley’s fantasy features the Emperor Aladdin, an ordinary fellow presiding over an enchanted realm. Langley, South African-born, was selected as the screenwriter because of his whimsical 1937 children’s book, The Tale of the Land of Green Ginger.

Frank Baum’s 1900 novel for children, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Harburg, who penned “Over the Rainbow,” would refine and polish the story, this draft is the work of Noel Langley. Though other writers, including lyricist E. The original, in the collections of the National Museum of American History and dated May 4, 1938, consists of about 100 pages. On a recent afternoon in my study, I pored over a photocopy of a touchstone memento from the film-a typewritten studio script.

Thanks to MGM’s 1939 film, Dorothy’s adventure in Oz has become a foundation myth of American culture. Years, too, before I would come up with the idea for a novel, Wicked, which inspired the Broadway musical. It would be years before I saw the Technicolor land of Oz bloom outside Dorothy’s black-and-white farmhouse, as we didn’t have a color TV. The annual television broadcast of The Wizard of Oz was a national ritual when we baby boomers were kids. In our pajamas, we huddled together under a blanket.

Wizard of oz full play script