Buddy Ebsen was cast as the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz (1939) until he fell ill from an allergy to the makeup.
In the film (1939) version of The Wizard of Oz, MGM had originally cast Buddy Ebsen as the Scarecrow. Ray Bolger,cast as the Tin Man, really wanted to be the Scarecrow and so Ebsen switched to play the Tin Man Woodsmen.
Ebsen had recorded all the Tin Man songs, performed at all of the rehearsals, and even begin filming before a serious problem developed.
Ebsen began experiencing discomfort and a lack of oxygen which eventually lead to hospitalization. Ebsen had suffered an allergic reaction to aluminum dust used in the Tin Man’s makeup. It was so serious he had to leave the set and the movie.
Jack Haley replaced Ebsen and completed the filming as the Tin Man. The makeup was changed to a much safer aluminum paste compound.
One of my most cherished characters was the Tin Man Wizard of Oz – something about him always in search of a heart that got me and would make a great addition to your shelf. Below is a short top 10 list of some great Tin Man collectibles that you should have. Some are rare, some cheap and some expensive…but all our adorable.
No comments yet.