Book Description
Swartz reminds us in that various stage and screen dramatizations of Baum's story preceded and influenced the 1939 film. This richly illustrated book contains many rare photographs, film stills, sketches, theater programs, and movie advertisements from the different productions.
Piecing together the Chicago and Broadway stage productions (1902-3) from contemporary reviews, surviving script pages, and published song lyrics, Swartz shows how Baum and his many collaborators worked to transform the book into a popular theatrical attraction -- often requiring significant alterations to the original story.
Customer Reviews:
Before MGM's Musical Oz, there was . . . Oz on Stage & Film.......2005-04-21
After a few years I finally have this book, and it was an absolute pleasure in reading about the many editions of "the Wizard of Oz and others" that I knew about but never really could find any info about. In this book, Mark Evan Swartz gives a detailed synopsis of L. Frank Baum's original story on 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' book, his first draft for the Musical (which closely followed his book but with a few little changes), the 1902 Musical Stage Productions of "the Wizard of Oz" - along with the many changes it went through in later years and countries for tours, along with the other "Oz" Musicals on Stage (like "the Woggle-Bug", based on L. Frank Baum's 2nd Oz book 'the Marvelous Land of Oz" and "the Tik-Tok Man of Oz", based on the 3rd 'Ozma of Oz' book), the 1908 "Fairy-Logue and Radio Plays", the 1910 Selig film of "the Wonderful Wizard of Oz" (which was the first film and debut of - what most people would believe - the Witch of the West, named Momba), the 1925 "Larry Semon in the Wizard of Oz" movie, the 1933 animated short "Wizard of Oz" and finally the 1939 "MGM's the Wizard of Oz", while also mentioning the remakes of the Musical MGM, along with mentioning "the Wiz". It also tells us about a few other Oz films that aren't very well-known today.
The colourful pictures are in the middle of the book (like a Movie Novel) and the black-and-white pictures/photographs are throughout the book. However, it forgets to mention a few things:
* the name for the Good Witch of the North in the Stage Musical was Locasta (found in 'Annotated Wizard of Oz').
* the synopsis for performances such as "the Woggle-Bug" and "the Tik-Tok Man of Oz" Stage shows, the 1910 films of "Dorothy and the Scarecrow in Oz", "the Land of Oz" and "John Dough and the Cherub" (I'm sure that if the '1910 Wizard' can be found, then maybe the 2 '1910 Oz' films + 'John Dough' and hopefully the '1908 Fairy-Logue and Radio Plays' can be found/restored soon and put on DVD too), a 1931 "the Scarecrow of Oz" short and the 1933 "Wizard of Oz" animated short.
I love having this book and I agree that those of you who wish to know a lot about 'Oz on stage and Screen' should have this book.
Thanks to this book, it helped me to realize why, compared to the previous 'Wizard of Oz' films of 1910 and 1925, why the MGM Musical is very popular with the older people, seeing how it was the first film based on the Original L. Frank Baum Story (Remember, when compared to the previous versions) to be feature-length with colour and taking up many parts of the story; it even helped me to point out/remember a few more bits of MGM that was from the book, but I still prefer the more closely-followed-animated-adaptaions (of 1982, 1987 and maybe 1991 and 1973-4).
yes, but no.......2003-04-03
Everything you've ever wanted to know about Baum's Oz career, written, alas, by a perfectly dreadful stylist who can't synthesize information, can't shape a thought, and, basically, can't write.
The photos are nifty, though.
What a Surprise!.......2002-11-19
Prior to reading this wonderful book, I was somewhat of a newbie to the works of L. Frank Baum. I was familiar with the Wizard of Oz movie, but had never bothered to read the book from whence it came. Reading Mark Evan Swartz's "Oz Before the Rainbow" opened my eyes to Baum's additional works as well as the 1903 stage extravaganza based on "The Wizard of Oz".
Before the 1939 Judy Garland film, the 1903 stage adaptation was THE definitive version of Baum's first book. David Montgomery and Fred Stone were the definitive Tin Man and Scarecrow. In fact, the play made the team of Montgomery and Stone household names for several years after the play's successful run. While the storyline of the musical did differ from Baum's original work, you'll be surprised to find out how much of it translated over to the '39 movie.
Several adjustments were made to the story in order to get it to the stage, rendering the story vaguely recognizible, but way off from Baum's originial work. While wary of the many differences, Baum and songwriting partner Paul Tietjens composed several tunes for the show -- none of which carried over to the film versions. But through extensive research, Swartz provides the words to many of these forgotton melodies -- a real find for any Oz fan.
There are also many other interesting revelations concerning the 1903 play as well as the other film versions that followed. For instance, did you know Oliver Hardy (of Laurel & Hardy fame) played a part in one of the early versions of Oz?
This is a great book for any fan of the Oz books or movies. It's all beautifully arranged between text, documents and pictures. It'll make a wonderful addition to your Oz colletion and make you want to discover more about Oz prior to 1939. Highly recommended reading!
Impressively Researched and Finely Focused.......2001-09-23
Oz Before the Rainbow (L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz on Stage and Screen to 1939) is an amazingly well researched and thorough piece of work by archivist Mark Evan Swartz. This piercing view is directed at the 1902-3 stage version and the three subsequent incorporations of the story into the silent movies, often rather loosely incorporated in odd and often surprising ways for those familiar only with the book. All of these versions of Baum's first book have fallen out of public consciousness, pushed aside, as it were, by the memorable 1939 film verion (the version that remained the truest to the spirit and not just some of the ideas of the book). Concepts from the previous incarnations do leak into the 1939 movie and it is fascinating to watch this evolution. This is a tremondous piece of research that is a must for fans of Oz.
Better Than A Trip to the Emerald City.......2000-11-30
This is a marvelous book for Oz lovers, but especially for those interested in the history of musical comedy and silent movies. Mark Evan Swartz has has written a scholary, meticulous book that is clear and exciting. The book pays off in loads of information about Baum and the development of his ideas for Oz in print, on stage and in motion pictures. What I found most fascinating was Swartz's account of how "The Wizard of Oz" became one of the biggest hits in American theater and about the business of managing a big production that ran, in New York and on tour, for years.
Swartz performs a near-miracle in marshaling information about business issues into a cogent and exciting story. His retelling of how the show looked and sounded to audiences of the time is masterful. The show made enormous stars of the comedy team Montgomery and Stone as the Tin Man and the Scarecrow. (Stone lived long enough to act in movies in the 30's and 40's, so that it's possible for us to see one of the biggest broadway stars of the eary 20th century in movies like "Alice Adams" and "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine." Even as an old man he has some of the twinkle that enchanted theater audiences.)
Swartz is equally good in drawing a picture of the Oz silent movies and of how MGM came to make the "Rainbow" version in 1939. And speaking of pictures -- the book is lavishly illusrated with pictures of the original production and its stars, with shots from the silents and with wonderful color reproductions of posters and other ads. It's a scholarly book that is fun to browse and a handsome book you can learn something from.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Utopian Studies, published by Society for Utopian Studies on January 1, 2003. The length of the article is 1090 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Mark Evan Swartz. Oz Before the Rainbow: L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz on Stage and Screen to 1939.(Book Review)
Author: Andrew Karp
Publication:
Utopian Studies (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 2003
Publisher: Society for Utopian Studies
Volume: 14
Issue: 1
Page: 264(3)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Average customer rating:
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Music, Theatre And Politics in Germany: 1848 to the Third Reich
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Book Description
The history of the New York Mets spans over four decades, all of which have been a roller coaster ride. Society has gone through many changes, some very good and others horrible. This also applies to the Mets; their fans can attest to this.
They began as a "Phoenix," rising out of the ashes of the "ghosts" of the Dodgers and Giants, long lost stalwarts of the Big Apple. Despite their ineptitude (or maybe because of it), New York National League fans took them in as an animal lover would take to the "runt of the litter." However, after seven years, the Mets finally rewarded their fans by winning what was considered a "Miracle Championship." Double Blackjack also sheds light on the lean years, which unfortunately occurred more often than the opposite.
I know I have only scratched the surface of the Mets' transactions, especially for all the "Monday Morning Quarterbacks" out there. I also know that there will be quite a lot of controversy associated with my writing. However, I have never been one to back down from an unpopular opinion; if I believe in a cause, no matter how futile it may be, I won't be swayed. All Mets' fans can commiserate with me.
Customer Reviews:
A noble effort, but not worth the price..........2007-08-22
This book was written by someone who obviously is a loyal and dedicated Mets fan, and he clearly put a great deal of passion and effort into it.
However, Mr. Liebenthal either relied too much on a faulty memory or did not do enough fact-checking, and this resulted in a number of errors, too many for someone claiming to be an "expert" on his topic.
For example, the author states on page 1 that after being illegally signed by the Atlanta Braves and having his contract voided, Tom Seaver was awarded to the Mets in a lottery involving the Mets, Braves, and Dodgers. Actually, the Braves were forbidden from signing Seaver, and the lottery involved the Mets, Indians, and Phillies. Also, on page 88, he states that the Mets beat the Braves in Game 5 of the 1999 NLCS in 13 innings, when in fact the game went 15 innings.
More minor, but also glaring (to this reader) was the repeated misspelling of the name of former manager DAVEY (not Davy) Johnson.
In addition, the author writes in a very cumbersome style, with unexplained assertions and questionable choice of words. Staying on page 88, he states that Todd Zeile's "moniker" (why not just say "name?") starts with "Ze, an interesting juxtaposition." Why is that an interesting juxtaposition? The author doesn't explain.
On the same page, in describing Game 1 of the 2000 World Series, the author states that the Mets had a one-run lead and that reliever Armando Benitez "should have been able to hold the vanguard." HOLD THE VANGUARD?? What the heck does that mean? The closest definition of vanguard is "the forefront in any movement, field, activity, or the like." Why not keep it simple and just say "hold the lead?"
Finally, the author strained my concentration with repeated cliches like "lidlifter" to describe the opening game of a series.
Mr. Liebenthal obviously has plenty of knowledge of and passion for the Mets, but I wish I hadn't spent the money on this book.
Amazin, Amazin, Amazin.......2005-10-22
This is a wonderful book written by Liebenthal and very detailed. What else can you say about the Mets for the past 43 seasons you come to suspect the worst from this team from the Ryan-Fregosi deal to the Kazmir-Zambrano trade? This book although short and just gives a lot what of "what ifs" what if the Mets never traded for Nolan Ryan for Fregosi or Amos Otis for Joe Foy; Who??, or have given Seaver the proper contract he deserved or trade Staub, McGraw? The list goes on and on about bad trades and also the bad free agent signings like, Vince Coleman, Bobby Bonilla (Biggest Bust ever) you can throw in the Brett Saberhagen deal in there too; despite a 14-4 start to the strike season of '94. The worst trade was the Juan Samuel trade to the Mets for Lenny Dykstra and Roger McDowell. (Definitely a killer move there) Also another bad move for the Mets was not giving Strawberry a contract to keep him as a Met instead he went on to sign with the LA Dodgers and went on to ruin his career with altercations with drugs and alcohol and spousal abuse. Liebenthal doesn't talk much about the brutal moves that Steve Phillips made with Mo Vaughn and Roberto Alomar (which at the time was a no brainer until his hall of fame credibility was almost shattered in NY with his shoddy defense and lackluster 240 batting average that they had no choice but to trade him to the White Sox so at least he would have retained some of that hall of fame status that he was when he played in a bandbox like Camden yards and Jacobs Field. Just imagine what Alomar's career would be like if he played mostly at a ballpark that was similar to Shea stadium. I guarantee that his career statistics would be a lot less attractive and he would've been one of those players that come and go. Liebentahl also talks about the great moves the Mets have made throughout the years of existence, like bringing in Gil Hodges to manage the Mets in 1968, the Tom Seaver move which only worked because Atlanta at the time violate a rule, which stated that no team was aloud to sign players still playing for a collegiate team at the time. So it came down to three teams Mets, Phillies and the Cardinals all put in a hat and Seaver pulled out the paper and it said Mets and the rest is history. Signing Jerry Koosman who was later trade to Minnesota in exchange for a youngster name Jesse Orosco, who later on became a big part of the Mets 1986 World Championship team. Also moves that brought in Rusty Staub and even though he was at the tail end of his career, Willie Mays. Liebenthal also talks about the great moves the Mets made bring in Keith Hernandez to the Mets from St. Louis and sending Neil Allen in return. Moves like drafting Strawberry and Gooden. The trade that sent Hubie Brooks, Floyd Youmanns to the Montreal Expos for catcher Gary Carter in the winter of 1984.Trading for Bobby Ojeda and Ron Darling. The list goes on and on. This book written by Liebenthal would intrigue any Met fan who is interested in wanting to know what the franchise was like from birth to its glory year of '69 and '86 to the most dismal years of the late '70's to early '80's and the early to mid '90's.
amazing book.......2004-07-08
the person who wrote the review above does not know what they are talking about. This is a great book but there is no part about tennis or topsy turvy day. Anyways who is the wizard of Roz. DONT PAY ATTENTION TO THE REVIEW ABOVE
Book Description
Frank Scoblete also shows you the insider tricks the professionals use that can give players even greater edges. Learn how to take advantage of the sloppy dealers. Learn how to cut the cards to give you the better hands. Learn how to get the casinos to pay you extra money to play blackjack!
Customer Reviews:
Excellent overview .......2006-12-02
Scoblete's Blackjack book doesn't have much that you can't find elsewhere, but he summarizes well, illustrates effectively, and writes in a breezy style which makes the whole book helpful and useful.
The technical stuff is well presented; basic strategy isn't going to change from book to book unless the rules do, but it is well presented here. Likewise, the overview of all the various counts and systems is excellent and worth the price of the book itself. Further, I thought it was greatly to his credit that he admits most of the multilevel counts just aren't worth the mental effort and risk of making mistakes, a recommends a simple (but effective) count for the reader. Too many authors push their own counts which work if you happen to be a math savant but aren't as useful to the average player.
There is a chapter of minor tricks of the trade which is pretty good, and there are interviews with successful counters and team leaders/members.
Scoblete tosses in a lot of road warrior blackjack stories, all well told, most of them funny, and genuinely enjoys the people part of the game. It's also to his credit that he doesn't brag about how high he plays, how much he makes - no, he says straight out that he makes much more money from writing books on blackjack than on playing it. Blackjack is a fun and thrilling way of having a shot at making a bit of extra money, if one plays very well, while enjoying the rest of life as well. A particularly mature and refreshing attitude!
Overall there is a wealth of hard information here, and tons of material of interest to both the serious and casual blackjack player. If you are to read only one book, this would be a great choice.
Poorly Laid .......2005-08-22
A quikie indeed.
I got it and it was over.
A poorly laidout book. The material may be too exciting to stay with it longer than a minute.
Best Blackjack is Just That!!!.......2005-05-14
This is a great blackjack book with good analysis and great personal insights and stories.
Best Blackjack is Blackjack's Best.......2003-12-28
This book has everything you need to know to go from a novice to an advantage player, one who plays with an edge over the casinos. It is expertly written and enjoyable to read.
Good reading.......2003-02-15
Even if you do not plan to be an expert player, this book is very interesting and enjoyable. You'll learn about the methods and the players. If you are serious about the game, you may have a slight edge (in The Netherlands for example you cannot count the cards and it limits the counting techniques you can apply) but do not expect making big money, and even less a living out the different methods (to say it otherwise you better have a "normal" job or write books about blackjack). It does not mean you cannot have fun
Book Description
This digital document is an article from San Diego Business Journal, published by CBJ, L.P. on February 12, 2001. The length of the article is 1064 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Casino Ranked "Loosest Slots" and "Best BlackJack Odds" in San Diego.
Publication:
San Diego Business Journal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 12, 2001
Publisher: CBJ, L.P.
Volume: 22
Issue: 7
Page: 28
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Amazon.com
Jack Groppel is a speaker-consultant on business issues and a partner in a company that helps sports stars such as Ernie Els and Monica Seles enhance their competitive edge by fine-tuning their training regimens and overall lifestyles. In The Corporate Athlete, he proposes a total program of nutrition, exercise, and spiritual fitness that's designed to do the same for those competing in the world of business. "Executives and employees in the new millennium can protect their health and happiness and continue to perform at high levels only by doing what athletes do--train," Groppel writes. "You must become a Corporate Athlete, which means adapting the training mentality of elite, high-performance athletes." His program is hardly "a quick fix," Groppel admits, but rather a demanding (albeit versatile) and multifaceted process with explicit short- and long-term guidelines. He clearly explains how carbohydrates and proteins, stretching and aerobic activity, and even ethics and values affect performance at work, for example, and offers practical suggestions for incorporating them into an already overcrowded day. He concludes by outlining a complete 21-day improvement program, which includes day-by-day goals for exercise and meals along with ways to track subsequent accomplishments. This book is for anyone, corporate or otherwise, looking to add balance to an otherwise stressful and hectic work life. --Howard Rothman
Book Description
"As Jack Groppel so aptly explains, the rigor of corporate athletics is often even more demanding than that of professional athletes. In my world, one does not have the luxury of an off-season. This book is a must-read for all those striving for the gold."
-Arthur M. Blank, CEO and President, The Home Depot
"Today's challenging business climate requires every top executive to be perfectly fit both mentally and physically. The Corporate Athlete is must reading for everyone who wants to manage his or her business, career, or profession effectively while living a balanced life. Buy it-it's a great investment."
-Leonard Lauder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Estee Lauder Companies, Inc.
Customer Reviews:
OUTSTANDING!.......2000-02-18
This great book should be on the desk of every stressed out business executive.It brilliantly describes what it takes to be in a peak state of mind when you need to be.There is no question that business people as well as everyone should train their bodies to get their minds in top shape.This book illustrates that with great information about diet,exercise,and proper attitude.A wise investment.
Lacking new Insight to an age-old problem.......2000-02-01
I waited in anticipation for this book to arrive. Much hype had been made about this new research and the 21 day plan. Business men and women stuggle to balance work and home-life, and the foundation of this book is right on. If we loose weight, drink more water and exercise we will have more energy for both. The problem with this book is that it says very little more. I found myself brousing through the book looking for new ideas to give me some boost. The book does have some excellent chapters on how to deal with stress in the work place. In fact, this book is worth buying just for these two chapters. However, for those of us who read self help books on a daily basis, you might be looking for more.
At the Top of Your Game.......2000-01-23
Finally - a book that delivers on its promise to help you get to the top of your game, to help you achieve maximal performance levels in life - and does so using a common sense approach that integrates experience, study and science with focus and commitment. The key is training like an athlete whether its following an exercise or nutrition program or developing a positive attitude. What a refreshingly realistic concept in this "a pill a day takes the fat away" world! Through Dr. Groppel's convincing clarity, it all makes perfect sense. And you don't have to be in the business arena to benefit from the principles of THE CORPORATE ATHLETE. Maximizing performance can be a goal that crosses age, gender and occupational or vocational boundaries. But what makes this book stand out for me is Dr. Groppel's holistic approach - completing the palate of fitness by incorporating the physical, mental and emotional with the spiritual. It takes courage to take spirituality out of its politically correct closet and plop it onto the Board Room table, to make it a key component of performance enhancement. Could it be that the growth of courage, confidence, conviction and character is a natural end product of one's development into the ultimate corporate athlete? I am convinced, after reading the book, that this is the case.
Books:
- Rainer Werner Fassbinder: Plays (PAJ Books)
- Regarding Film: Criticism and Comment (PAJ Books)
- Robert Ryan: A Biography and Critical Filmography
- Saving Private Ryan
- Screen World, Vol. 54, 2003 Film Annual
- Screenwriting: Screencraft Series
- Sex, lies, and videotape
- Shocking Representation: Historical Trauma, National Cinema, and the Modern Horror Film (Film and Culture Series)
- Singin' in the Rain (BFI Film Classics)
- Skin Shows: Gothic Horror and the Technology of Monsters
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