Did a munchkin really commit suicide on the set of The Wizard of Oz?
It’s time to put the rumors to rest about the production of this beloved film.
MUNCHKIN DEATH RUMOR
Claim: An actor portraying one of the munchkins hanged himself on the set during the filming of The Wizard of Oz, and his death was captured on-camera and used in the final print.
Status: False
Perhaps the most infamous movie urban legend of all time, The Wizard of Oz legend that a man can be seen hanging in a shot of the film is false, although many continue to believe that it’s true.
The scene in question occurs about 45 minutes into the movie, at the end of the Tin Woodsman sequence, when Dorothy, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Woodsman walk off in the distance as they sing “We’re Off to See the Wizard.” As they walk toward the top-center of the frame, look toward the left side of the screen. Directly right of the little shack appears the figure in question. It does appear to be a human form hanging from a tree.
But look closer — the body seems to move its head slightly after a few seconds. The figure in question is a bird, a white bird in the background that’s obscured by a tree, which makes it look slightly like a person.