Lions and Tigers and Wizard of Oz Cast Salaries — Oh My!

When The Wizard of Oz was released in 1939, it became one of the most iconic films of all time. But behind the scenes, the actors’ paychecks told a tale of Hollywood’s unequal magic. While some earned enough to fill the Emerald City’s vaults, others were left clutching a handful of yellow bricks. Let’s pull back the curtain and take a peek at what the beloved cast members made.

Judy Garland: More Modest Than Magical

Judy Garland, the 16-year-old star who brought Dorothy Gale to life, earned $500 a week during the filming of The Wizard of Oz. Over the course of the production, this added up to $9,600—about $218,000 in today’s dollars. For the lead in a now-legendary movie, that might sound respectable, but compared to her co-stars (and even some of the supporting cast), Judy’s paycheck was far from over the rainbow.

The Wicked Witch’s Lucrative Cackle

Margaret Hamilton, who terrified generations as the Wicked Witch of the West, earned $1,000 per week—double Judy Garland’s weekly rate. By the end of production, Hamilton raked in $21,000, which translates to nearly $476,000 today. Her Broadway credentials likely secured her a higher salary, and after suffering severe burns in an on-set accident, MGM kept her on payroll for six weeks during recovery. Being wicked does have its perks.

Incidentally, before she scared us on the screen, Margaret Hamilton was a teacher. One of her students went on to fame as a castaway on Gilligan’s Island.

Actor	Salary (1939)	Equivalent Salary (Today)
Ray Bolger	$72,000.00	$1,630,000.00
Jack Haley	$72,000.00	$1,630,000.00
Bert Lahr	$72,000.00	$1,630,000.00
Margaret Hamilton	$21,000.00	$476,000.00
Judy Garland	$9,600.00	$218,000.00
Terry (Toto)	$750.00	$17,028.00

The Trio of Oz: Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion

Ray Bolger (Scarecrow), Jack Haley (Tin Man), and Bert Lahr (Cowardly Lion) were Broadway veterans, and their contracts reflected their star power. Bolger led the trio with a hefty $3,000 weekly salary, bringing his total to $72,000—around $1.63 million today. Haley and Lahr weren’t far behind, earning comparable amounts. While Dorothy might have been the heart of the story, these three brought plenty of gold to the yellow brick road.

There was another actor who was supposed to play the Tin Man, but a series of mishaps forced him to abandon the role, and it ultimately led to the end of a promising musical career. Learn that surprising story here.

Toto: A Canine Star’s Payday

Even Dorothy’s loyal companion, Toto, earned a respectable wage. Terry, the Cairn Terrier who played Toto, was paid $125 per week—roughly $2,838 in modern dollars. For a dog whose job included dodging flying monkeys and staying adorable, it wasn’t a bad deal at all. In fact, Terry’s paycheck exceeded many human actors in the film’s ensemble cast. Talk about fetching a profit!

Toto is not the highest-earning canine in Hollywood, however. To learn whose bark has the biggest bite of the checkbook, read this article.

Behind the Curtain of Inequality

It’s no surprise that Hollywood’s pay scales in the 1930s weren’t exactly fair. Factors like prior fame, negotiating power, and even gender influenced the cast’s compensation. While The Wizard of Oz remains an enduring classic, its payroll proves that the Emerald City’s gold wasn’t distributed equally.

So, next time you watch Dorothy skip down the yellow brick road, remember: not all that glitters in Oz was gold, especially for the girl in the ruby slippers. For some cast members, the magic of Oz came with a hefty paycheck, while others were left wishing for a little more Hollywood magic in their contracts.

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