Journey Back to Oz
Journey Back To Oz is a 1972 American animated adventure musical fantasy film produced by Filmation. It is loosely based on L. Frank Baum's second Oz novel The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904), although Baum received no screen credit.
| Journey Back to Oz | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Hal Sutherland |
| Written by | Fred Ladd Norm Prescott Bernard Evslin |
| Based on | The Marvelous Land of Oz: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman by L. Frank Baum |
| Produced by | Preston Blair Fred Ladd Norm Prescott Lou Scheimer |
| Starring | Milton Berle Herschel Bernardi Paul Ford Margaret Hamilton Jack E. Leonard Paul Lynde Ethel Merman Liza Minnelli Mickey Rooney Risë Stevens Danny Thomas Mel Blanc Dallas McKennon Larry Storch |
| Edited by | Joseph Simon |
| Music by | Walter Scharf |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Seymour Borde |
Release date |
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Running time | 88 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The film was not a hit in theaters, but did well on television, premiering on ABC on December 5, 1976. For television broadcast, Filmation produced live-action segments with a celebrity playing the Wizard, flying in his balloon with a parrot and two Munchkins, Sprig and Twig.
The first version featured Bill Cosby. Filmation only contracted with Cosby for two airings, so when the film aired in syndication later, the company reshot the live segments with Milton Berle. The Cosby-hosted version would eventually air in syndication.