Last Month The Judy Garland Wizard of Oz Dress Was Found at Catholic University: Details, Reactions, Roundup

 

 

 

It was given to Rev. Gilbert Hartke, illustrious head of the drama programme, by actress Mercedes McCambridge.

A dress worn by Judy Garland in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ has finally been located.

The legendary blue and white garment worn by the actress’ character Dorothy in the iconic 1939 film vanished just a year after it was gifted to the Catholic University of America (CUA) in 1972 but it was recently found by Matt Ripa, a lecturer at the university.

He shared in a Catholic University press release: “I had looked in our archives, storage closets etc. to no avail. I assumed it was a tall tale.

“I was curious what was inside and opened the trash bag and inside was a shoebox and inside the shoebox was the dress. I couldn’t believe it.

“Needless to say, I have found my interesting things in the Hartke during my time at CUA, but I think this one takes the cake.”

The university has confirmed that the dress will now be properly preserved.

They added: “It can now be preserved in proper storage in a temperature – and humidity – controlled environment so that hopefully, for many more years, it can be a source of ‘hope, strength and courage’ for Catholic University students.”

The university also wrote on Instagram: “In 1973, Catholic University’s @cuatower newspaper wrote about a gift to Catholic University meant to be a source of “hope, strength, and courage” to students. The gift was a dress that is believed to have been worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz.

“It was given to Rev. Gilbert Hartke, illustrious head of the drama programme, by actress Mercedes McCambridge, who served as artist-in-residence at CatholicU in 1972.

“For many years, it was rumoured that the dress was still located in Hartke, the building named after the priest, but no one knew exactly where. While preparing for some renovations last month, Matt Ripa, M.F.A. 2008, lecturer and operations coordinator for the @cua_drama in @cuamusicdramaart, rediscovered Dorothy’s Dress.”

I always thought that TotallyOz had it in one of his trunks he travels with 

6 hours ago, floridarob said:

I always thought that TotallyOz had it in one of his trunks he travels with 

I wonder why? I doubt if any expat male could get into that dress. Maybe he likes the boys to dress up occasionally! 

1 hour ago, PeterRS said:

I wonder why? I doubt if any expat male could get into that dress. Maybe he likes the boys to dress up occasionally! 

If you ever saw what he used to travel with....the amount of HUGE luggages, 

I have a short vacation planned in Thailand with this sexy African goddess.   Well, not goddess, but a hot guy from Madagascar. I think I can do it with 5 suitcases or less.

I do love the Wizard of Oz and would love to have that dress!

9 hours ago, TotallyOz said:

would love to have that dress!

The dress found in the Hartke building shared those characteristics, the university said, and LIntelman and two colleagues who had viewed it said the “evidence around the dress was strong.”
In 2015, another of Dorothy’s dresses sold for $1,565,000 at a New York auction.

– Catholic University of America,

Here was a rare piece of Tinseltown memorabilia, a farm girl’s blue gingham dress, one of several — though not many — worn by Judy Garland in her role as Dorothy Gale in the classic 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz.” It wasn’t quite the famed ruby slippers, but the garment was a fascinating artifact just the same.

The Washington Post