Dorothy and Toto by W. W. Denslow, 1900 |
Betsy by John R. Neill, 1914 |
Hank by John R. Neill, 1914 |
In the 1909 version of the stage script Betsy’s last name is Baker, but when the show reached the stage in 1913, she had attained her official last name of Bobbin—perhaps because she enters the story bobbin’ upon the waves.
It’s easy to see that Betsy is actually Dorothy in a different guise. But how in the world did Toto the dog become Hank the Mule? To understand the answer, you’ll need a little history.
Betsy and Hank, 1913 |
Imogene, the Scarecrow, and Dorothy on Broadway, 1903 |
So that’s how a dog became a mule. There was an intermediate step in between—a pet cow named Imogene.
Is it just me, or did Hank's stage costume get re-used in the Oz Film Manufacturing Company's silent films?
ReplyDeleteThe costumes certainly look as if they're the same. The actor is. But I'd think that the costume from Tik-Tok Man would have worn out at some point. Immediately after Tik-Tok Man, Fred Woodward played Hank the Mule in a touring stage show that also featured Tik-Tok Man actors Morton and Moore as well as Dolly Castles. I'd be surprised if the costume could have lasted through a year of Tik-Tok Man, another show, and three movies. I figure they probably had to replace the mule costume every month or two.
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