Here's another photo from the series taken by a newspaper photographer, likely in January 1913. Composer Louis F. Gottschalk and author L. Frank Baum pose amid work on their forthcoming musical The Tik-Tok Man of Oz. The location is the studio of Lou Gottschalk's best friend and brother-in-law, painter John Bond Francisco.
Both Gottschalk and Baum had plenty of experience acting on stage, so
presenting the photographer with engaging expressions probably came
naturally to the men. The playfulness of their poses suggests that they had a good working rapport.
This photo appeared in the Los Angeles Sunday Tribune on March 30, 1913, the day before The Tik-Tok Man of Oz opened at Los Angeles's Majestic Theater. Hank the Mule, a character from the show, invades the picture area from the right. A newspaper publicity push for the show included both these photos and more.
Other photos from this shoot appear on pages 4, 56, and 58 in my book All Wound Up, which contains the complete history of The Tik-Tok Man of Oz.
Copyright © 2025 Eric Shanower. All rights reserved.
