L Frank Baum

L. Frank Baum, writer of the book and lyrics for The Tik-Tok Man of Oz, was the author of the American children's classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and thirteen sequels. Baum published many other books and short stories during his prolific career. He was born in Chittenango, New York, in 1856, where his writing and publishing career got off to a start with a self-published home newspaper printed on his own press. Baum's aspirations led him to the theater. His first commercially successful...See more

L. Frank Baum, writer of the book and lyrics for The Tik-Tok Man of Oz, was the author of the American children's classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and thirteen sequels. Baum published many other books and short stories during his prolific career. He was born in Chittenango, New York, in 1856, where his writing and publishing career got off to a start with a self-published home newspaper printed on his own press. Baum's aspirations led him to the theater. His first commercially successful production of note was The Maid of Arran in 1882, which Baum produced, directed, and starred in. Baum's greatest theatre work was his script for The Wizard of Oz, which opened on Broadway at the Majestic Theater in January 1903. This smash show was produced by Fred Hamlin, directed by Julian Mitchell, and made stars of Fred Stone as the Scarecrow and David Montgomery as the Tin Woodman. Hoping to repeat the great success of The Wizard of Oz, Baum brought his script for The Tik-Tok Man of Oz to producer Oliver Morosco. The Tik-Tok Man of Oz opened at the Majestic Theatre in Los Angeles, California, on March 31, 1913, and toured the USA and Canada through 1914. Baum then embraced the new industry of motion pictures and, through his Oz Film Manufacturing Company of Hollywood, California, produced four feature films and several shorts based on his stories. Baum died at his home, Ozcot, in Hollywood in 1919. See less