A Munchkin soldier's jacket from The Wizard of Oz
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1939. Green, yellow and beige felt jacket with puffed sleeves, woven metal trim, and tails. Bearing a label inscribed in black ink, "Bill Giblin length 47 Chest 30." Accompanied by a copy of the film.
Provenance: Purchased by the consignor at the 1970 MGM auction and/or tag sale.
Ranks of Munchkin soldiers wearing these jackets appear in the Munchkin Land scene, marching after Dorothy as she sets off on her journey. As evidenced by the label, the Munchkins' costumes were custom made for each actor. Adrian designed the munchkin outfits to have strange proportions, including large sleeves and tails as in this jacket, to make them seem smaller than they actually were. William Giblin (1916-1985) was a 4'6" gentleman from Trenton, NJ and was the last Munchkin to arrive for filming, getting to MGM on November 24, 1938. His name also appears in accounts of World War II, as his draft number, 158, was the first one called when the United States began conscription in 1940.
