The Wizard of Oz (1939 film) regrets about turning down the part, and would go on to play a glamorous villain in Fox's version of Maurice Maeterlinck's "The Blue Bird" in 1940; Margaret Hamilton played a role remarkably similar to the Wicked Witch in the Judy Garland film "Babes in Arms" (1939). According to Aljean Harmetz, the "gone-to-seed" coat worn by Morgan as the wizard was selected from a rack of coats purchased from a second-hand shop. According to legend, Morgan later discovered a label in the coat indicating it had once belonged to Baum, that Baum's widow confirmed this, and that the coat was eventually
Copyright status of The Wizard of Oz and related works in the United States copyright was never renewed on either of these, so they entered the public domain in 1974 and 1977, respectively. They are the last two Oz books that entered the public domain. "The Hidden Valley of Oz" was published by Rachel Cosgrove in 1951, had the copyright renewed, and therefore will enter public domain in 2047. Cosgrove also wrote "The Wicked Witch of Oz" in 1954. However, it was not published until 1993. Since it was published after 1977, it will remain copyrighted for seventy years after the author's death. Cosgrove died in 1998, so "The Wicked Witch of Oz" will