The Wizard of Oz on television

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The Wizard of Oz, produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), was first released in theatres on August 15, 1939. The film was then re-released nationwide in 1949, and once more in 1955. The Wizard of Oz was broadcast on television for the first time on Saturday, November 3, 1956. The film was shown as the last installment of the CBS anthology series Ford Star Jubilee. Since that telecast, The Wizard of Oz has been shown by CBS, NBC, The WB, and several of Ted Turner's national cable channels. The film has never been licensed to any local affiliate broadcast TV station. From 1959 to 1991, the showing of The Wizard of Oz was an annual tradition on American commercial network television. During these years (and for several years afterwards), the film was always shown as a television special.

After the film's second broadcast on U.S. television, subsequent network telecasts became a highly anticipated family event for many. The Wizard of Oz drew large audiences annually for many decades.^[1]

Until 1999, The Wizard of Oz had only been shown in the U.S. on commercial broadcast television. After the film went to cable, TV showings of the movie became increasingly more frequent. At this point, the tradition of televising the film only once per year was ceased in the U.S.^[2]

The Wizard of Oz has become perhaps the most famous and cherished film to be shown regularly on U.S. television.^[3] Of the many family-oriented musical fantasies broadcast after 1955, The Wizard of Oz is the only one still being shown regularly. Following the 1956 premiere, there were no rebroadcasts of the film until 1959. The 1959–1962 broadcasts occurred during autumn, between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Beginning with the 1963–64 season, these special presentations were seen in the first quarter of the year as well as around Easter and Passover. The film was not broadcast in the U.S. in the years 1963, 1992, 1995, or 1997.

The film was first issued on home video formats in 1980.^[4]