Tales of The Wizard of Oz

Tales of The Wizard of Oz was the second cartoon series produced at Rankin-Bass Productions, famous for their Christmas specials such as "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." The animation studio was going strong with their puppet-animation production "The New Adventures Of Pinocchio." This was also their first cel-animated cartoon, done in very stylized limited animation that became synonomous with classic UPA, Jay Ward and Hanna-Barbera cartoons. The characters and settings were very flat, abstract and two-dimensional, but they provided excellent comedy and humor. These cartoons were both for adults and children alike. The syndicators ordered 120 3-to-5 minute segments from R-B, which were produced and aired from time to time, possibly between other cartoons on Saturday mornings or as part of TV clown programming. To avoid legal problems with the classic L. Frank Baum books and the 1939 MGM feature film, they changed most of the characters' personalities. DOROTHY GALE AND