Is it true that the Wizards coat originally belonged to L. Frank Baum?
No, but you’re close. For the Kansas scenes, made towards the end of the film’s shooting schedule, a shabby old coat that had once been quite elegant was found at a local thrift shop for Frank Morgan to wear as Professor Marvel. While idly examining the coat one day Morgan found the name “L. Frank Baum” stitched into a pocket. The discovery caused quite a stir on the set, and Baum’s widow and the Chicago tailor who had made it later confirmed that it had belonged to Frank (the Baum’s had moved to Hollywood in 1911, and Maud Baum still lived there). At the end of filming LeRoy presented the coat to Mrs. Baum.
