- "She is Ozma! Queen, and rightful ruler of Oz. Her father was King of Oz before the Wizard came. Ozma grew up as Mombi's slave, but when the Nome King promised Mombi thirty beautiful heads if she kept Ozma a secret; she enchanted her into the mirror..."
- ―The Dancing Slave Girls of Emerald City in Return to Oz (1985)
Queen Ozma of Oz as portrayed by Emma Ridley in Disney's "Return to Oz"
- "I forgive Mombi. Dorothy has punished her by removing all of her magical powers, and a Witch with no magic; is a miserable creature indeed... "
- ― Princess Ozma in Return to Oz (1985)
- "I will be looking in on you, from time to time. And if you ever wish to Return to Oz, I shall make it so..."
- ―Ozma speaking to Dorothy Gale in Return to Oz (1985)
Baum Gives Ozma Life!
- "You are both rich, my friends...and your riches are the only riches worth having-the riches of content..."
- ―Princess Ozma of Oz.
- Born before the twentieth century, but not introduced until 1904, Ozma's official Birthday is on August 21st of an unknown year. She is said to be only a few years older than the character of Dorothy Gale who is no older than twelve, Ozma herself appears to be no older than sixteen. Ozma's Zodiac sign would be Leo, she is a natural born leader, her personality shines bright like the burning sun. Ozma is a fierce and headstrong ruler, in astrology she is a Lion which represents power and Royalty. The Lion is also Oz's official mascot animal along with the Tiger.
- "Long Live Princess Ozma of Oz! "
- ―Emerald City citizens.
Ozma
Princess Ozma of Oz is a fictional character invented by L. Frank Baum, author and creator of the Oz legacy. Ozma is the highest figure of authority in all of Oz and is a true imperial native Ozian and the last living descendent of Royal blood. She is first introduced in Baum's second Oz book titled The Marvelous Land of Oz, published in 1904 which also serves as a sequel to the first Oz book known as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz of 1900. Surprisingly, Baum never intended his first Oz story to have any sequels after Dorothy Gale and Toto returned home in the end. But he chose to discard this fact as he wrote a second book due to popular demand because the first Oz tale was a huge success. The children of the world wrote Baum literally thousands of letters begging him for more stories about Oz and it's spellbinding characters. Buam's second Oz book would also become a huge success, leading him to write a whole series of 12 other Oz books. Overall, Baum wrote 14 Oz books all of which were very successful, much like how J.K. Rowling did with the Harry Potter series.
- Scholars have argued that L. Frank Baum unknowingly, or deliberately put a subliminal message to his character of Ozma by hinting that she may Infact be Transgender without directly saying it. (See Ozma's alter ego Tip for further information.)
It is also believed that the fictional character of the Childlike Empress from the fantasy children's book The Neverending story, written and published in 1979 by German author Michael Ende was loosely based on the character of Ozma. Both are rulers of the lands which they reside within and are immortals of Royal blood and who are both extremely angelic, luminous, intelligent and graceful beyond their years.
- Also the Star Wars character Padmé Amidala has been argued to be loosley based on the character of not only Ozma but Glinda as well.
The Half Human Fairy Child of King Pastoria and Queen Lurline...
Ozma is the long-lost daughter of the long-deceased King Pastoria who once ruled in the land of Oz in a small Kingdom, long before the great humbug Wizard arrived and the Yellow Brick Road and Emerald City was built in his honor.
Queen Ozma sits on her Royal Throne as played by Emma Ridley in Return to Oz. (1984)
Ozma's mother figure was a eitherial enchantress and beautiful Fairy Queen named Lurline, a powerful and godly like figure of a mysterious higher power. She created the land of Oz with her fairy magic many, many centuries ago. Ozma is a human descendent from Royal-blood as Lurline chose her mortal mate; Pastoria to be King of the land and to take Oz's Imperial Throne when she departed from him and left the land of Oz forever with her band of "fairy-children" to carry on with her duties and find more unclaimed lands to enchant. Even though Lurline is much like Ozma's birth mother, Ozma refers to Lurline as her "Fairy Godmother." However, Glinda, the Good Witch of the South looks after Ozma like a motherly figure to fill in for Lurlines absence.
Ozma in her Emerald Chambers.
Ozma's and Lurline's ancestors come from a very long line of a fairy-race. Ozma herself, is half mortal but also half fairy, even though she does not bare magic wings attached to her body to fly, she naturally can perform simple magic as it runs in her blood and she is one of the very few individuals and Ozians in Oz authorised to legally practice the magical arts whenever she wishes to do so. Especially when an emergency, good or bad has taken place.
- It is also known in Oz that the characters of Ozga, Ozana, and the Mist Maidens are related to Ozma.
Princess Ozma & Immortality in Oz
Ozma blows kisses to her loyal subjects.
When Princess Ozma took her rightful place back as heir to the Throne to rule over Oz, with the help of Glinda, she stopped the aging process in Oz forever. And also illiminated any unpleasant diseases or fatal deaths in general. No one ever becomes deathly ill or dies unless they are cruel and evil such as the Wicked Witches who once dwelled in the various quadrants of Oz. No one is forced to age a single day and get older in appearance if they do not wish to. Princess Dorothy Gale, was in her late teens and even in her early twenties in some of the later Oz books by Baum, but chose to stay young, appearing as a little girl who looks no older than she did when she first came to Oz in the cyclone with Toto. Dorothy was no older than twelve in the first Oz book. And twelve she chooses to remain as Dorothy is naturally a child at heart.
Oma Sits upon her throne.
This spell of Ozma's is only affective and useful when in Oz. If any Ozian ventures beyond the Deadly Desert or back into our world, they would rapidly began to age very fastly, within a matter of seconds. Until they looked their true age. Luckily, this cannot happen because no one who lives in Oz ever wishes to leave because it is such a wonderful and glorious place where marvelous and magical things are indeed possible.
Physical Appearance & Style of Oz's Princess Ozma...
- "Glinda walked to the canopy and parted the silken hangings. Then she bent over the cushions, reached out her hand, and from the couch arose the form of a young girl, fresh and beautiful as the dew from a Spring May morning. Her eyes sparkled as two green diamonds, like emeralds, and her glossy pink lips were tinted like a tourmaline. All adown her back floated tresses of ruddy gold locks, with a slender jeweled circlet confining them at the brow. Her robes of silken gauze floated around her like a cloud, and dainty satin slippers shod her little feet. "
- ―The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904)
Princess Ozma of Oz.
It is stated several times by Baum in his Oz books that other than the character of Glinda the Good, no one in Oz is as beautiful, sweet and true as Queen Ozma, not even Princess Dorothy Gale.
Ozma!
Because Ozma is half fairy, she is an immortal, thus never againg even if she were to live outside of Oz. Baum describes Ozma as having the appearance of a young human girl no older than sixteen. She is described to be as fresh and beautiful as the purest dew drop on a Spring May morning. Ozma's large bright green eyes sparkle like emeralds and speak truth and health under her long eyelashes. Her lips are soft and tinted like the finest pink tourmaline, and her long, thick curly hair is a dark ruddy blonde with hints of gold and ember that shines beautifully when it catches the sunlight.
Ozma never wears anything that would be described as casual. In the Oz books, she is illustrated wearing elegant frocks and extravagant robes of fine rich fabrics of many layers, which gracefully flow around her. Her authentic and luminous clothing is of weightless sheer gauze or silk. These dresses are always of pure white or shades of green in colour. The majority of all her wardrobe is embroidered with lots of exotic designs and soft feathers, pearls, glass beads and expensive jewels are all sewn into the hems of the dresses to weigh the lightness of Ozma's attire down. On her feet are velvet slippers with bejewled buckles.
To complete her unique look, Ozma is never seen without a solid gold crown that rises a foot above her head, with solod gold bands that are delicately decorated with emeralds as it runs across her forehead reading Oz right at the middle center, being the focal point of her trademark headpiece. Either side of her head is also adorned with giant perfumed blossoms.
Ozma carries a magic golden scepter with her that also reads OZ, and is encrusted with thousands of sparkling stones and gems of real diamonds, rubies, sapphires, rainbow tinted tourmaline, glowing limestones, polished turquoise, and topaz.
Personality & Mannerisms Of A True Princess...
In the Oz books it is implied several times that Ozma can do no wrong. Like many of Baum's characters; Ozma is pure of heart. Not only does Ozma look like a real Princess, but she acts like one as well. Anyone who meets her knows by just looking at her that she is unquestionably of Royal blood. Her movements are dignified, smooth and graceful like of a girl who learned proper etiquette. She is also portrayed as an extremely compassionate and benevolent little ruler, who never loses her temper or resorts to acts of violence. She does not believe in destroying even her worst enemies no matter how wicked or atrocious they may be. Despite her young age, she is innocent yet intelligent beyond her years and rules all the land of Oz fairly and very wisely, always consulting reliable figures such as Glinda the Good, when in trouble, doubt or in need of simple assistance. Ozma goes out of her way to make sure all of her subjects are happy, healthy, content and safe from harms way.
Ozma of Oz
Ozma even eventually invited several people from the outside world to come live in the Land of Oz and live happily ever after and safe from all the troubles of our world. With the help of Glinda, the two Ozians sealed Oz off from the rest of the world entirely. Most notably Ozmas' best friend Dorothy Gale of Kansas with her pet dog Toto. Also the Wizard of Oz himself, Dorothys' Aunt Em, her Uncle Henry, Billina the talking hen, Eureka the pink and purple kitten, the Shaggy Man, Betsy Bobbin and her best friend Hank the talking mule, Trot, Button Bright and Cap'n Bill are the people who are from our world who went to live in Oz permanently. They all mostly reside happily in the Emerald City and live in the Royal Palace of Oz with Ozma, where they can stay forever and are immortal. Ozma even made Dorothy an official Princess of Oz and made her Royalty. Ozma also is said to have a Magic Picture in her Royal chambers, which can magically show her different scenes taking place of what is happening from anywhere in the entire world, Ozma brings people (mostly children) who have unfortunate or sad lives to live in Oz and become happier there. Ozma loves taking care of the less fortunate.
Lifestyle & Royal Duty of Ozma of Oz
Despite being a child who is young at heart and full of excitement, Princess Ozma can be very mature and serious when it's time to work instead of play.
- "Ozma made the loveliest Queen the Emerald City had ever known; and, although she was so young and inexperienced, she ruled her people with wisdom and Justice. For Glinda gave her good advice on all occasions; and the Woggle-Bug, who was appointed to the important post of Public Educator, was quite helpful to Ozma when her royal duties grew perplexing."
- ―The Marvelous Land of Oz (1904)
Princess Ozma and Princess Dorothy sit outside the Royal rose garden in the Emerald City, having a discussion with Lady Glinda the Good.
Ozma lives in the Royal Palace of Oz in the center of the Emerald City. And is protected by her royal bodyguard, the Soldier with the Green Whiskers. She is a incredibly busy and proactive little ruler, who looks very carefully after the comfort and welfare of her loyal subjects. She tries to make them all happy and, if any quarrels arise, she decides them justly. She is always ready and willing to listen to anyone who is unhappy, which is not common in Oz, or anyone who needs counsel or advice. (The Emerald City of Oz) She spends an hour each day listening to the troubles of her people, surrounded by all the important personages of Oz. ("The Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger") She always breakfasts alone and spends the morning over state matters, which leaves her afternoons free to play with her chums or take a refreshing walk in her royal rose garden arm in arm with her best friend who looks up to her, Dorothy Gale. (The Royal Book of Oz) When she sits on her throne and makes laws and settles disputes, she is as dignified and demure as any queen, but in her private apartments and with old and trusted friends she is a joyous and lighthearted girl who enjoys having as much fun and play as possible. (The Patchwork Girl of Oz)
Ozma dines at a Royal banquet to feast.
History of Oz: Fairy Queens & Mortal Kings
Long, long ago, before the Wizard crossed over the Deadly Desert and straight into the realm of Oz, arriving via hot-air balloon, Oz was once ruled by a very old yet kind and gentle King of human blood named Pastoria. Now it is rumored that Pastoria was also once madly in love with a beautiful enchantress named Lurline, the Fairy Queen who processed great magical powers only for good and is credited for making Oz a fairy country by enchanting it and cutting it off from the rest of the world centuries ago. When she first chose the land where she wanted to make Oz. Lurline used her magic to create it's breathtaking landscapes, making sparkling rivers and rocky mountains with high waterfalls, pine filled forests and thick jungles, rainforests, vast hills and colorful flowery meadows. And after it was finished, Lurline, Pastoria and the people of the fairy Kingdom lived amoungst all of these lovely sights for a long time in harmony and bliss.
Lurline and Pastoria eventually came together as one and had a beautiful baby girl whom Lurline named 'Ozma', the first fairy child of Oz. The daughter of the two was half human and half fairy, making her immortal like Lurline even though Pastoria was not. After that Lurline left the land of Oz to continue enchanting other lands and created other realms similar to Oz. She put Pastoria on the Throne and left Ozma in his care before parting ways and disappearing forever with her band of fairy-children to began new duties. Lurline can be viewed as a mother-nature like figure as she has many invisible fairy children, who are the guardian angels to the lands Lurline has enchanted. They watch over all the living things, such as the trees, rivers, and soil. They keep the lands, such as Oz beautiful and fresh, bringing in the light cool breezes of spring and shade to hot sunny places, and carry the rich pollen which can be found within the spring flowers and little buttercups. They tend to the dying plants in the lands and nurse them back to health and create the moist morning due to feed the green grass that grows.
Ozma rarely is ever Sad, but Fairy Princesses have feelings also...
The King Pastoria lived a long and wise life and he became very, very old with wrinkled skin and a long white beard. Now, widowed and left on his own with a baby infant and without the guidance of Lurline, Pastoria was not a very powerful King and was only getting older. He lived in a rather small Kingdom, in the middle of the land. His people were happy and content as his subjects, but the land of Oz was still inhabited by two Wicked Witches of the East and West quadrants and who also had many people from Oz enslaved. The Wicked Witch of the West had a Golden Cap and the charm of this cap allowed her to command her Winged Monkeys, who were Slaves to the cap, make the Winkies her Slaves also. And the Wicked Witch of the East used the magic of her Silver Shoes to keep the Munchkin people tightly in her bondage.
The Witches were very powerful indeed, and could do as ever they pleased to anyone or thing that was unlucky to cross the Witches paths. These Witches cast many a spells upon innocent people, turning them into random house or kitchen objects such as flower pots or candle sticks. The Wicked Witches tried many, many times to overthrow Pastoria and take over all of Oz as a whole. Unfortunately Pastoria himself did not know anything about practicing the magic arts, for he depended on Queen Lurline's magic. So he could not defend himself or his people. The Witches in Oz could have easily taken over and stole the King's Throne and enslaved his subjects to their own pleasing. The only thing that stopped them from truly doing so, was the other two Good Witches Locasta Tattypoo aka the Good Witch of the North who lived with the Gillikins, and Lady Glinda who lived in a ruby-red castle with the Quadlings of Oz.
The two Good Witches used all the power and sorcery they knew to protect poor Pastoria and his people from harms way. But they were not strong enough to banish the Wicked Witches out of Oz or put an end to them and the Wickedness that dwelled within the land of Oz all together.
One random day, out of the clear blue sky, suddenly a large air-craft of sorts came descending down from the clouds up above, it slowly came to the ground and landed in the exact center of Oz. The people of Oz, Pastoria's subjects and even the Witches of Oz themselves had never seen such a peculiar envention. Inside the basket that was attached to the giant ballon was a man, he called himself Oscar Diggs, and enthusiastically introduced himself as a great Wizard and Magician. And the people of oz believed him as they saw him preform magic tricks right before they're very eyes. The people of Oz asked if the Wizard would be the ruler of the land and he agreed that he would look after Oz and someday rid the land of it's Wicked Witches if they promised to obey his every wish and demand. The people of Oz were gullible people and believed him and his promises. Thus, building the famous Emerald City in his honor and constructing the Yellow Brick Road that lead to the main entrance.
Shortly after the Wizard overthrew King Pastoria, he simply disappeared from Oz for a long, long time. The only thing he left behind was his baby daughter, the fairy child, Princess Ozma who one day would get old enough to use the magic she had, that ran in her blood, to claim her place as the rightful Heir to her father's Throne. This worried the greedy Wizard as he wanted the Throne all to himself. So one late night, the Wizard snuck into the Palace of Pastoria, and snatched the baby Princess up and disappeared into the dark night. He gave the baby Ozma to a Witch near by named Mombi who lived in the North lands of Oz. Mombi was not as gifted or as powerful as the Wicked Witches in Oz, but she was still very ugly inside and very Wicked nonetheless. Mombi agreed to the Wizard's offer and favor to keep the baby hidden away from the Palace and to never let anyone know where Ozma was.
Tip and Mombi in a comic!
Mombi, transformed Ozma to disguise her as a ragga-muffin boy named Tip to work as her personal servant and kitchen slave for many years. Much like the story of Cinderella.
From Kitchen Boy Tip to Lovely Princess Ozma: A Cinderella Story...
The shattering truth of Princess Ozma.
Mombi transformed the infant Ozma into a boy and called him Tip (short for Tippetarius). Ozma, in the form of Tip, was raised as a boy and had no memory of ever having been a girl. As Tip, Ozma created Jack Pumpkinhead. Glinda the good witch forced Mombi to transform the boy Tip back into Ozma, who was then installed as Oz's ruler (although many realms within Oz were and remain unaware of her authority). (The Marvelous Land of Oz)
Ozma and her alter ego Tip.
When word came to Ozma that the Royal Family of the neighboring Land of Ev had been imprisoned by the Nome King, she organized a rescue party and set out to liberate them, crossing the desert on a Magic Carpet. In Evna, Dorothy Gale joined their party and they continued on to the Nome Kingdom. The Nome King offered them an opportunity to save the royal family of Ev, who had been turned into ornaments in his palace, but it was a trick and soon Ozma herself was transformed into a carved emerald grasshopper. She was rescued (along with everyone else) by Billina the hen and the entire party escaped back to Ev, having confiscated the Nome King's Magic Belt. The Ozites attended the coronation of King Evardo XV and then returned to the Land of Oz. (Ozma of Oz)
Ozma of Oz in Comics.
When the Nome King planned to invade Oz and destroy it in revenge, Ozma discovered his plans with her Magic Picture. She was surprisingly nonchalant about the threat, refusing to either prepare for war or escape the country, but merely waiting for their inevitable enslavement. When the Scarecrow suggested a non-violent way to turn back the invaders, Ozma agreed and was able to protect her kingdom. (The Emerald City of Oz)
Princess Ozma, Princess Dorothy and Betsy Bobbin.
She and Dorothy went to the Flatheads and the Skeezers to try to stop a war from breaking out between them. (Glinda of Oz)
Oz Book Appearances
*Famous Forty*
- The Marvelous Land of Oz (first appearance)
- Ozma of Oz
- Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz
- The Road to Oz
- The Emerald City of Oz
- Little Wizard Stories of Oz
- The Patchwork Girl of Oz
- Tik-Tok of Oz
- The Scarecrow of Oz
- Rinkitink in Oz
- The Lost Princess of Oz
- The Tin Woodman of Oz
- The Magic of Oz
- Glinda of Oz
- The Royal Book of Oz
- Kabumpo in Oz
- The Cowardly Lion of Oz
- Grampa in Oz
- The Lost King of Oz
- The Hungry Tiger of Oz
- The Gnome King of Oz
- The Giant Horse of Oz
- Jack Pumpkinhead of Oz
- The Yellow Knight of Oz
- Pirates in Oz
- The Purple Prince of Oz
- Ojo in Oz
- Speedy in Oz
- The Wishing Horse of Oz
- Handy Mandy in Oz
- The Silver Princess in Oz
- Ozoplaning with the Wizard of Oz
- The Wonder City of Oz
- The Scalawagons of Oz
- Lucky Bucky in Oz
- The Magical Mimics in Oz
- The Shaggy Man of Oz
- The Hidden Valley of Oz
- Merry Go Round in Oz
- Ozma does not appear in Captain Salt in Oz, though she is mentioned. Besides The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, it is the only installment of the Famous Forty in which she doesn't appear.
The Wicked Years
- Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (Mentioned Only)
- Son of a Witch (as Tip)
Background
Ozma of Oz
Ozma's appearance and origins changed frequently as the series of Oz books progressed. In her initial appearance, she was described as a cherubic little girl with red-gold hair; however, all subsequent appearances of the Princess show her as dark-haired. John R. Neill, the illustrator of Baum's Oz series, established the characteristic look of Ozma, strongly influenced by Charles Dana Gibson's "Gibson girl" and by the beauties in the Art Nouveau poster art of Alphonse Mucha. Neill drew many pictures of Ozma between 1904, when she first appeared in The Marvelous Land of Oz, and his death in 1943, and during those years her image developed and changed.
According to The Tin Woodman of Oz, Princess Ozma appears to be fourteen or fifteen years old, and thus several years older than Dorothy. The Shaggy Man of Oz (written by Jack Snow, long after Baum's death) explains that she is several hundred years old, and was one of a band of fairies who waited on Queen Lurline, who left her behind to rule Oz.
As ruler of Oz, Ozma frequently encounters difficulties in trying to reign as monarch. The story featuring her the least is The Lost Princess of Oz, in which she has been enchanted, and Dorothy Gale forms a search party with the rest of the famous Oz characters, learning the uses of the Magic Belt, and using its powers to eventually free Ozma.
Modern Works
Wicked
In Gregory Maguire's revisionist Oz novels Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and Son of a Witch, "Ozma" is the hereditary title of the Queens of Oz. According to Nanny and other believers in Lurlinism, the Fairy Queen left her daughter Ozma to rule the country in her absence. According to Lurlinist belief, the various rulers named "Ozma" were - more or less - reincarnations of the same being; Ozma "bears herself again and again like a phoenix."
By contrast, according to Elphaba's father Frexspar (and presumably other Unionists as well as the more secular citizens of Oz), the Ozmas are a hereditary dynasty of Gillikinese origin. There were, as Frex said, "three hundred years of very different Ozmas," including:
- Ozma the Mendacious. A dedicated maunt (Unionist nun), she lowered rulings in a bucket from the topmost chamber in a cloister
- Ozma the Warrior temporarily conquered the Glikkus and commandeered the emeralds with which to decorate the Emerald City.
- Ozma the Librarian. Said to have done nothing but read genealogies for her whole life long.
- Ozma the Scarcely Beloved kept pet ermines. She heavily taxed the farmers in Oz to begin construction of the Yellow Brick Road network.
- Ozma the Bilious. so called because of her chronic digestive troubles. A large woman, "the size of a lake narwhal," Ozma the Bilious died of an "accident" involving rat poison, leaving her husband Pastorius to rule until their infant daughter Ozma Tippetarius reached adulthood.
- Ozma Tippetarius, daughter of Ozma the Bilious. About the same age as Elphaba, she was too young to take the throne upon the death of her mother. Her father Pastorius ruled as Ozma Regent until the Ozmas were deposed by the Wizard. Ozma Tippetarius makes a cameo appearance in Son of a Witch, in the form of Tip.
James Wallace Trilogy
In Magician of Oz (2009), by James C. Wallace II, Princess Ozma plays a central role, both at Glinda's Red Brick Palace where she first meets Jamie Diggs, the great grandson of O. Z. Diggs, and again at her own palace in Emerald City, where she present Dorothy with a "Gift of Friendship" from Jamie Diggs, who she informs is to become her new Royal Magician once O.Z. Diggs retires.
In Shadow Demon of Oz (2010), by James C. Wallace II, Princess Ozma once more joins in the adventure when she accompanies Jamie Diggs, his best frined Buddy and Dorothy in a balloon journey to the Winkie River and the Dark Red Wooden Covered Bridge to investigate the origins of the Shadow Demon. She also sends Toto and Bungle the Glass Cat to Mount Munch in order to assist Jamie Diggs and his best friend, Buddy as they battle the Shadow Demon.
In Family of Oz (2011), by James C. Wallace II, Princess Ozma plays a central role once more in reuniting the members of the Diggs family who have been transported to Oz by means of a Magic Box at a magic convention in Columbus, Ohio. She also joins the family as they travel by means of a magic hovercraft at the banks of the Munchkin River to watch Jamie Diggs, the Cowardly Lion, the Queen of the Field Mice and her subjects, along with the Playing Card Army of Jamie Diggs as they battle Cobbler the Dog, a mechanical pet built by H.M. Wogglebug, T.E., who has been possessed by the spirit of the Wicked Witch of the East. Princess Ozma declares Cobbler the Dog the Unwilling Villain. In addition, Princess Ozma is greeted by Queen Lurline, who returns from the heavens above, to declare her rule, blessed by Love.
Ozma In Fashion
Designer MARCHESA made a fantasy line of elaborate Haute Couture dresses based off of and inspired by none other than the Princess Ozma.
Ozma The Movie Star
L. Frank made many Oz films decades before before the 1939 movie.
Ozma and the Wizard of Oz.
Ozma's face, shown at the beginning of the film.
The Patchwork Girl of Oz
In a 1914 film created by Baum's film company, The Patchwork Girl of Oz, Ozma, played by Jessie May Walsh, appears briefly to preside over Ojo's trial. Ozma's throne is guarded by the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger, and she consults with the Wizard of Oz before making her decision to allow Dr. Pipt to try his magic.
Shirley Temple TV special
Shirley Temple portrayed the beautiful Princess Ozma of Oz in a charming but very low budget 1960 television production, in which she was merely disguised as Tip (in fact, not too different from Baum's 1905 musical, The Woggle-Bug), only with her memory wiped, after already serving as Oz's ruler for many years.
Shirley as Ozma 1960.
- Note, that Shirley Temple was a big Oz fan as a child and even tried to snag the role of Dorothy Gale as she was the first choice to play Dorothy when MGM made their movie 'The Wizard of Oz' in 1939. But Shirley lost to Judy Garland.
(If Shirley did play Dorothy, Over the Rainbow would've probably been a little tap number!)
The Wonderful Land of Oz
She appears briefly in Barry Mahon's The Wonderful Land of Oz, portrayed by Joy Webb.
Christopher Passi cameoed as Ozma after portraying Tip for the duration of a filmed stage version of The Marvelous Land of Oz by Thomas W. Olson, Gary Briggle, and Richard Dworsky in 1981 by The Children's Theatre Company and School of Minneapolis.
Return to Oz 1985
Return to the Cult Classic...
Emma Ridley as Ozma Circa 1985.
In the Disney 1985 cult classic Return to Oz, Ozma is the rightful ruler of Oz. It is revealed that her father was the king of Oz before the Wizard came, and Mombi made Ozma her slave. When the Nome King took over Oz and promised Mombi the heads of 30 women (to switch heads with) if she kept her a secret, Mombi imprisoned her within the mirror. Somehow, Ozma was able to appear outside Oz and talk to Dorothy at Dr. Worley's clinic; after discovering that some of his patients have been damaged by his machines and locked in the cellar, she rescued Dorothy from the clinic, but Nurse Wilson discovered them and chased after them, resulting in both of them falling into the river. Ozma vanished, and seemingly drowned; presumably she returned to her position in Oz, which was inside the mirror.
The Curse of Ozma is broken.
She showed Dorothy the way out of Mombi's mirror room when Dorothy was taking the Powder of Life from Mombi's head cabinet containing her original head, and Mombi was trying to stop her. After the Nome King was destroyed and Oz restored to its original state, Dorothy got Ozma out of the mirror, and she took her position as ruler of Oz.
A Witch with no magic, is a miserable creature indeed.
She used the Ruby Slippers to send Dorothy back to Kansas, saying she would look in on her from time to time and take her back to Oz if she wishes to return. Afterward, Dorothy saw Ozma in the bedroom vanity mirror in the new farmhouse Uncle Henry had built. Now, this is indicating that Oz was not a dream (as both movies initially implied).
Ozu no Mahotsukai
In Ozu no Mahotsukai, Ozma's transformation into Tip was so thorough that, despite bearing almost no physical resemblance whatever to Tip, she is a tomboy throughout the entirety of the series.
The Oz Kids
In The Oz Kids, Andrea (Shay Astar), Glinda's ambivalent daughter, bases her fashion, but little else, on Ozma, who never appeared in the series.
Adventures of the Emerald City: Princess Ozma
Ozma also appears in the Russian animated Adventures of the Emerald City: Princess Ozma (2000) based on The Marvelous Land of Oz.
Dorothy meets Ozma of Oz
She also appears in the 1987 Canadian Dorothy Meets Ozma of Oz based on Ozma of Oz and in a 2005 direct to video CGI version of The Patchwork Girl of Oz where she is voiced by Lisa Rosenstock.
Lost in Oz
In Lost in Oz, an unaired 2002 pilot for a WB drama show, Ozma appeared as a young, helpless girl kept eternally young by the Wicked Witch of the West. The main characters of that show rescued her and returned her to the good witch. However, throughout the show, she does not have any lines.
Tin Man
In the Oz revisionist mini series Tin Man, DG's childhood doll resembles Ozma.
Oz the Great and Powerful
Ozma does not appear and is never mentioned in the 2013 film Oz the Great and Powerful; it is unclear if she even exists in this continuity. However, Glinda possesses some traits of Ozma, such as being the daughter of the deceased king overthrown by the Wicked Witches, and her crown is similar to Ozma's headwear.
Credits
- The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914): Jessie May Walsh
- The Shirley Temple Show (1960): Shirley Temple
- The Wonderful Land of Oz: Joy Webb
- Return to Oz (1985): Emma Ridley
Trivia
- One of Baum's granddaughters was named Frances Ozma Baum (later Mantele), to whom Baum dedicated The Lost Princess of Oz. She was usually known by her middle name, though she also developed the nickname "Scraps" in childhood.
- Several fans have pointed out similarities in the appearance of Princess Leia from the "Star Wars" films to Ozma; in particular Leia's draped white costume and symmetrical hair design reminiscent of the flowers that typically adorn Ozma's crown. In one scene in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Leia's mother Padme wears her hair in buns, along with an off the shoulders gown reminiscent of Neill's illustrations of Ozma.