The Wizard of Oz (1902 musical)
The Wizard of Oz was a 1902 musical extravaganza based on "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum, which was originally published in 1900. Much of the original music was by Paul Tietjens and has been mostly forgotten, although it was still well-remembered and in discussion at MGM in 1939 when the classic film version of the story was made. Although Baum is the credited bookwriter, Glen MacDonough was hired on as jokewriter after Baum had finished the script.
Copyright status of The Wizard of Oz and related works in the United States
The 1939 version of "The Wizard of Oz" is the most well-known adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz"; in many respects, its popularity surpassed the original book. Its copyright was renewed in 1967, so it will remain copyrighted for a 95-year term, entering the public domain in 2035. This has caused issues for most subsequent Oz adaptations, especially because WB (the current owners of the copyright), have been very aggressive in protecting the film's copyright. Recently, they went after potential merchandise for the upcoming "".