Shirley Temple Was Supposed to Be Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz
Temple was signed to 20th Century Fox and, for years, was expected to star in a film series about Oz. The rights ended up going to MGM who ultimately casted Judy Garland instead. The press stated that Temple losing out on the role was “the greatest disappointment of her brief and eminently griefless career.” Later, she said of the casting choice: “Sometimes the gods know best.”