HOLLYWOOD—A $1 million reward has been offered for the iconic missing pair of ruby slippers worn by Dorothy in the “Wizard of Oz.” The shoes have been missing for years.
John Kelsch, director of the museum, revealed that an anonymous donor offered the reward with the intention of locating the ruby slippers. The donor lives in Arizona and happens to be a huge fan of the film.
The slippers, owned by collector Michael Shaw, were a loan on display at the Judy Garland Museum in August 2005, when a thief snuck in through a window and snatched the famed piece.
“It’s the worst nightmare for me,” Shaw revealed at the time to The Guardian. “The theft is not only a crime against me, but against children. Those shoes have been used to raise money for AIDS, for helping get kids off the street, reading programs, and for children with Down’s syndrome and autism.”
Although the total number of slippers made for the movie has not been disclosed, only four pairs currently exist. A pair is owned by David Elkouby. He bought the slippers for more than $600,000 in 2000. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio bought another pair for $2 million during an auction in 2012. The other remaining slipper is on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
The original “Wizard of Oz” was released in August 25, 1939. The fantasy/adventure film features actress Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, Jack Haley as Tin Woodman, Ray Bolger as Scarecrow, Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch of the West, and more.
