The Wizard of Oz first premiered at the Strand Theatre in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
on August 12, 1939 and opened nationally on August 25, 1939. The film grossed approximately $3 million in its initial release which was not considered that much a
profit by MGM. The Wizard of Oz received positive reviews and won two Academy Awards, and was nominated for Best Picture of the Year (losing to Gone with the
Wind). The film was MGM’s most expensive production up to that time.