Image of L. Frank Baum

Timeline

Lifetime: 1856 - 1919 Passed: ≈ 105 years ago

Title

Author, Newspaper editor, Actor, Screenwriter, Film producer

Country/Nationality

United States
Wikipedia

L. Frank Baum

Lyman Frank Baum was an American author best known for his children's books, particularly The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its sequels. He wrote 14 novels in the Oz series, plus 41 other novels (not including four lost, unpublished novels), 83 short stories, over 200 poems, and at least 42 scripts. He made numerous attempts to bring his works to the stage and screen; the 1939 adaptation of the first Oz book became a landmark of 20th-century cinema.

Born and raised in upstate New York, Baum moved west after an unsuccessful stint as a theater producer and playwright. He and his wife opened a store in South Dakota and he edited and published a newspaper. They then moved to Chicago, where he worked as a newspaper reporter and published children's literature, coming out with the first Oz book in 1900. While continuing his writing, among his final projects he sought to establish a film studio focused on children's films in Los Angeles, California.

Baum was born in Chittenango, New York, in 1856 into a devout Methodist family. He had German, Scots-Irish, and English ancestry. He was the seventh of nine children of Cynthia Ann (née Stanton) and Benjamin Ward Baum, only five of whom survived into adulthood. "Lyman" was the name of his father's brother, but he always disliked it and preferred his middle name "Frank".

His father succeeded in many businesses, including barrel-making, oil drilling in Pennsylvania, and real estate. Baum grew up on his parents' expansive estate called Rose Lawn, which he fondly recalled as a sort of paradise. Rose Lawn was located in Mattydale, New York. Frank was a sickly, dreamy child, tutored at home with his siblings. From the age of 12, he spent two miserable years at Peekskill Military Academy but, after being severely disciplined for daydreaming, he had a possibly psychogenic heart attack and was allowed to return home.

Baum started writing early in life, possibly prompted by his father buying him a cheap printing press. He had always been close to his younger brother Henry (Harry) Clay Baum, who helped in the production of The Rose Lawn Home Journal. The brothers published several issues of the journal, including advertisements from local businesses, which they gave to family and friends for free. By the age of 17, Baum established a second amateur journal called The Stamp Collector, printed an 11-page pamphlet called Baum's Complete Stamp Dealers' Directory, and started a stamp dealership with friends.

With the success of Wizard on page and stage, Baum and Denslow hoped for further success and published Dot and Tot of Merryland in 1901. The book was one of Baum's weakest, and its failure further strained his faltering relationship with Denslow. It was their last collaboration. Baum worked primarily with John R. Neill on his fantasy work beginning in 1904, but Baum met Neill few times (all before he moved to California) and often found Neill's art not humorous enough for his liking. He was particularly offended when Neill published The Oz Toy Book: Cut-outs for the Kiddies without authorization.

Baum reportedly designed the chandeliers in the Crown Room of the Hotel del Coronado; however, that attribution has yet to be corroborated. Several times during the development of the Oz series, Baum declared that he had written his last Oz book and devoted himself to other works of fantasy fiction based in other magical lands, including The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus and Queen Zixi of Ix. However, he returned to the series each time, persuaded by popular demand, letters from children, and the failure of his new books. Even so, his other works remained very popular after his death, with The Master Key appearing on St. Nicholas Magazine's survey of readers' favorite books well into the 1920s.

On May 5, 1919, Baum suffered a stroke, slipped into a coma and died the following day, at the age of 62. His last words were spoken to his wife during a brief period of lucidity: "Now we can cross the Shifting Sands." He was buried in Glendale's Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery.

His final Oz book, Glinda of Oz, was published on July 10, 1920, a year after his death. The Oz series was continued long after his death by other authors, notably Ruth Plumly Thompson, who wrote an additional twenty-one Oz books.

Books by L. Frank Baum

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Cover image

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Fantasy Fiction Novel
Family Children's novel Scarecrow

One of the greatest American novels and a popular culture sensation, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz depicts the adventures of the young Dorothy Gale, who is swept away from her colorless farm home in Kansas by a cyclone, and winds up in the magical Land...

Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz Cover image

Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz

Fantasy Fiction
Children's Literature Evil Home Friendship

Its publication soon after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake got readers instantly hooked on the story in which Dorothy and her friends sink into the bowels of the earth, following a devastating earthquake in California. Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz...

The Scarecrow of Oz Cover image

The Scarecrow of Oz

Fantasy Fiction Novel
Family Children's Literature Scarecrow

Published in 1915, The Scarecrow of Oz is the ninth book in the Oz book series and focuses on the adventures of Cap’n Bill, Trot, and the Scarecrow, who find themselves entangled in the politics of Jinxland and must work against formidable odds to ov...

The Marvelous Land of Oz Cover image

The Marvelous Land of Oz

Fantasy Adventure Novel
Family Children's Literature Friendship

The Marvelous Land of Oz: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, commonly shortened to The Land of Oz, published on July 5, 1904, is the second of L. Frank Baum's books set in the Land of Oz, and the sequel t...

Tik-Tok of Oz Cover image

Tik-Tok of Oz

Fantasy Fiction Novel
Children's Literature

Tik-Tok of Oz is the eighth Land of Oz book written by L. Frank Baum, published on June 19, 1914. The book has little to do with Tik-Tok and is primarily the quest of the Shaggy Man (introduced in The Road to Oz) to rescue his brother, and his result...

The Lost Princess of Oz Cover image

The Lost Princess of Oz

Fantasy Fiction Novel
Family Children's Literature

The Lost Princess of Oz is the eleventh canonical Oz book written by L. Frank Baum. Published on June 5, 1917, it begins with the disappearance of Princess Ozma, the ruler of Oz and covers Dorothy and the Wizard's efforts to find her. The introductio...

The Road to Oz Cover image

The Road to Oz

Fantasy Fiction Novel
Family Children's Literature

The Road to Oz: In Which Is Related How Dorothy Gale of Kansas, The Shaggy Man, Button Bright, and Polychrome the Rainbow's Daughter Met on an Enchanted Road and Followed it All the Way to the Marvelous Land of Oz. is the fifth of L. Frank Baum's Lan...

The Emerald City of Oz Cover image

The Emerald City of Oz

Fantasy Fiction Novel
Family Children's Literature The Oz Books

The Emerald City of Oz is the sixth of L. Frank Baum's fourteen Land of Oz books. It was also adapted into a Canadian animated film in 1987. Originally published on July 20, 1910, it is the story of Dorothy Gale and her Uncle Henry and Aunt Em coming...

Mother Goose in Prose Cover image

Mother Goose in Prose

Fiction Fairy Tale
Children's Literature Myths

Mother Goose in Prose is a collection of twenty-two children's stories based on Mother Goose nursery rhymes. It was the first children's book written by L. Frank Baum, and the first book illustrated by Maxfield Parrish. It was originally published in...

Sky Island Cover image

Sky Island

Fantasy Novel
Children's Literature

Sky Island: Being the Further Adventures of Trot and Cap'n Bill after Their Visit to the Sea Fairies is a children's fantasy novel written by L. Frank Baum, illustrated by John R. Neill, and published in 1912 by the Reilly & Britton Company—the same...

Ozma of Oz Cover image

Ozma of Oz

Fairy Tale Novel
Children's Literature Myths The Oz Books

Ozma of Oz: A Record of Her Adventures with Dorothy Gale of Kansas, Billina the Yellow Hen, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, , the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger; Besides Other Good People Too Numerous to Mention Faithfully Recorded Herein, publis...

Little Wizard Stories of Oz Cover image

Little Wizard Stories of Oz

Fiction Fairy Tale
Children's Literature The Oz Books

Little Wizard Stories of Oz is a set of six short stories written for young children by L. Frank Baum, the creator of the Oz books. The six tales were published in separate small booklets, "Oz books in miniature," in 1913, and then in a collected edi...

The Enchanted Island of Yew Cover image

The Enchanted Island of Yew

Fiction Novel
Children's Literature

The Enchanted Island of Yew: Whereon Prince Marvel Encountered the High Ki of Twi and Other Surprising People is a children's fantasy novel written by L. Frank Baum, illustrated by Fanny Y. Cory, and published by the Bobbs-Merrill Company in 1903. T...

The Master Key Cover image

The Master Key

Science Fiction Novel
Children's Literature

The Master Key: An Electrical Fairy Tale, Founded Upon the Mysteries of Electricity and the Optimism of Its Devotees is a 1901 novel by L. Frank Baum, author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It was illustrated by F. Y. Cory.

Glinda of Oz  Cover image

Glinda of Oz

Adventure Action
War Power Mystery Children Travel Island Magic

Princess Ozma and Dorothy travel to an obscure corner of the Land of Oz, in order to prevent a war between two local powers, the Skeezers and the Flatheads. The leaders of the two tribes prove obstinate, and are determined to fight in spite of Ozma a...

American Fairy Tales  Cover image

American Fairy Tales

Fairy Tale
Short Story Children Myths Childhood America Legends United States

American Fairy Tales is the title of a collection of twelve fantasy stories by L. Frank Baum, published in 1901 by the George M. Hill Company, the firm that issued The Wonderful Wizard of Oz the previous year. The cover, title page, and page borders...

Rinkitink in Oz  Cover image

Rinkitink in Oz

Fairy Tale Novel
Slavery Children Action Adventure Children's Literature Home Wisdom The Oz Books Magic

Rinkitink in Oz is the tenth book in the Land of Oz series written by L. Frank Baum. It was published on June 20, 1916, with full-color and black-and-white illustrations by artist John R. Neill. It is notable that most of the action takes place outsi...

The Magic of Oz  Cover image

The Magic of Oz

Fairy Tale
Children Adventure Success Myths Legends Magic Bravery

This is the second to last book in the OZ series that Baum actually wrote himself before he passed away. "A Faithful Record of the Remarkable Adventures of Dorothy and Trot and the Wizard of Oz, together with the Cowardly Lion, the Hungry Tiger and C...

The Tin Woodman of Oz Cover image

The Tin Woodman of Oz

Fairy Tale Novel
Children's novel Escape Children Adventure Faith Journey Myths Childhood Legends

The Tin Woodman of Oz: A Faithful Story of the Astonishing Adventure Undertaken by the Tin Woodman, Assisted by Woot the Wanderer, the Scarecrow of Oz, and Polychrome, the Rainbow's Daughter is the twelfth Land of Oz book written by L. Frank Baum and...

La Mirinda Sorĉisto de Oz Cover image

La Mirinda Sorĉisto de Oz

Fairy Tale
Morality Dream Adventure Children's Literature Courage Friendship Magic Fantasy Lesson

Enigita en la sorĉantan teron de Oz, vi renkontos Doroteon, junan knabinon kiu troviĝas en lando plena je magio kaj aventuroj. Sed kiel ŝi povos reiri al sia hejmo en Kansaso? Kun siaj fidaj amikoj, la Espavogulo, la Feraj Viro kaj la Kuraĝa Leono, D...

Phoebe Daring Cover image

Phoebe Daring

Adventure Novel
Mystery Action Crime Courage Friendship Determination

When a mysterious stranger is accused of a crime he didn't commit, it's up to Phoebe Daring, the bravest girl in town, to clear his name. Phoebe Daring is a curious and adventurous young girl who loves to solve mysteries. When a mysterious stranger...

Life and Adventures of Santa Claus Cover image

Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

This story of Santa Claus veers away slightly from the traditional stories of his beginnings. L. Frank Baum creates a world of fantasy that surrounds Santa Claus's life. Orphaned at an infant he is found by the nymph Necile, who convinces the great A...

Patchwork Girl of Oz Cover image

Patchwork Girl of Oz

An unlucky Munchkin boy named Ojo must travel around Oz gathering the ingredients for an antidote to the Liquid of Petrifaction which has turned his beloved uncle Unc Nunkie and the wife of the Liquid's creator into marble statues. Ojo is joined by t...

Sea Fairies Cover image

Sea Fairies

In 1910, Baum hoped to end the Oz series and follow with a new series about a little girl named Trot and her sailor companion, Cap'n Bill. The Sea Fairies (1911) was the first book in the projected series and took Trot and Cap'n Bill under the sea wh...

Showing 1 to 24 of 48 results