Judy Garland’s ‘Wizard Of Oz’ Ruby Slippers: $1 Million Reward Set For Lost Pair

A $1 million reward is being offered for information leading to the return of a missing pair of Judy Garland’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.

$1 Million Reward Offered For Stolen Ruby Slippers

The shoes worn by Garland in the famous film, were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Minnesota almost 10 years ago, and an anonymous donor has recently decided to offer the reward money to help the museum retrieve the shoes. According to John Kelsch, the executive director of the Judy Garland Museum, the anonymous donor is an Arizona fan who loves Garland and The Wizard of Oz (1939).

The ruby slippers are, of course, an iconic piece of Hollywood history, and, arguably, the most recognizable thing from The Wizard of Oz aside from Garland herself. Kelsch estimates the slippers’ worth as between $2-3 million. “France has the Mona Lisa, America has the Wizard of Oz,” Kelsch said at a press conference.

To earn the reward, one must give the slippers’ exact location to the Grand Rapids Police Department or return them to the department intact. According to Rob Feeney, a media consultant representing the anonymous donor, one can call in a tip anonymously; however, names of those who perpetrated the crime must be reported to the police.

Three other pairs of ruby slippers worn by Garland in the film are still in existence. One is currently on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, and another is set to be featured in a planned Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences museum.

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.

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