1970
John Fricke
John Fricke was an Oz enthusiast from an early age. He began attending Oz conventions in his early teens, and combined a passion for Baum and Oz with enormous admiration for Judy Garland and the MGM film version of The Wizard of Oz.
John earned a journalism degree from Northwestern University, and his writing skill has been a mainstay ever since. He is also a talented singer who has performed in theaters and clubs throughout the country as well as at all three main regional conventions of the Oz Club. John has been a frequent contributor to The Baum Bugle, and served as its editor-in-chief in the 1980s. He has also served as a member of the Board of Directors and as Oz Club president.
Among his published books are The Wizard of Oz: The Official 50th Anniversary Pictorial History, Judy Garland: World’s Greatest Entertainer, and 100 Years of Oz: A Century of Classic Images from the Wizard of Oz Collection of Willard Carroll. In addition, he has written liner notes, served as a consultant for and narrated Oz and Garland documentaries, and interviewed numerous individuals who were directly connected with the production of the MGM movie.