The Dreamer of Oz: The L. Frank Baum Story is a film that stars John Ritter as Lyman Frank Baum, the man who wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and eighteen of the other Oz books. Also starring in this TV movie was Annette O'Toole as Baum's supportive wife Maud, and Rue McClanahan who played Baum's tough mother-in-law, Matilda Gage.
The film depicts Baum acting on the stage when his father's theatre burned down. In reality, the theatre burned down during a production of his drawing room comedy, "Matches", while Baum was on tour as the male lead in another of his plays, "The Maid of Arran", and hence did not actually witness the fire.
John Ritter (L. Frank Baum) and Jason Ritter (Harry Neal Baum) are father and son in real-life.
