Louis Johnson and The Wiz

Lena Horne, in the role of Glinda the Good Witch of the South, was a member of The Wiz’s all-star cast. Though Horne had plenty of experience performing on Broadway, she was not a part of the original stage production, nor was Louis Johnson, who took over from George Faison as choreographer for the film version.

Glory van Scott—member of American Ballet Theatre, the Agnes de Mille Company, the Katherine Dunham Company, and the Talley Beatty Company—performed a bit part in the 1978 film The Wiz, credited as the “Rolls Royce Lady.” Due to her dance experience, it is likely she worked with Louis Johnson during filming. Johnson and Scott additionally performed together in House of Flowers and Kwamina.

Sources:

The Wiz (film), Wikipedia
The Wiz, Playbill

More about The Wiz

Louis Johnson and Sidney Lumet on the set of The Wiz 

The 1978 film The Wiz featured an all-star cast including Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Richard Pryor, and Lena Horne. The movie was based on the Broadway production, which premiered in 1975 and was in turn based on L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The film was directed by Sidney Lumet with a screenplay by Joel Schumacher and premiered in 1978.

Sources:

The Wiz (film), Wikipedia
The Wiz, Playbill

Madeline Crawford

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