<P> Cukor did not actually shoot any scenes for the film, merely acting as something of a "creative advisor" to the troubled production, and, because of his prior commitment to direct Gone with the Wind, he left on November 3, 1938, when Victor Fleming assumed directorial responsibility . As director, Fleming chose not to shift the film from Cukor's creative realignment, as producer LeRoy had already pronounced his satisfaction with the new course the film was taking . </P> <P> Production on the bulk of the Technicolor sequences was a long and cumbersome process that ran for over six months, from October 1938 to March 1939 . Most of the cast worked six days a week and had to arrive as early as 4: 00 a.m. to be fitted with makeup and costumes, and often did not leave until 7 pm or later . Cumbersome makeup and costumes were made even more uncomfortable by the daylight - bright lighting the early Technicolor process required, which could heat the set to over 100 ° F (38 ° C). Bolger later said that the frightening nature of the costumes prevented most of the Oz principals from eating in the studio commissary; the toxicity of Hamilton's copper - based makeup forced her to eat a liquid diet on shoot days . It took as many as twelve takes to have Toto run alongside the actors as they skipped down the yellow brick road . </P> <P> All of the Oz sequences were filmed in three - strip Technicolor . The opening and closing credits, as well as the Kansas sequences, were filmed in black and white and colored in a sepia - tone process . Sepia - toned film was also used in the scene where Aunt Em appears in the Wicked Witch's crystal ball . </P> <P> An extensive talent search produced over a hundred little people to play Munchkins; this meant that most of the film's Oz sequences would have to already be shot before work on the Munchkinland sequence could begin . According to Munchkin actor Jerry Maren, the little people were each paid over $125 a week . Meinhardt Raabe, who played the coroner, revealed in the 1990 documentary The Making of the Wizard of Oz that the MGM costume and wardrobe department, under the direction of designer Adrian, had to design over 100 costumes for the Munchkin sequences . They then had to photograph and catalog each Munchkin in his or her costume so that they could correctly apply the same costume and makeup each day of production . </P>

Was wizard of oz originally in black and white