John Fricke (born November 30, 1950) is a historian/author on The Wizard of Oz and Judy Garland. He has been a major figure in the Oz community for many years. He served as consultant for every aspect of the new 2005 deluxe DVD set(s) of MGM's The Wizard of Oz, released by Warner Home Video. This includes his participation and appearance in the accompanying L. Frank Baum documentary, The Man Behind the Curtain.Fricke's four books include 100 Years of Oz (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 1999)—an overview of both Baum's career and the entire Oz phenomenon—and The Wizard of Oz: The Official 50th Anniversary Pictorial History, most recently reissued in 1998 by Warner Books. Fricke has served as lecturer/moderator and/or master of ceremonies at major Oz and Baum festivals, celebrations, and conventions, from Frank Baum's hometown in Chittenango, New York, to Chesterton, Indiana; Wamego, Kansas; Judy Garland's birthplace in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and at conventions, conferences, and symposia in New York, Chicago and California. He is an active member, past president and past editor of the International Wizard of Oz Club, frequently appearing on programs at club events. In 1982 and 1984, he portrayed Tik-Tok in the first (and so far only) presentation of The Tik-Tok Man of Oz since its original run in 1913 at Club presentations.He has discussed Baum, Oz, Garland or all three on international media outlets including the NBC-TV Today Show, the A&E cable network Breakfast With the Arts, the syndicated Entertainment Tonight, CNN, and National Public Radio. He has appeared on many occasions as spokesman for Warner Bros., Turner Entertainment, Rhino Records, Capitol Records, and MGM/UA Home Video.For the International Wizard of Oz Club, Fricke has served as president, vice-president, a member of the Board of Directors, and as editor in chief and contributing editor of its magazine, The Baum Bugle. He is a recipient of the group’s L. Frank Baum Memorial Award. He is consultant to the Land of Oz Preservation Company in Syracuse, New York, and to the Judy Garland Heirs Trust.In 1999, Fricke assisted songwriter Hugh Martin in writing new lyrics for Garland's song "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" as a religious song, "Have Yourself a Blessed Little Christmas". The song was recorded by gospel vocalist Del Delker and sung in concert by other Christian artists and is available in sheet music. Martin credits Fricke with the idea of writing a sacred version of the song in his 2010 autobiography The Boy Next Door.Fricke received a 2004 Emmy Award as coproducer of the two-hour, PBS American Masters program, Judy Garland: By Myself. This was his second recognition by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences; he won similar honors in 1997 as coproducer and cowriter of the A&E Biography special, "Judy: Beyond the Rainbow", which was based on his acclaimed book, Judy Garland: World's Greatest Entertainer (Henry Holt, 1992). His most recent book, Judy Garland
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