On August 25, 1939, The Wizard of Oz opened in theaters across the country. Judy Garland may have been the star of the film, but it is hard to imagine Dorothy’s trip to Oz without Toto by her side. If you think about it, that adorable little dog is actually one of the most important characters in the story. Toto escapes from Miss Gulch, helps Dorothy’s friends find her at the Wicked Witch’s castle and exposes the man hiding behind the curtain.
While Toto is referred to as a male dog in the film, he was actually played by a female Cairn Terrier named Terry. She was already an experienced animal actor when she joined Garland on the Yellow Brick Road. Let’s look back at the true story of the famous dog in honor of the film’s 87th anniversary.