Born in Chittenango, New York, Baum was an American author, actor, and independent filmmaker best known as the creator, along with illustrator W.W. Denslow, of one of the most popular books in American children's literature, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, better known today as simply The Wizard of Oz.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, first published in 1900, and produced for stage in 1902, was immortalized through the 1939 movie starring Judy Garland, and soon become an iconic part of American culture. A mix of fairy tale and fable, the moral of the story - "that with the help of a few good friends, you can find all that you need within yourself"- resonated with American audiences for many years.
Baum was a prolific writer, who in addition to children's books, wrote plays, short stories, and fantasy under various pseudonyms, and was pressured by his fans into writing many sequels to his The Wonderful Wizard of Oz book.
