dual personalities

Today we toast The Wizard of Oz (1939) which debuted on this date 84 years ago!

I have written many times of how I love this movie and consider it one of my top 5 faves of all time and, indeed, one of the best movies ever made.

In reading up on it I found the answer to a question I have asked for all my years of viewing. I had always wondered about the leader of the Witch’s band of flying monkeys, the one who is always by her side. He seemed so monkey-like–was he an actual monkey or was he a man playing a monkey?

Answer: He was played by a man, Pat Walshe.

What an amazing performance! Like all the details in this perfect movie, he is perfect.

Walshe was sought after for the role due to his extensive vaudeville and circus experience and his acclaimed ape imitations. While the other monkeys wore simple rubber masks, Walshe needed to appear in closeups, so multi-piece prosthetic makeup was produced for him, moulded to his features and glued to his face. He also wore a full fur body suit, with a short open tunic as well as a tail and wings. (Unlike the other monkeys, Nikko’s wings are clipped to prevent him from flying. As a result, he is confined mostly to the Witch’s castle and does not take part in the forest capture of Dorothy.)

Though he had no spoken lines, performing only through physical movement, he received on-screen credit, which was rare, indeed.

Although Walshe is listed in the film’s credits as “Nikko”, and despite his frequent appearances, the name “Nikko” is never spoken. As a result, fans of the movie have been confused about the identity of Nikko–wondering if he is the head of the Witch’s guards or, like me, thinking perhaps he was the doorman to the Wizard of Oz, who seemed to be Frank Morgan, or was he?

Well, now we know. Nikko was the leader of the flying monkeys, who was played by a tiny man, Pat Walshe.

You’re welcome.