L. Frank Baum's journey to success began with his 1883 production of "The Maid of Arran" in 1882. As a dreamer, he had a printing press and an amateur newspaper, "The Rose Lawn Home Journal," and published a coin and stamp collecting guide. Despite his enthusiasm and talent, he struggled with poor business sense, failing at almost everything he attempted. He had been an actor, newspaper editor, store owner, and motion picture producer and director, but only found success as a writer.
Baum's writing career was marked by his creation of the Oz series, which included 14 books and their subsidiary fantasies. He is credited with single-handedly creating the fantasy genre out of the Andersen-style literary fairy tale. Baum used various pseudonyms for juvenile series made at the publishers' request, with Edith Van Dyne being the most well-known and successful.
As a family man, Baum was kind and gentle, never swearing or telling dirty jokes. He was born with a bad heart and suffered several minor attacks, including one induced by The Peekskill Military Academy at age 14. He loved to make fun of the military after that incident, as seen in his Oz books.
Baum created and headed The Oz Film Manufacturing Company in 1914 and directed one film the year later. His son Frank Joslyn Baum took over the company, changing its name to Dramatic Feature Films. Baum continued writing until his health failed him, and his final Oz book was published posthumously in 1920.
Despite his passing, Baum's work has continued to attract fans of all ages. His writing has influenced notable authors such as Gore Vidal, Ray Bradbury, and Terry Brooks. The Oz series has been continued both officially and unofficially after his death.
