It was 80 years ago this weekend many Americans went to see "The Wizard of Oz" for a first time. But, oddly enough, the people of northeast Wisconsin had access to the cinema classic before some of the country's major cities.

The story of Dorothy, Toto and friends got special screenings a week before its full release. Appleton, Oshkosh and Green Bay were among the select markets with the early premieres.

In Appleton, the film opened on Aug. 11 at the Rio Theater, which was located at 121 N. Oneida St. (on the corner of Oneida and Washington) and was known as the city's most beautiful theater. Built in 1929 and with a capacity of 1,770, it had about a a 30-year run in the downtown. In 1959 it was turned into an annex for the H.C. Prange Co. and the building was demolished to make way for a parking ramp in 1963.

In the Aug. 5, 1939 evening edition of the Appleton Post-Crescent, a story was published about the film getting a premiere in Appleton.

'Wizard of Oz' Coming to Rio Appleton One of Few Cities in U.S. Selected For Premiere Showing Appleton has been selected as one of the few cities in the United States for the premiere release of "The Wizard of Oz," the motion picture version of Frank Baum's great childhood story, which has been heralded as one of the outstanding cinema achievements of the year. The picture will be shown at the Rio theater starting Friday, Aug. 11, almost a whole week before it will be opened in New York. Green Bay and Oshkosh will see the picture at the same time as Appleton, and it also will be shown in a few other cities next week, but the formal release is not scheduled until the week following. Photographed in technicolor, the film combines a brilliant array of screen stars, glittering pageantry, spectacular settings, weird effects, beautiful girls and elaborate dancing specialties. Appearing in the extravaganza are Judy Garland as Dorothy, Frank Morgan as Professor Marvel, Ray Bolger as Hunk, Berg Lahr as Zeke, Jack Haley as Hickory, Billie Burke as Glinda, Margaret Hamilton as Miss Gulch, Charles Grapewin as Uncle Henry, Pat Walshe as Nikko, Clara Brandick as Auntie Em, Toto, and the Singer midgets as the Munchkins.

There's been some debate about where the world premiere of the film took place. Oconomowoc has often been credited with hosting the first public showing, although other reports indicate Green Bay may have shown it a day earlier. Where it truly debuted might be lost to history. Hannah Kirby of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel attempted to get to the bottom of it last week.

"The Wizard of Oz" originated as a children's book by Lyman Frank Baum called "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," published in 1900. A few years later, it was translated to a stage play that ran for more than a decade in New York.

The production of the iconic film was problematic and over budget and wasn't initially the smashing success you might think. It was the CBS airings beginning in the 1950s that helped push "The Wizard of Oz" to the iconic movie it is today. The Library of Congress has called it the all-time most-watched film.

MORE:Did Oconomowoc really host the world premiere of 'The Wizard of Oz'?

Contact Shane Nyman at 920-996-7223 or snyman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @shanenyman.