Kriti Mehrotra
Hulu’s ‘Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes’ lives up to its title in every way conceivable by exploring the heist of a cultural heritage item. This refers to the iconic ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 classic ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ which were stolen from a museum in 2005, recovered by authorities in 2018, and then resold for $28 million in 2024. Though at the time of the theft, these incredibly beautiful shoes were owned by a private collector named Michael Shaw, who never once shied away from sharing his possession with the world.
Michael Shaw Has Been a Part of the Entertainment Industry Since He Was a Child
Born around the 1930s in California in a home full of people involved in show business, Michael Shaw developed a passion for the creative arts as well as movie magic at a relatively early age. In fact, he himself kickstarted a career as a child actor for MGM at the tender age of 7, gradually establishing a name for himself in the industry by taking up small roles in several different films. One of his credits includes being a kid in the Halloween sequence of the 1944 family musical ‘Meet Me in St. Louis,’ so the idea of such productions and their ability to make the audience giddy was nothing new to him.
However, it wasn’t until 1949, when Michael was invited to the studio’s 25th anniversary celebration, that he first saw ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ encountered Judy Garland, and became utterly enamored. Thus began his interest in collecting memorabilia and preserving Hollywood history, leading him to also work with some of the most well-known names in the industry in one way or another. According to reports, he was working alongside Debbie Reynolds when he got close to former costume designer and owner of arguably the most significant pair of ruby slippers, Kent Warner.
We specify “most significant” because it is alleged that this pair is the one legendary performer Judy Garland wore most during filming, especially while doing scenes on the Yellow Brick Road. Michael somehow managed to do a deal with Kent Warner for these shoes, an original Dorothy gingham dress, the Wicked Witch’s hat, as well as a few other things, all for an alleged $2,500. He claims he was just “at the right place at the right time,” but it resulted in him owning one of the only 4 known authentic pairs of these iconic ruby shoes – the other three are with a private collector, at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
Michael Shaw Was Heartbroken When the Shoes Were Stolen
As someone who has admired all aspects of the industry from within and afar for decades, when Michael became a proud collector of several pieces of memorabilia, he decided to share the history. He wanted people from all walks of life to experience the movie magic, so he traveled with these items as part of a national show called Hollywood on Tour and also often loaned them for events. The former child star did this to such an extent that his shoes became known as the “traveling pair,” although they were allegedly in the best condition since he personally took great care of them.
It was in 2005 when Michael agreed to lend the slippers to the Judy Garland Museum in her hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, for their annual Judy Garland Festival for the fourth time. This iconic memorabilia was scheduled to be there for 10 weeks because the collector had planned to feature them in a charity event for foster children in Kansas later that summer, unaware they would be stolen. As per records, it was in the early hours of August 28, 2005, when someone shattered the emergency door exit of the museum and the plexiglass case holding the slippers with a sledgehammer to steal them. All that was left behind was a single sequin that had fallen on the floor while the thief/thieves were escaping, but nothing became of it despite extensive investigations and a million-dollar reward.
Michael was obviously furious as well as heartbroken when he heard this news since the shoes were arguably his most prized possession. Yet, he never filed a lawsuit against the museum, its director, or anyone else. Instead, he let officials do their job and simply obtained an $800,000 insurance payout. Many did think he possibly had something to do with the heist, owing to this, yet he was quickly cleared. It’s imperative to note that while the collector didn’t take any legal action, his fury was evident in any interview he gave regarding the matter. He once asserted that all the rumors were “cockamamie.” He was even aghast over the audacity, stating he’s incensed “some son of a b***h decided that he had the right to steal the slippers.” In the documentary, he added that he could spit in their eye for what they did.
Michael Shaw Currently Leads a Quiet Yet Happy Life in LA County
For 13 years, Michael admittedly imagined the worst about the condition, location, and possible use of his beloved ruby shoes, but his misery fortunately came to an end in 2018 when the pair was recovered in pristine shape. However, it wasn’t until March 2024 that they were returned to him owing to continued investigations into the theft, resulting in charges being filed against two locals: Terry Martin and Jerry Saliterman. The collector broke down in tears the moment he saw the slippers again during a private ceremony at the same place from where they were stolen, the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. However, not long after, he gave this piece of memorabilia to Heritage Auctions under the condition that they would go on one last international tour before being sold in an auction to the highest bidder.
This time around, Dorothy’s ruby slippers traveled to Los Angeles, New York, London, Tokyo, and many more locations while still being preserved in the hands of professionals. Then, in December of the same year, following a session that lasted over 15 minutes, the pair was sold to a private party for $28 million – $32.5 million, if you count the premium fees. Michael understood the significance as well as the liability that comes with owning such an iconic item, which is why he decided to sell it with the help of Heritage Auctions, a Dallas-based company he has worked with several times over the years. Therefore, today, in his 80s, the former child actor leads a relatively quiet yet happy, healthy life in the San Fernando Valley, California, where he also serves as an acting coach. He is still an avid movie enthusiast as well as a collector, yet his priority these days appears to be spending as much time with his loved ones as possible.
Michael Shaw’s Net Worth
Considering the fact that Michael has been active in the entertainment industry in one way or another since he was a child, it comes as no surprise that he has managed to accumulate significant wealth for himself. Yet, while we know that his income facilitated his passion as a collector, it isn’t easy to calculate precisely how much he earned per project because the details of the same are not publicly available. All we know is that it was enough for him to nab Dorothy’s dress, her shoes, the Wicked Witch’s hat, and possibly even her broom, along with the ten commandments from ‘The Ten Commandments’ (1956), and original props from ‘The Perils of Pauline’ (1933), ‘Cleopatra’ (1934), and ‘The Maltese Falcon’ (1941), among much more. Therefore, taking into account all these aspects, along with his share from the shoe’s sale, his collector assets, his investments, and his expenses, we believe his net worth to be in the range of $30 million.
Read More: Terry Jon Martin: Where is the Ruby Slippers Thief Now?
