"The Wizard of Oz," the Hollywood epic beloved by generations of Americans for its fantastical allegory rooted in love of heartland, home and family, appeared on television for the first time on this date in history, Nov. 3, 1956. 

"For generations, this 1939 MGM fantasy musical has held a cherished place in American popular culture," reported the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. 

"With its dazzling special effects, costumes and sets rendered in vibrant Technicolor, ‘The Wizard of Oz’ represents one of the greatest achievements in movie magic."

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"The Wizard of Oz" was a best-selling 1900 book by Frank L. Baum. The story enjoyed several stage and screen productions in the decades that followed. 

The 1939 film featured 17-year-old actress Judy Garland performing "Over the Rainbow," her beloved terrier Toto, a terrifying tornado and the groundbreaking use of color technology. 

It became a critical success and was nominated for six Academy Awards.

It was "a rare instance in which a great book became a great film," the Library of Congress reported.

But even then, the movie failed to make a profit, Forbes reported in 2019. 

"The Wizard of Oz" only started to make money for MGM after it was re-released in theaters in 1949 and 1955. 

Television, not the silver screen, made "Wizard" the pop-culture sensation it's known as today. 

The debut 1956 broadcast on CBS attracted 35 million viewers, according to a 1967 report by Time magazine, which called the production "the most popular single film property in the history of U.S. television." 

That was more viewers than any movie could ever reach in a single night.

The TV broadcast "changed the whole nature of that movie," Hollywood historian Scott Essman told the LA Times in a 2013 interview. 

"It became an event to see this film."

"The Wizard of Oz" was not shown again on television until December 1959. Watching it became an annual holiday-season tradition in millions of American households.

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"Over the years, ‘Oz’ has captured an average 53% of all sets in use at the time (30% is considered high)," Time reported of the movie's first decade on TV. 

The advent of cable television and now on-demand TV has rendered "The Wizard of Oz" obsolete as an annual tradition. It moved from broadcast to cable television in 1999.

Yet the legend of "The Wizard of Oz" had already been secured in the hearts of American movie fans.

"Because of its many television showings … it has been seen by more viewers than any other movie," wrote the Library of Congress.

"The Wizard of Oz" has been named America's favorite film of all time in numerous polls, while the National Endowment for the Arts and the Recording Industry Association named its signature tune, "Over the Rainbow," the greatest song of the 20th century. 

"Over the Rainbow" remains a classic of American songcraft. It's a soaring ode of hope — "where troubles melt like lemon drops/away above the chimney tops" — sung by a young girl from the rails of a struggling dusty Kansas family farmhouse. 

The song captured the spirit of an optimistic nation as it struggled to emerge from the Great Depression, while war clouds swirled ominously overseas. 

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The movie was released nationally on Aug. 25, 1939 — just one week before Germany invaded Poland on Sept. 1, plunging Europe into World War II. 

The movie, and the song, launched teenager Garland into the stratosphere of American movie icons. 

When she died of a drug overdose in London in 1969, Garland was just 47 years old. But she remains one of Hollywood's most beloved performers based largely on her role as Dorothy Gale. 

Television kept her legend alive for generations in a way no other movie has ever enjoyed.

"Gone with the Wind" won the Oscar for best picture in 1939, while "Citizen Kane," also released that year, is considered by many critics the greatest American film, in an incredible year of Hollywood magic. 

Yet "Gone with the Wind" did not appear on television until 1976, 20 years after "Wizard." 

And for all its deserved critical acclaim, "Citizen Kane" never enjoyed the same widespread appeal of its 1939 counterparts.

"There's no place like home," Dorothy whispers with hope at the end of the "The Wizard of Oz," tapping her ruby red slippers together, wishing the wizard would deliver her and Toto back to Kansas.

Americans learned that there was no place like home to follow her dreamy journey to Oz exactly 67 years ago today. 

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For the first time since Week 17 of the 2021 season, when Ben Roethlisberger was still quarterbacking the team, Diontae Johnson found the end zone. And it couldn't have come at a better time. 

Johnson's three-yard catch put the Pittsburgh Steelers over the Tennessee Titans, 20-16, to move ot 5-3 on the season in what was a thriller down the stretch. 

Johnson had 119 receptions before that 120th finally got him in the colored paint, but he's remained patient and had faith he would score again. Quarterback Kenny Pickett found Johnson earlier in the 11-play, 92-yard drive on a big third-and-six conversion for 32 yards to get into Titans territory. 

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The five-year veteran led the way with seven catches for 90 yards on nine targets to continue impacting Pittsburgh since he's come off the injured reserve. 

It appeared Titans rookie quarterback Will Levis, in just his second career start, was in control of this game as he was making big throws and relying on veteran running back Derrick Henry to lead the way on the ground, allowing for play action scenarios to work. 

But he found himself needing to lead a game-winning drive after the Johnson touchdown. He had two separate chances, with the Titans' final drive finding Levis on the Pittsburgh 19-yard line on third-and-five with 12 seconds left. 

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Dropping back, he tried to hit his tight end Josh Whyle for the touchdown in the middle of the field. Instead, linebacker Kwon Alexander leaped and snatched it out of the air for a Steelers interception, capping another comeback victory for this squad. 

Levis was solid in his second start for Tennessee, but it wasn't the four-touchdown magic he had on Sunday. He finished 22 of 39 for 262 yards with no touchdowns and an interception. 

Meanwhile, Pickett started off slow in this one, missing passes that led to moans and groans from Steelers fans in the stands. But he performed when it counted late in the game, finishing 19 for 30 for 160 yards with his touchdown pass to Johnson and no interceptions. 

The ground game worked for both teams, but it was Pittsburgh totaling 166 yards as a team, and no, it wasn't Najee Harris leading the way. It was Jaylen Warren breaking off 87 yards on 11 carries, while Harris finish with 69 on 16 touches. 

This game began with a perfect opening drive from the Steelers that sent the home crowd into a frenzy because they aren't used to this group being hot from the start. 

Pickett drove down the field 78 yards, leading to a 10-yard touchdown run from Harris. It was the second rushing score for Harris this season. 

Levis was able to get a good drive going for the Titans, too, but it only ended with a Nick Folk field goal to cut into Pittsburgh's lead. The Titans wouldn't find the end zone until the second quarter when Henry bulldozed his way in from two yards out, reaching over the goal line to tie the game after the extra point. 

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The Steelers and Titans would trade field goals from there until Pittsburgh, as they've done on different occasions this season, got a touchdown late that pushed them over the edge. 

It's also worth noting that two players needed to be carted off in this game – Steelers linebacker Cole Holcomb and Titans receiver Treylon Burks. 

Holcomb suffered a gruesome leg injury in the first half that the broadcast wouldn't show the replay of. Burks, on the other hand, tried to make a catch on the Titans' second-to-last drive on fourth down and appeared to have whiplash as he hit the turf. 

The Steelers continue to do whatever it takes to win, and that will be put to the test again next week when they host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. 

As for the Titans, they will head to Tampa Bay to take on Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers.