The Tin Woodman, better known as either the Tin Man or (incorrectly) the Tin Woodsman (the third name appears only in adaptations, the first—and in rare instances, the second—was used by Baum), is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. Baum's Tin Woodman first appeared in his classic 1900 book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and reappeared in many other Oz books. In late 19th-century America, men made out of various tin pieces were used in advertising and political cartoons. Baum, who was editing a magazine on decorating shop windows when he wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, was reportedly inspired to invent the Tin Woodman by a figure he had built out of metal parts for a shop display.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
The Tin Man made his first and only appearance in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1939 in the form of a giant balloon, to promote the classic film, "The Wizard of Oz". The design of this character is generic, as he follows the Parade route in hopes of finding a heart, with a shiny silver paint job. Not much is known about this balloon, except for the fact that it was later refurbished into Clarence the Clown the following year in 1940.
For the 1947 Parade, a brand new Tin Man float was crafted, before it was retired after its second appearance in 1948.