Pronunciation of "death, dead"

[FRITZ JUENGLING]

>I've always supposed, with no evidence, that it had something to do with
>the first syllable of "Australia". I'd welcome something better.

>-- Mark A. Mandel

I don't think there is any dispute about that.  Given the Aussie (pronounced 'ozzie') propensity to shorten words, it seems quite easy to arrive at 'Oz.'  Therefore, I have been hesitant to accept the theory that it came from the name of the the movie.  The AND gives an earlier citation, 1909, if I remember correctly, but it is not exactly "Oz."
Fritz