Image of Ray Bolger

Ray Bolger

Ray Bolger began his career in vaudeville. He was half of a team called "Sanford and Bolger" and also did numerous Broadway shows on his own. He, like Gene Kelly, was a song-and-dance man as well as an actor. He was signed to a contract with MGM in 1936 and his first role was as himself in The Great Ziegfeld (1936). This was soon followed by a role opposite Eleanor Powell in Rosalie (1937). His first dancing and singing role was in Sweethearts (1938), where he did the "wooden shoes" number with red-headed soprano/actress Jeanette MacDonald. This got him noticed by MGM producers and resulted in his being cast in his most famous role, that of the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz (1939). Surprisingly, even though the film was a success, Bolger's contract with MGM ended. He went to RKO to make Four Jacks and a Jill (1942). After this, Bolger went to Broadway, where he received his greatest satisfaction. In 1953 he turned to television and got his own sitcom, Where's Raymond? (1953), later changed to "The Ray Bolger Show". After his series ended, Bolger made frequent guest appearances on TV and had some small roles in movies. In 1985 he co-hosted That's Dancing! (1985) with Liza Minnelli. Bolger died in 1987 at the age of 83. Interred at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California, USA, in the Mausoleum, Crypt F2, Block 35.


Read bio at tmdb | Read bio at Wikipedia
Born:
Jan 10, 1904 In Boston, Massachusetts, U.S
Movie/TV Credits:
38
First Appeared:
In the movie The Great Ziegfeld 1936-04-08
Latest Project:
Movie Judy Garland: By Myself 2004-02-25
Known For
Poster of Look for the Silver Lining
Poster of Sunny
Poster of Sweethearts
Filmography
Movie Judy Garland: By Myself Self - Actor (archive sound) 2004-02-25
Movie That's Entertainment! III (archive footage) 1994-07-01
Movie The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic Self (archive footage) 1990-02-20
Movie The Whimsical World of Oz Self 1985-01-01
Movie That's Dancing! Self - Host 1985-01-18
Movie Annie Sound Effects Man at Radio Station (uncredited) 1982-05-21
Movie Just You and Me, Kid Tom 1979-07-13
Movie The Runner Stumbles Monsignor Nicholson 1979-11-16
Movie Three on a Date Andrew 1978-02-17
Series Diff'rent Strokes Unknown 1978-11-03
Series The Love Boat Unknown 1977-09-24
Movie The Entertainer Billy Rice 1976-03-10
Series Donny & Marie Unknown 1976-01-23
Series Captains and the Kings R.J. Squibbs 1976-09-30
Series Baretta Unknown 1975-01-17
Movie That's Entertainment! (archive footage) 1974-06-21
Series Little House on the Prairie Unknown 1974-09-11
Series Nanny and the Professor Unknown 1970-01-21
Movie The Daydreamer The Pieman 1966-06-01
Series The Hollywood Palace Unknown 1964-01-04
Movie Babes in Toyland Barnaby 1961-12-14
Movie Back Stage Party Self 1961-12-17
Movie A Star Is Born World Premiere Self 1954-09-28
Series General Electric Theater Unknown 1953-02-01
Series Where's Raymond? Raymond Wallace 1953-10-08
Movie April in Paris Sam Winthrop Putnam 1952-12-24
Movie Where's Charley? Charley Wykeham 1952-05-20
Series The Colgate Comedy Hour Unknown 1950-09-10
Movie Look for the Silver Lining Jack Donahue 1949-07-30
Movie Make Mine Laughs (archive footage) 1949-08-03
Movie The Harvey Girls Chris Maule 1946-01-18
Movie Stage Door Canteen Ray Bolger 1943-06-24
Movie Four Jacks and a Jill Nifty Sullivan, a Jack 1942-01-23
Movie Sunny Bunny Billings 1941-05-30
Movie The Wizard of Oz Hunk / Scarecrow 1939-08-15
Movie Sweethearts Hans 1938-12-30
Movie Rosalie Bill Delroy 1937-12-24
Movie The Great Ziegfeld Ray Bolger 1936-04-08