Bert Lahr
Aug. 13, 1895 to Dec. 4, 1967

Real Name: Irving Lahrheim

**

July 25th 1938
Lahr's casting was announced
and Bert signed the
contract in mid September

**

He was 43 years old when the
film was made

**

He wore 50 pounds of genuine
lion skins, lined with
padding to fill out the costume

**

His tail was manipulated
by Harry Edwards

**

He was a veteran vaudeville  &
Broadway stage actor. Also
he made several motion pictures

**

He is best known for two roles:
The Lion in Oz
and
The Lays potato chip
commercial in the mid 60's

**

Bert was without a studio contract
after Oz, and considered returning to Broadway.

**

He once quoted to reporters
concerning why he went back to the
stage and didn't continue in motion
pictures:
" How many lion parts are
there in pictures?"

**

He once said of his moods:
" I'm a sad man. A plumber
doesn't go out with his tools.
Does a comedian
have to be funny on the street?"

**

He appeared with Liza Minnelli
live at an introduction to the
Nov. 1956 TV debut of the movie.

**

He died at age 72 in New York. He had a massive intestinal hemorrhage