Ray Bolger
Jan. 10, 1904 to Jan. 16, 1987

Real Name: Raymond Wallace Bolger

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Ray was an office boy at a bank
when he was young. He learned to
tap dance from a
night watchman at that bank.

**

A Jan. 31, 1938 memo by Freed listed:
" Bolger as Tin Man"

**

Ray had starred in 3 films prior to signing with MGM

**

He signed a contract with MGM in the mid 1930's, after many broadway successes

**

He had made sure from the
onslaught at MGM that if they
decided to make
an OZ film,
he would play the Scarecrow

**

On March 15, 1938 it was
announced that Ray would
appear in
The Wizard of Oz

**

He went through several costume
changes , but his make-up caused
the most problems. It was a
light mask of baked rubber
designed to simulate
burlap.
The mask didn't last for more
than a day. Bolger went through
over 40 masks
during production.

**

Frequently throughout his later
years, he visited children
in hospitals

**

Ray's contract with MGM
expired as Oz was completed.
He planned to return to Broadway

**

Bolger appeared and performed
together with Judy and Bert Lahr
at the Capital from
Aug. 31 - Sept. 6, 1939

**

He did a tearful eulogy for
his close friend, Jack Haley,
after his death saying,
" Jack, it's going to be
very lonesome
on the Yellow Brick Road."

**

Ray lived his last years in a
nursing home, where he
received a telegram
from President Reagan
on his 83rd birthday. He died at
83 years of age. He had cancer.