Ray Bolger

Biography

Ray Bolger was an American dancer, comedian, actor and singer. Born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, in 1904, he took up dancing as a teenager and entered Boston dance contests while working as a bank clerk. In 1923 he formed the vaudeville act Sanford and Bolger, and he later performed in revues and in Gus Edwards' Ritz Carlton Nights. He moved into musical theater and film, appearing in Life Begins at 8:40, then in The Great Ziegfeld (1936), and later took the lead in On Your Toes. He played the Scarecrow in MGM's The Wizard of Oz (1939), the role for which he became best known. During World War II he entertained troops and appeared in Stage Door Canteen (1943). From 1953 to 1955 he headlined an ABC sitcom, The Ray Bolger Show, and later made television guest appearances. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for The Entertainer and narrated a portion of That's Dancing (1985). He died in 1987.

83years old at death

Born January 10, 1904Dorchester
Died January 15, 1987Los Angeles
Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19
Also credited as Raymond Wallace Bolger

Movie Career

Films: 9
Career span: 58 years1936 to 1994

Genres

Comedy44%, 4 films
Family44%, 4 films
Musical44%, 4 films
Documentary33%, 3 films
Fantasy22%, 2 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

A role that slipped away
Ray Bolger was cast as the Tin Woodman in The Wizard of Oz but disliked the part, fearing the metal costume would ruin his dancing, so he danced for MGM executives and convinced them to let him trade roles with Buddy Ebsen and play the Scarecrow instead.
A first
Bolger took on the roles of Charley and Charley's Aunt in Where's Charley, a Broadway show that ran from 1948 to 1951. He was the first actor to play both parts.
A role that slipped away
In Life Begins at 8:40, Lee Shubert wanted Bolger for the lead, Balzac, but Bolger felt he lacked the fame and experience for a leading man, so Bert Lahr took the part.
A role that slipped away
For their musical On Your Toes, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart cast Bolger as the lead, a vaudevillian who becomes a music teacher named Phil "Junior" Dolan III. Fred Astaire was offered the part but turned it down.
A change of course
In 1922 Bolger lost his job at New England Mutual. The reason was either that he arrived late or that he was dancing by the water cooler.

Ray Bolger movies on Netflix

That's Entertainment! III1994IMDb rating 7.5
That's Dancing!1985IMDb rating 7.2as Himself - Host
Just You and Me, Kid1979IMDb rating 5.9as Tom
That's Entertainment!1974IMDb rating 7.8
Babes in Toyland1961IMDb rating 6.1as Barnaby
The Harvey Girls1946IMDb rating 7.0as Chris Maule
Stage Door Canteen1943IMDb rating 6.3as Ray Bolger
The Wizard of Oz1939IMDb rating 8.1as 'Hunk' / The Scarecrow
The Great Ziegfeld1936IMDb rating 6.6as Ray Bolger

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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The Wizard of Oz1939 Adventure, Family, Fantasyas 'Hunk' / The Scarecrow
IMDb rating 8.1473K votes
Babes in Toyland1961 Comedy, Family, Fantasyas Barnaby
IMDb rating 6.15.3K votes
The Harvey Girls1946as Chris Maule
IMDb rating 7.05.5K votes
The Great Ziegfeld1936as Ray Bolger
IMDb rating 6.69.9K votes
That's Dancing!1985as Himself - Host
IMDb rating 7.21.2K votes
Just You and Me, Kid1979as Tom
IMDb rating 5.91.2K votes
Stage Door Canteen1943as Ray Bolger
IMDb rating 6.31.9K votes
That's Entertainment!1974
IMDb rating 7.85.7K votes

Most often with

Jack Haley Jr. directed two of these films. Cyd Charisse appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Cyd Charisse

Fred Astaire

Gene Kelly

Mickey Rooney

Debbie Reynolds

Judy Garland

Jack Haley Jr.Director, 2 films

Films together

Cyd Charisse4 films together, 1946 to 1994
Cyd Charisse's page
- That's Entertainment! III1994IMDb rating 7.5Charisse as Self - Host
- That's Dancing!1985IMDb rating 7.2Bolger as Himself - Host
- That's Entertainment!1974IMDb rating 7.8
- The Harvey Girls1946IMDb rating 7.0Bolger as Chris MauleCharisse as Deborah Andrews
Fred Astaire3 films together, 1974 to 1994
Fred Astaire's page
- That's Entertainment! III1994IMDb rating 7.5
- That's Dancing!1985IMDb rating 7.2Bolger as Himself - HostAstaire as Himself
- That's Entertainment!1974IMDb rating 7.8Astaire as Self - Host / Narrator
Gene Kelly3 films together, 1974 to 1994
Gene Kelly's page
- That's Entertainment! III1994IMDb rating 7.5Kelly as Self - Host
- That's Dancing!1985IMDb rating 7.2Bolger as Himself - HostKelly as Himself - Host
- That's Entertainment!1974IMDb rating 7.8Kelly as Self - Host / Narrator
Mickey Rooney2 films together, 1974 to 1994
Mickey Rooney's page
- That's Entertainment! III1994IMDb rating 7.5Rooney as Self - Host
- That's Entertainment!1974IMDb rating 7.8Rooney as Self - Host / Narrator
Debbie Reynolds2 films together, 1974 to 1994
Debbie Reynolds's page
- That's Entertainment! III1994IMDb rating 7.5Reynolds as Self - Host
- That's Entertainment!1974IMDb rating 7.8Reynolds as Self - Host / Narrator
Judy Garland2 films together, 1939 to 1946
Judy Garland's page
- The Harvey Girls1946IMDb rating 7.0Bolger as Chris MauleGarland as Susan Bradley
- The Wizard of Oz1939IMDb rating 8.1Bolger as 'Hunk' / The ScarecrowGarland as Dorothy
Jack Haley Jr.Director, 2 films, 1974 to 1985
All films by Jack Haley Jr.
- That's Dancing!1985IMDb rating 7.2Bolger as Himself - Host
- That's Entertainment!1974IMDb rating 7.8
Also two films together7 more actors
- Billie BurkeThat's Entertainment! III (1994) and The Wizard of Oz (1939)
- Liza MinnelliThat's Dancing! (1985) and That's Entertainment! (1974)
- Frank MorganThe Wizard of Oz (1939) and The Great Ziegfeld (1936)
- Leslie CaronThat's Entertainment! III (1994) and That's Entertainment! (1974)
- June AllysonThat's Entertainment! III (1994) and That's Entertainment! (1974)
- Virginia BruceThat's Entertainment! (1974) and The Great Ziegfeld (1936)
- Kenny BakerThe Harvey Girls (1946) and Stage Door Canteen (1943)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Awards

Two awards and honors from 1949 to 1960, one of them major.

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Ray Bolger's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Result
Tony Awards
1949	Best Actor in a Musical	Won
Other honors
1960	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame	Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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