
Ray Bolger
Born
January 10, 1904
Died
January 15, 1987 (83 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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.
Known For
To Oz! The Making of a Classic
Self
2009

Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression
Self (archive)
2009

Judy Garland: By Myself
Self - Actor (archive sound)
2004

The Dark Side of the Rainbow
'Hunk' (archive footage)
2000

The Dark Side of Oz
Hunk / Scarecrow (archive footage)
1995

That's Entertainment! III
(archive footage)
1994

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic
Self (archive footage)
1990

That's Dancing!
Self - Host
1985
The Whimsical World of Oz
Self
1985

Peter and the Magic Egg
Uncle Amos (voice)
1983

Annie
Sound Effects Man at Radio Station (uncredited)
1982

The Runner Stumbles
Monsignor Nicholson
1979

Just You and Me, Kid
Tom
1979

The Making of the Wizard of Oz
Self
1979

Diff'rent Strokes
(1 episode)
1978

Battlestar Galactica
Vector · (1 episode)
1978

Three on a Date
Andrew
1978

Fantasy Island
Spencer Randolph · (1 episode)
1978

The Love Boat
Horace McDonald · (1 episode)
1977

The Love Boat
Andy Hopkins · (1 episode)
1977

Captains and the Kings
R.J. Squibbs · (8 episodes)
1976

The Entertainer
Billy Rice
1976

Donny & Marie
Self · (1 episode)
1976

Baretta
(1 episode)
1975

Little House on the Prairie
(2 episodes)
1974

That's Entertainment!
(archive footage)
1974

The Partridge Family
Grandpa Fred Renfrew · (2 episodes)
1970

The Partridge Family
Grandpa Walter Renfrew · (1 episode)
1970

Nanny and the Professor
Uncle Horace · (1 episode)
1970

Omnibus
Self · (1 episode)
1967

The Daydreamer
The Pieman
1966

The Hollywood Palace
Self - Host · (2 episodes)
1964

The Judy Garland Show
Self · (1 episode)
1963

The Merv Griffin Show
Self · (1 episode)
1962

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (2 episodes)
1962

Backstage Party
Self
1961

Babes in Toyland
Barnaby
1961

The Mike Douglas Show
Self · (3 episodes)
1961

The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host · (4 episodes)
1961
The Bell Telephone Hour
Self · (1 episode)
1959
The Bell Telephone Hour
Self - Host · (6 episodes)
1959

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1956

Tony Awards
Self - Presenter · (1 episode)
1956

The Wonderful World of Disney
Self · (1 episode)
1954
The George Gobel Show
Self · (1 episode)
1954
A Star Is Born World Premiere
Self
1954

Where's Raymond?
Raymond Wallace · (60 episodes)
1953

General Electric Theater
Alfred Boggs · (1 episode)
1953

General Electric Theater
Stan Maylor · (1 episode)
1953

April in Paris
Sam Winthrop Putnam
1952

Where's Charley?
Charley Wykeham
1952

The Red Skelton Show
'Mayor' Threadbare III · (1 episode)
1951

The Colgate Comedy Hour
Self - Host · (1 episode)
1950

The Bob Hope Show
Self · (1 episode)
1950

What's My Line?
Self - Mystery Guest · (1 episode)
1950

Make Mine Laughs
(archive footage)
1949

Look for the Silver Lining
Jack Donahue
1949

The Harvey Girls
Chris Maule
1946

Stage Door Canteen
Ray Bolger
1943

Four Jacks and a Jill
Nifty Sullivan, a Jack
1942

Sunny
Bunny Billings
1941

The Wizard of Oz
"Hunk" / Scarecrow
1939

Another Romance of Celluloid: Electrical Power
Self (uncredited)
1938

Sweethearts
Hans
1938

Rosalie
Bill Delroy
1937

The Great Ziegfeld
Ray Bolger
1936