25 Facts About Ray Bolger

Raymond Wallace Bolger was an American actor, dancer, singer, vaudevillian, and stage performer who started his movie career in the silent-film era.

Ray Bolger is best known for his roles in The Wizard of Oz as the Scarecrow and in Walt Disney's holiday musical fantasy Babes in Toyland in 1961 as the villainous Barnaby.

Raymond Wallace Bolger was born at 598 Second St, South Boston, Massachusetts, into a Catholic family of Irish descent.

Ray Bolger was the son of James Edward Bolger and Anne C nee Wallace.

Ray Bolger's father, James, was first generation American of Irish descent, who was born in Fall River, Massachusetts.

Ray Bolger's mother "Annie," was born into a large Irish-American family in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Ray Bolger grew up and attended school in the Codman Square section of the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston.

Ray Bolger's best known pre-Oz appearance was The Great Ziegfeld, in which he portrayed himself.

Ray Bolger appeared in Sweethearts, the first MGM film in Technicolor, starring Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald.

Ray Bolger appeared in the Eleanor Powell vehicle Rosalie, which starred Eddy and Frank Morgan.

Ray Bolger's face was permanently lined by wearing the Scarecrow's makeup.

Ray Bolger would do tap dance routines, sometimes in a mock-challenge dance with the band's pianist, Al Lerner.

On December 7,1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and Ray Bolger's performance was interrupted by President Roosevelt's announcement of the news of the attack.

Ray Bolger toured in USO shows in the Pacific Theater during World War II, and appeared in the United Artists wartime film Stage Door Canteen.

Ray Bolger repeated his stage role in the 1952 film version of the musical.

Ray Bolger continued to star in several films, including Walt Disney's remake of Babes in Toyland and smaller cameos throughout the 1960s and 1970.

Ray Bolger made frequent guest appearances on television, including the episode "Rich Man, Poor Man" of the short-lived The Jean Arthur Show in 1966.

Ray Bolger was married to Gwendolyn Rickard for more than 57 years.

Ray Bolger was a Roman Catholic and a member of the Good Shepherd Parish and the Catholic Motion Picture Guild in Beverly Hills, California.

Ray Bolger was a lifelong Republican who campaigned for Barry Goldwater in the 1964 United States presidential election and Richard Nixon in the 1968 election.

Ray Bolger was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 1986, and at the end of that year, his health deteriorated and he left his Beverly Hills home to live at a nursing home in Los Angeles, where he died on January 15,1987, five days after his 83rd birthday.

Ray Bolger was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City.

At the time of his death, Ray Bolger was the last surviving main credited cast member of The Wizard of Oz.

At Judy Garland's funeral, Ray Bolger was the only one of her Oz costars who attended.

Ray Bolger joined Harold Arlen, the composer of "Over the Rainbow", and his wife, Anya Taranda.