- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- January 10, 1904
- Place of Birth
- Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Died
- January 15, 1987
Ray Bolger
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 sati…
Filmography
movieThe Wizard of Oz at Sphere
2025 · Hunk (archive footage)
To Oz! The Making of a Classic
movieTo Oz! The Making of a Classic
2009 · Self
movieHollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression
2009 · Self (archive footage)
movieJudy Garland: By Myself
2004 · Self - Actor (archive sound)
movieThe Dark Side of the Rainbow
2000 · 'Hunk' (archive footage)
movieVaudeville
1997 · Self (archive footage)
movieThat's Entertainment! III
1994 · (archive footage)
movieThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic
1990 · Self (archive footage)
movieThat's Dancing!
1985 · Self - Host
The Whimsical World of Oz
movieThe Whimsical World of Oz
1985 · Self
moviePeter and the Magic Egg
1983 · Uncle Amos (voice)
movieAnnie
1982 · Sound Effects Man at Radio Station (uncredited)
movieThe Runner Stumbles
1979 · Monsignor Nicholson
movieJust You and Me, Kid
1979 · Tom
movieThe Making of the Wizard of Oz
1979 · Self
movieHeaven Only Knows
1979 · Simon
tvDiff'rent Strokes
1978
tvBattlestar Galactica
1978 · Vector
movieThree on a Date
1978 · Andrew
tvFantasy Island
1978 · Spencer Randolph, Gaylord Nelson
tvThe Love Boat
1977 · Horace McDonald, Andy Hopkins
tvCaptains and the Kings
1976 · R.J. Squibbs
movieThe Entertainer
1976 · Billy Rice
tvDonny & Marie
1976 · Self
tvBaretta
1975
tvLittle House on the Prairie
1974 · Toby Noe
movieThat's Entertainment!
1974 · (archive footage) (uncredited)
tvThe Partridge Family
1970 · Grandpa Fred Renfrew, Grandpa Walter Renfrew
tvNanny and the Professor
1970 · Uncle Horace
tvOmnibus
1967 · Self
movieThe Daydreamer
1966 · The Pieman
tvThe Hollywood Palace
1964 · Self - Host
tvThe Judy Garland Show
1963 · Self
tvThe Merv Griffin Show
1962 · Self
tvThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 · Self
movieBackstage Party
1961 · Self
movieBabes in Toyland
1961 · Barnaby
tvThe Mike Douglas Show
1961 · Self, Self - Co-Host
tvThe Bell Telephone Hour
1959 · Self, Self - Host
movieThe All-Star Christmas Show
1958 · Self
tvThe Dinah Shore Chevy Show
1956 · Self
tvTony Awards
1956 · Self - Presenter
tvMGM Parade
1955
tvThe Wonderful World of Disney
1954 · Self
The George Gobel Show
tvThe George Gobel Show
1954 · Self
movieA Star Is Born World Premiere
1954 · Self
tvWhere's Raymond?
1953 · Raymond Wallace
tvGeneral Electric Theater
1953 · Alfred Boggs, Stan Maylor
movieApril in Paris
1952 · Sam Winthrop Putnam
movieWhere's Charley?
1952 · Charley Wykeham
tvThe Red Skelton Show
1951 · 'Mayor' Threadbare III
tvThe Colgate Comedy Hour
1950 · Self - Host
tvThe Bob Hope Show
1950 · Self
tvWhat's My Line?
1950 · Self
movieMake Mine Laughs
1949 · (archive footage)
movieLook for the Silver Lining
1949 · Jack Donahue
movieThe Harvey Girls
1946 · Chris Maule
movieStage Door Canteen
1943 · Ray Bolger
movieFour Jacks and a Jill
1942 · Nifty Sullivan, a Jack
movieSunny
1941 · Bunny Billings
movieThe Wizard of Oz
1939 · "Hunk" / Scarecrow
movieAnother Romance of Celluloid: Electrical Power
1938 · Self (uncredited)
movieSweethearts
1938 · Hans
movieRosalie
1937 · Bill Delroy
movieThe Great Ziegfeld
1936 · Ray Bolger
Oz
movieOz
— · Self / Scarecrow (archive footage)