Acting
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 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.
Filmography
To Oz! The Making of a Classic
Film · 2009
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression
Film · 2009
Judy Garland: By Myself
Film · 2004
The Dark Side of the Rainbow
Film · 2000
Vaudeville
Film · 1997
That's Entertainment! III
Film · 1994
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic
Film · 1990
That's Dancing!
Film · 1985
The Whimsical World of Oz
Film · 1985
Peter and the Magic Egg
Film · 1983
Annie
Film · 1982
Just You and Me, Kid
Film · 1979
The Making of the Wizard of Oz
Film · 1979
The Runner Stumbles
Film · 1979
Heaven Only Knows
Film · 1979
Three on a Date
Film · 1978
Diff'rent Strokes
Series · 1978
Battlestar Galactica
Series · 1978
Fantasy Island
Series · 1978
Fantasy Island
Series · 1978
The Love Boat
Series · 1977
The Love Boat
Series · 1977
The Entertainer
Film · 1976
Donny & Marie
Series · 1976
Captains and the Kings
Series · 1976
Baretta
Series · 1975
That's Entertainment!
Film · 1974
Little House on the Prairie
Series · 1974
Nanny and the Professor
Series · 1970
The Partridge Family
Series · 1970
The Partridge Family
Series · 1970
Omnibus
Series · 1967
Omnibus
Series · 1967
The Daydreamer
Film · 1966
The Hollywood Palace
Series · 1964
The Judy Garland Show
Series · 1963
The Merv Griffin Show
Series · 1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Series · 1962
Babes in Toyland
Film · 1961
Backstage Party
Film · 1961
The Mike Douglas Show
Series · 1961
The Mike Douglas Show
Series · 1961
The Bell Telephone Hour
Series · 1959
The Bell Telephone Hour
Series · 1959
The All-Star Christmas Show
Film · 1958
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Series · 1956
Tony Awards
Series · 1956
Washington Square
Series · 1956
MGM Parade
Series · 1955
A Star Is Born World Premiere
Film · 1954
The George Gobel Show
Series · 1954
The Wonderful World of Disney
Series · 1954
General Electric Theater
Series · 1953
Where's Raymond?
Series · 1953
General Electric Theater
Series · 1953
April in Paris
Film · 1952
Where's Charley?
Film · 1952
The Red Skelton Show
Series · 1951
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Series · 1950
What's My Line?
Series · 1950
The Bob Hope Show
Series · 1950
Look for the Silver Lining
Film · 1949
Make Mine Laughs
Film · 1949
The Harvey Girls
Film · 1946
Stage Door Canteen
Film · 1943
Four Jacks and a Jill
Film · 1942
Sunny
Film · 1941
The Wizard of Oz
Film · 1939
Sweethearts
Film · 1938
Another Romance of Celluloid: Electrical Power
Film · 1938
Rosalie
Film · 1937
The Great Ziegfeld
Film · 1936
Oz
Film