Ray Bolger (January 10, 1904 – January 15, 1987) was an American entertainer of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of the Scarecrow (and the farmworker "Hunk") who was Dorothy's favorite in the 1939 film classic, The Wizard of Oz.

Bolger was born Raymond Wallace Bulcao http://www.ibdb.com/person.asp?id=32422, http://www.nndb.com/people/690/000102384/ and spent his early life in a predominantly Irish neighborhood in Dorchester, Massachusetts. His father, James Edward Bulcao, was a Portugese-American house-painter; his mother, Anne Wallace, an Irish-American, was a homemaker. Both parents were Roman Catholics. Raymond was inspired by the vaudeville shows he attended when he was young to become an entertainer himself. He began his career as a dancer. His limber body and ability to ad lib movement won him many starring roles on Broadway in the 1930s. Eventually, his career would also encompass film, television and nightclub work.

His film career began when he signed a contract with MGM in 1936. His best-known film prior to The Wizard of Oz was The Great Ziegfeld (1936), in which he portrayed himself.

Bolger's studio contract stipulated that he would play any part the studio chose; however, he was unhappy when he was cast as the Tin Man. The Scarecrow part had already been assigned to another lean and limber dancing studio contract player, Buddy Ebsen.

In time, the roles were switched. While Bolger was pleased with his role as the Scarecrow, Ebsen was struck ill by the powdered aluminum make-up used to complete the Tin Man costume. (The powdered aluminum had been inhaled and coated Ebsen's lungs, leaving him near death. Ironically, Ebsen would outlive all the principal players of Oz.) Ebsen's illness paved the way for the Tin Man role to be filled by Jack Haley.

Bolger's performance in Oz was a tour de force. He displayed the full range of his physical, comedic, and dramatic talents playing the character searching for the brain that he has always had. The Scarecrow's sympathy for Dorothy Gale's plight, his cleverness and bravery in rescuing her from the Wicked Witch of the West (played by Margaret Hamilton) and his deep affection for her shone through, endearing the character — and Bolger — in the public mind forever. Whenever queried as to whether he received any residuals from telecasts of the 1939 classic, Bolger would reply: "No, just immortality. I'll settle for that."http://www.ozclub.org/reference/oztl1985.htm

Following Oz, Bolger moved to RKO. In 1946, he recorded a memorable children's album, "The Churkendoose", featuring the story of a misfit fowl ("part chicken, turkey, duck, and goose") who teaches kids that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it all "depends on how you look at things".

Bolger also starred in several more films and had a sitcom called Where's Raymond? from 1953-1955 (also known as The Ray Bolger Show). He also made frequent guest appearances on television. In 1985 he and Liza Minnelli, the daughter of his Oz co-star Judy Garland, starred in That's Dancing, a film also written by Jack Haley, Jr., the son of Tin Man actor Jack Haley. Minnelli and Haley, Jr. would have a brief marriage some years later.

Bolger's Broadway credits included On Your Toes, By Jupiter, All American, and Where's Charley?, for which he won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical and in which he introduced "Once in Love with Amy," the song most often connected with him.

Bolger died of bladder cancer on January 15, 1987 (five days after his 83rd birthday) in Los Angeles, California. He was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California, in the Mausoleum, Crypt F2, Block 35.

He was survived by his wife of over 57 years, Gwendolyn Rickard. At the time of his death, he was the last surviving member of the main Oz cast. An editorial cartoon on January 17, by Chicago Tribune artist Dick Locher, featured the Oz cast dancing off into the setting sun and toward the Emerald City, with the Scarecrow running to catch up. This cartoon was reproduced in the book The Wizard of Oz: The Official 50th Anniversary Pictorial History, Warner, 1989, p.242.

* *Ray Bolger at TV.com *Ray Bolger at Broadway Database *"Churkendoose" Album (mp3)