BIO

Ray Bolger was born Raymond Wallace Bolger in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1904.   His father was a house painter.

Bolger began his career as a dancer in vaudeville.   He made his Broadway debut in 1926, at the age of 22.   He appeared in 13 Broadway productions through 1969, including starring roles in:

• Life Begins at 8:40 (1934-1935),
• On Your Toes (1936-1937),
• Three to Make Ready (1946),
• Where’s Charley? (1948-1950, 1951),
• All American (1962) and
• Come Summer (1969)

He received the Tony Award for Best Actor (Musical) for Where’s Charley? in 1949 and was nominated again for All American in 1962.

His first feature film appearance was as himself in The Great Ziegfeld (1936).   Although well-known on Broadway, he became even more famous to future generations as the Scarecrow in The Wizard Of Oz (1939).

Bolger moved to television in the 1950s and starred in the series Where’s Raymond? (1953-1954).

He only appeared in 15 feature films during his lifetime.   Bolger's last picture was released in 1979.

He married Gwendolyn Rickard in 1929.

Bolger died of cancer in Los Angeles, in 1987.   He was 83 years old.

Additional Broadway stage history is available at:

Additional biographical information is available at:

NOTED FILMS

Complete filmography at:

TV SERIES

Where's Raymond?