Raymond Wallace Bolger (January , â€" January , ) was an American
film and television actor, vaudevillian, singer, dancer (particularly
of tap) and stage performer (particularly musical theatre) who started
in the silent film era. He was a major Broadway performer in the s and
beyond (see below). He is best known for his role as the Scarecrow and
his Kansas counterpart farm worker "Hunk" in MGM's classic The Wizard
of Oz () and the villainous Barnaby in Walt Disney's holiday musical
fantasy Babes in Toyland. He was also the host of his eponymous
television show, The Ray Bolger Show from and , originally Where's
Raymond?.Bolger was born at Second St., South Boston, Massachusetts
into a Catholic family of Irish descent, the son of James Edward
Bolger and Anne C. Wallace. His father James was first-generation
Irish, and was born in Fall River, Massachusetts; his mother "Annie"
who had a large family, was born in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. He
grew up and attended school in the Codman Square section of Dorchester
neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. After graduating high school he
worked for a peanut company, as a bank messenger, and for the New
England Mutual Life Insurance Company, before finding his way to
vaudeville by gaining a role on Broadway in “The Passing Show of
."His entertainment aspirations evolved from the vaudeville shows of
his youth. He began his career in a vaudeville tap show, creating the
act "Sanford & Bolger" with his dance partner. In , he danced at New
York City's legendary Palace Theatre, the premier vaudeville theatre
in the United States. His limber body and improvisational dance
movement won him many leading roles on Broadway in the s. Eventually,
his career would also encompass film, television and nightclub work.
In he was elected to the theater club, The Lambs and performed on
opening night at Radio City Music Hall in December .
film and television actor, vaudevillian, singer, dancer (particularly
of tap) and stage performer (particularly musical theatre) who started
in the silent film era. He was a major Broadway performer in the s and
beyond (see below). He is best known for his role as the Scarecrow and
his Kansas counterpart farm worker "Hunk" in MGM's classic The Wizard
of Oz () and the villainous Barnaby in Walt Disney's holiday musical
fantasy Babes in Toyland. He was also the host of his eponymous
television show, The Ray Bolger Show from and , originally Where's
Raymond?.Bolger was born at Second St., South Boston, Massachusetts
into a Catholic family of Irish descent, the son of James Edward
Bolger and Anne C. Wallace. His father James was first-generation
Irish, and was born in Fall River, Massachusetts; his mother "Annie"
who had a large family, was born in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. He
grew up and attended school in the Codman Square section of Dorchester
neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. After graduating high school he
worked for a peanut company, as a bank messenger, and for the New
England Mutual Life Insurance Company, before finding his way to
vaudeville by gaining a role on Broadway in “The Passing Show of
."His entertainment aspirations evolved from the vaudeville shows of
his youth. He began his career in a vaudeville tap show, creating the
act "Sanford & Bolger" with his dance partner. In , he danced at New
York City's legendary Palace Theatre, the premier vaudeville theatre
in the United States. His limber body and improvisational dance
movement won him many leading roles on Broadway in the s. Eventually,
his career would also encompass film, television and nightclub work.
In he was elected to the theater club, The Lambs and performed on
opening night at Radio City Music Hall in December .
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