Ray Bolger

 Ray Bolger, born Raymond Wallace Bulcao (January 10, 1904 – January 15, 1987)

Bolger was best known for his portrayal of the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. Bolger signed his first cinema contract with MGM in 1936 and although The Wizard of Oz was early in his film career he appeared in other movies of note. His best known pre-Oz appearance was The Great Ziegfeld (1936), in which he portrayed himself. He also appeared in Sweethearts (1938), the first MGM film in Technicolor, starring Nelson Eddy, Jeanette MacDonald, and Frank Morgan. In 1941, he was a featured act at the Paramount Theatre in New York, working with the Harry James Band. He would do tap dance routines, sometimes in a mock challenge dance with the band's pianist, Al Lerner. One day during this period the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and Bolger's performance was interrupted by President Roosevelt's announcement of the news of the attack. Bolger toured in USO shows with Joe E. Lewis in the Pacific Theater during World War II, and was featured in the United Artists war-time film Stage Door Canteen. In 1946 he returned to MGM for a featured role in The Harvey Girls. Bolger appeared in his own ABC television sitcom with a variety show theme, Where's Raymond? (1953–1954), renamed the second year as The Ray Bolger Show (1954–55). He continued to star in several films, including Walt Disney's 1961 remake of Babes in Toyland. Bolger made frequent guest appearances on television, including the episode "Rich Man, Poor Man" of the short-lived The Jean Arthur Show in 1966. In the 1970s he had a recurring role as the father of Shirley Partridge (Shirley Jones) on The Partridge Family, and appeared in Little House On The Prairie as Toby Noe. His last television appearance was on Diff'rent Strokes in 1984. Ray Bolger died of bladder cancer on January 15, 1987 in Los Angeles, five days after his 83rd birthday. He is interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, CA.