Ray Bolger: More than a ScarecrowBest remembered for his role as the Scarecrow in the 1939 MGM musical The Wizard of Oz, Ray Bolger led a rich and extraordinary career in the decade before and more than four decades after the creation of the film. Ray Bolger: More Than a Scarecrow is the first biography of this classic American entertainer, covering the luminous and forgotten career of the eccentric dancer outside of his burlap mask. The product of a fragmented, working-class Boston Irish family, Bolger learned tap and eccentric dance steps as solace for a difficult life before running away to repertory theater and Vaudeville. From there, he would go on to become a Broadway star, a contract player at Hollywood's major studios, one of the first performers to tour the South Pacific for the USO, a Tony Award winner, an early sitcom star, and the opening headliner of the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas. Using unprecedented access to Bolger's papers and many never-before-published photographs, Ray Bolger: More Than a Scarecrow pieces together the lost story of an itinerant hoofer who survived and thrived during the major media changes of the twentieth century and established himself as a staple of American pop culture. |
Contents
| 1 | |
What Will You Be? Its Up to You | 7 |
Entering Show Business | 25 |
Steppin in Society | 43 |
Depression Days | 57 |
Broadway Goes West | 71 |
Jupiter Forbid | 103 |
Soldiers in Greasepaint | 123 |
Wheres Charley? | 138 |
The New Triple Threat Man | 165 |
All American | 192 |
No Sad Songs | 208 |
NOTES | 217 |
| 227 | |
| 231 | |
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Abe Lastfogel actors Allyn Ann McLerie American Angeles appeared Astaire audience Balanchine ballet began Begins at 8:40 Bert Lahr Bolger and Little Bolger returned Boston Broadway Broadway show career cast Charley’s aunt choreographer comedian comedy comic costume dance dancer earned eccentric Edwards entertainment Feuer and Martin film Fodorski Folder George girl Gus Edwards Gwen Bolger Gwen’s Harburg Hollywood holographic writing husband Ibid interview by Ronald Japanese Judy Garland knew Lahr Mayer MGM’s movie musical offered opening night performance Photo played popular production Ray Bolger rehearsal revue Rickard Ritz Carlton Nights Rodgers and Hart role Rothafel routine Rusakoff Sanford Scarecrow script show business show’s Shubert songs stage star story studio talent television Thalberg theater took tour UCLA/RB Variety vaudeville vaudevillian wanted Warner Brothers week Where’s Charley White William Morris Agency Wizard of Oz wrote York Ziegfeld