Raymond Wallace Bolger (January 10, 1904 – January 15, 1987) was an American film actor, vaudevillian, TV presenter, 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 1930s and beyond (see below). He is best known for his portrayal of farm worker Hunk and the Scarecrow in MGM\'s classic The Wizard of Oz (1939). He was also the host of his eponymous television show, The Ray Bolger Show.\n', '

Bolger was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts into a Roman Catholic family of Irish descent, the son of James Edward and Anne C. (née Wallace) Bolger.\n', '

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 1926, 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 1930s. Eventually, his career would also encompass film, television and nightclub work. In 1932 he was elected to the theater club, The Lambs.\n', '

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