Heart, Courage And A Brain: Dorchester Native Ray Bolger, The Scarecrow In 'The Wizard Of Oz'

13:57

March 01, 2019

Jamie Bologna
Zoë Mitchell

Judy Garland, as Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz," is presented with the Witch's broom in a scene from the 1939 movie. Garland is accompanied by, from left to right, Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion, Jack Haley as the Tin Man, and Ray Bolger as the Scarecrow. (AP Photo)

The Scarecrow on the hunt for a brain in the 1939 classic "The Wizard of Oz" was played by Dorchester native Ray Bolger.

His role as the Scarecrow captured the public's imagination some 80 years ago but Bolger was a star in his own right with a career in theatre, movies, television, and dance that spanned over fifty years. So why don't we know more about his start as a dancer on the streets of Boston?

Holly Van Leuven will appear at the Harvard Book Store on Friday March, 1 2019 at 7 p.m.

Guest

Holly Van Leuven, author of "Ray Bolger: More Than Just A Scarecrow." She tweets @hollyvanleuven.

This segment aired on March 1, 2019.