Who played the Scarecrow in the 1939 film?

Ray Bolger played the Scarecrow in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.

Bolger was an American actor, dancer, singer, and vaudeville performer whose physical comedy and dancing made him especially suited to the Scarecrow. His performance includes the character’s loose-limbed movements, acrobatic falls, and celebrated dance sequence after Dorothy meets him in the cornfield.

Bolger was not the production’s first choice for that character. He had originally been cast as the Tin Woodman, while Buddy Ebsen was cast as the Scarecrow. Bolger persuaded MGM to switch roles because he strongly wanted to play the Scarecrow, and Ebsen agreed. Ebsen later had to leave the Tin Man role after becoming seriously ill from the original aluminum-based makeup.

Bolger also played Hunk, the Scarecrow’s Kansas counterpart, making him one of several actors with dual roles in the film. The Scarecrow’s search for a brain is central to the story, but the film repeatedly shows that he already demonstrates creativity, practical judgment, and insight before receiving the Wizard’s symbolic diploma.