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Bolger (Ray) papers
LSC.1117
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Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Title: Ray Bolger papers
Creator:
Bolger, Ray
Identifier/Call Number: LSC.1117
Physical Description:
60.0 Linear Feet
(85 boxes, 2 record cartons, 39 flat boxes, 2 shoe boxes, and 10 sound recording boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1923-1987
Date (bulk): 1940s-1980s
Abstract: Among his many roles on stage, screen and television in a career that spanned sixty years, American comedian and dancer Ray
Bolger was best known for his role as the Scarecrow in the 1939 film,
The Wizard of Oz. In addition to his work in film and television, he continually returned to the stage, often appearing in one-man shows.
The collection consists of script material, contracts, clippings, correspondence, photographs, music, and ephemera related
to Bolger's lengthy career.
Physical Location: Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
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Property rights to the physical objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
[Identification of item], Ray Bolger papers (Collection 1117). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
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Processed by Lauren Jung with assistance from Vanessa Villavicencio, Michele James, Alexandra Apolloni, and Julie Graham,
2013.
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UCLA Catalog Record ID:
9969539333606533
Raymond Wallace Bolger was born on January 10, 1904, in Dorchester, Massachusetts. As a teenager, he danced on street corners
in Boston and began his acting career performing in amateur theatricals. He made his stage debut with the Bob Ott Musical
Comedy Repertory Company in 1922 and was soon appearing in vaudeville with Gus Edwards. Not long after, he appeared in Broadway
productions of
By Jupiter,
George White's Scandals,
Keep Off the Grass,
Life Begins at 8:40, and
On Your Toes, in which he won praise for his dancing skills in a number choreographed by George Balanchine. In time, he began appearing
in musical films such as
The Great Ziegfeld,
Rosalie,
Sunny,
Sweethearts, and his most well-known film,
The Wizard of Oz. During World War II, he helped organize U.S.O. shows that toured American military and naval bases around the world.
In 1948, he returned to Broadway and starred in a three-year run of
Where's Charley, which catapulted his stage career and lead to a film version of the story, starring Bolger, in 1952. That same year Bolger
made his television debut with
The Colgate Comedy Hour, and from 1953-1955 he starred in his own television show
The Ray Bolger Show on ABC. Originally titled
Where's Raymond in the first season, the show cast Bolger as Raymond Wallace, a Broadway star living in suburbia. Bolger and his wife Gwen
were the owners of their own production company, B&R Enterprises, which produced
Where's Raymond/
The Ray Bolger Show. In 1957, he starred in
Washington Square and made numerous guest appearances on television shows, such as
Hollywood Palace,
The Jimmy Durante Show,
The Judy Garland Show, and
The Red Skelton Hour. During this time, he continued to work in motion pictures, appearing in films such as
April in Paris,
Babes in Toyland, and
The Runner Stumbles. In between his work in film and television, Bolger continued to perform on the stage, appearing in one-man shows and song-and-dance
concerts as well as stage musicals such as
All American,
Come Summer, and
The Happy Time.
Bolger was involved with a number of philanthropic causes, including the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association,
and in political advocacy, appearing and performing at numerous events. He was also an avid golfer, often competing in celebrity
tournaments; and he was also involved in various business ventures, including real estate. Ray Bolger died of cancer on January
15, 1987 in Los Angeles, California.
The collection consists of material related to the career of comedian, dancer, and actor Ray Bolger. Included in the collection
is script material, contractual documents, correspondence, clippings, photographs, music, and ephemera related to Bolger's
career. Notably absent are original materials relating to the production of the 1939 film
Wizard of Oz.
Arranged in the following series:
- Biographical and Personal
- Television Projects
- Motion Picture Projects
- Stage Projects
- Radio Projects
- Audio Recording and Short Film Projects
- Sound Recordings
- Armed Services Entertainment
- Appearances and Events
- Unidentified Projects
- Correspondence
- Photographs
- Clippings
- Ephemera
- Awards, Honors, and Certificates
- Business, Financial, and Legal
- Music
- Scrapbooks
- Writings By or About Bolger
- Publications
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Actors -- United States -- Archives
Bolger, Ray--Archives.