During the 1930s, Buddy Ebsen worked as a dancer and appeared in several movies, including Captain January, which starred Shirley Temple. Then, he got the role in the film The Wizard of Oz. Originally, he was cast as the Scarecrow, but due to a serious allergic reaction to the aluminum dust used in the makeup, he was changed to the role of the Tin Man. Although he had a lot of experience with acting, he suffered from bronchial allergies and had to quit the filming for health reasons.
Buddy Ebsen started his acting career as a dancer, and he soon landed the Tin Man role. But his role as the Tin Man was not a smooth one. He suffered an allergic reaction to the aluminum powder in his makeup, which put him in a hospital for two weeks. After he recovered, he was replaced by Jack Haley, who used a silver makeup and a can of oil.
Judy Garland
Judy Garland played the Tin Man in the 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz.” The film has been a classic for decades and is considered one of Garland’s best performances. She earned $1500 a week at the time of its release. The film has several memorable scenes, including a fiery climax, where Tin Man flies off the proverbial cliff, where he becomes enchanted with the power of magic. In the original film, Ebsen starred as the Tin Man, but he was poisoned by the makeup, which contained pure aluminum dust. He was hospitalized under a tent of oxygen for a few days and eventually recovered.
The film continues to inspire motion pictures today. The story behind the film was a secret for years, but new biographies have shed new light on its production and star’s life. The film was delayed in production and had multiple directors. The production was also full of revolutionary tricks and storytelling techniques.
Ray Bolger
Ray Bolger played the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, a role that captured the public imagination 80 years ago. Born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, Bolger had an early career in dance and theater. He was the son of a Catholic family of Irish descent. He went on to work for peanut companies and the New England Mutual Life Insurance Company, before landing his first movie role in the musical “The Passing Show.”
While performing solo shows, Bolger was also able to land major roles in Broadway plays. He was under contract with MGM when he was offered the role of the Tin Woodman in THE WIZARD OF OZ. But he didn’t want to play the Tin Man. Instead, he wanted to play the Scarecrow.
Jack Haley
John Joseph Haley, Jr. was an American actor, comedian, dancer, radio host, and vaudevillian, best known for his role as the Tin Man in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. While his career was mainly in comedy, he was also an accomplished singer and actor.
While Haley played the Tin Man, he also played his counterpart Hickory Twicker, a farmer from Kansas. The film’s production team hired Haley after the contract comedian Buddy Ebsen developed an allergic reaction to the aluminium dust used for the silver face makeup. As a result, Ebsen was unable to continue shooting.
Before landing the role of the Tin Man in “The Wizard of Oz,” Haley appeared in numerous other movies, including many comedy shorts produced by Warner Bros. Haley’s family had settled in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Terre Haute, Indiana. Haley’s career began at a young age, but he later devoted himself to the real estate business.
Bert Lahr
Before playing the Tin Man, Lahr had a long career in theater, burlesque, and commercials. He was nominated for a Tony Award in 1963 and was an acclaimed star in several Broadway shows. His career included appearances in the musical The Wizard of Oz and the film Meet the People. He also starred in several Ziegfeld musicals.
Bert Lahr’s first incarnation as the Tin Man was not without challenges. In addition to wearing a full-body prosthetic, he also drank soup through a straw to appear human. He had trouble making this character look realistic, but he eventually got the job. He was able to pull off the role by improvising a line for the scene in the poppy field.