scene from The Wizard of Oz
(From left) the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), the Tin Man (Jack Haley), the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), Dorothy (Judy Garland), and the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) in The Wizard of Oz (1939).
Bert Lahr
American actor
Also known as: Irving Lahrheim
Bert Lahr (born August 13, 1895, New York, New York, U.S.—died December 4, 1967, New York City) was an American stage and screen actor who was best known for his dynamic portrayal of the Cowardly Lion in the film The Wizard of Oz (1939). Lahr was a lackadaisical student who left school after failing eighth grade. In 1910 he joined a friend’s burlesque act, and he honed his energetic and instinctive approach to comedy while...