The cast of The Wizard of Oz is full of iconic actors bringing L. Frank Baum's beloved characters to life. Given its classic status and its frequent inclusion on lists of the greatest movies ever made, almost everyone in the world has seen The Wizard of Oz. However, aside from its shining star, Judy Garland, not every viewer is familiar with the rest of the movie's cast or knows which other projects they've appeared in. Many of the performers in The Wizard of Oz were taken from the stages of Broadway and vaudeville, while others had lucrative film careers. Partly thanks to this movie, most are now considered screen legends.
The Wizard of Oz is one of the most famous movies ever made. It was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won the Oscars for Best Original Score, for Herbert Stothart, and Best Original Song for “Over the Rainbow.” It was one of the first movies selected for preservation in the National Film Registry, and it’s one of the few movies to be included on UNESCO’s Memory of the World . A big part of The Wizard of Oz’s staying power is the endlessly watchable work of its cast. Here's a guide to that cast, which character each actor plays, and where else to find their work.
Judy Garland As Dorothy Gale
Dorothy Gale, the young Kansan woman who is whisked away to the Land of Oz via tornado, is played by Judy Garland. One of the biggest movie stars of her time, Garland was known around the world as a great singer as well as an acting talent. Throughout her career, she won an Academy Juvenile Award, a Golden Globe, and a Special Tony Award. She headlined one of the multiple versions of A Star is Born and played key witness Irene Hoffmann in Judgment at Nuremberg. With her 1961 live recording Judy at Carnegie Hall, Garland became the first woman to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
Ray Bolger As The Scarecrow & "Hunk"
The Scarecrow, who wants a brain, is played by Ray Bolger, who also portrayed his Kansan counterpart, "Hunk." In addition to being a main cast member in The Wizard of Oz, Bolger is known for playing the villainous Barnaby in the Disney Christmas musical Babes in Toyland and the lead role in his eponymous sitcom, The Ray Bolger Show, from 1953 to 1955. Bolger was also a renowned Broadway performer who starred in the shows Life Begins at 8:40, On Your Toes, All American, and Where’s Charley?, for which he won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical.
Bert Lahr as The Cowardly Lion & "Zeke"
The Cowardly Lion, who wants courage, is played by Bert Lahr, as is his Kansan counterpart, "Zeke." Lahr was primarily a stage performer, appearing on Broadway and in burlesque and vaudeville shows. He appeared in such theatrical productions as Hotel Paradiso and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Besides The WIzard of Oz, Lahr’s film roles were limited. He made his movie debut in the 1931 musical Flying High, reprising the aviator role he’d played on stage. He also starred in the musical comedy Meet the People in 1944; his character’s famous quote, “Heavens to Murgatroyd,” was later adopted by the Hanna Barbera cartoon character Snagglepuss.
Jack Haley As The Tin Man & "Hickory"
The Tin Man, who wants a heart, is played by Jack Haley, who also portrayed his Kansan counterpart, "Hickory." After being part of The Wizard of Oz cast made him a recognizable star, Haley played such film roles as Albert L. Tuttle in One Body Too Many, Steve Kimball in Sing Your Way Home, and Jack Carroll in Vacation in Reno throughout the 1940s. Haley also appeared in such Broadway productions as Take a Chance, Higher and Higher, Inside U.S.A., and Show Time. Before playing the Tin Man, Haley hosted a radio program called The Jack Haley Show.
Margaret Hamilton As The Wicked Witch Of The West & Almira Gulch
The primary villain of the movie, Oz's unlikable Wicked Witch of the West is played by Margaret Hamilton. She is another actor with a double role in The Wizard of Oz's cast, additionally playing Almira Gulch, the snobbish rich woman who tries to get Toto euthanized. Hamilton later played Elaine Zacharides in the William Castle horror movie classic 13 Ghosts and Daphne Heap in Robert Altman's dark comedy Brewster McCloud. On television, she had a recurring role on The Addams Family and appeared some episodes of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Her final film role was the voice of Aunt Em in the animated Wizard of Oz sequel Journey Back to Oz.
Frank Morgan As The Wizard Of Oz, Professor Marvel, & Others
The titular Wizard of Oz and his carnival huckster alter ego, “Professor Marvel,” are played by Frank Morgan. The actor also plays the gatekeeper at Emerald City, the coachman drawn by “The Horse of a Different Color,” the Emerald City guard who doesn’t want to let Dorothy see the Wizard, and the Wizard’s scary projection. Morgan also played Hugo Matuschek in The Shop Around the Corner, John Josephus Grant in A Stranger in Town, and the pirate opposite Spencer Tracy in Tortilla Flat, which was adapted from the early John Steinbeck novel of the same name.
Billie Burke As Glinda
Glinda, the good witch who welcomes Dorothy to Oz and tells her to follow the yellow brick road to Emerald City, is played by Billie Burke. Besides her part in The Wizard of Oz cast, Burke is best known for her roles as Mrs. Clara Topper in the Topper series of supernatural comedies and Doris Dunstan, the mother of the groom, in the original Father of the Bride. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best ing Actress for her turn as Emily Kilbourne in Merrily We Live. Due to her instantly recognizable Mid-Atlantic accent, Burke was often cast as socialites.
The Wizard Of Oz ing Cast & Characters
Clara Blandick as Auntie Em: One of the owners of the farm where Dorothy lives, Aunt Em is played by Clara Blandick. The actress became known for her roles as quirky elderly matriarchs. After The Wizard of Oz, she played Mrs. Morton Pringle in Anne of Windy Poplars and a department store customer in the Marx Brothers comedy The Big Store.
Charley Grapewin as Uncle Henry: The other owner of the farm, Uncle Henry, is played by Charley Grapewin in The Wizard of Oz. The actor appeared in more than 100 movies during both the silent and talkie eras. He also played Grandpa William James Joad in John Ford’s iconic adaptation of The Grapes of Wrath and California Joe opposite Errol Flynn in They Died With Their Boots On.
Pat Walshe as Nikko: The head Winged Monkey, Nikko was played by veteran vaudeville performer Pat Walshe. He was known for his performances as monkeys in various circus shows and theatrical productions, so he had the job requirements for Nikko. After his prominent part in the cast of The Wizard of Oz, Walshe worked as a stunt double and played minor uncredited roles in the movies Pinky and Roseanna McCoy.
Terry as Toto: Although she’s credited by her character name as Toto, Dorothy’s dog was played by Terry in The Wizard of Oz cast. While the Toto character is male, Terry was a female Cairn Terrier. She had previously played the dog called Landlubber in Cecil B. DeMille’s The Buccaneer.
