Broadway’s Ray Bolger
Actor and Dancer Ray Bolger demonstrates the athleticism and precision needed for his principal role as Sapiens in the production of By Jupiter. Executing a leap like this requires power, precision and excellent timing to avoid ending up sprawled on the floor with an injury. Ray Bolger may be more familiar to audiences as the Scarecrow in the classic musical film The Wizard of Oz (1939). But Bolger featured in Broadway musicals since his debut in The Merry World in 1926.
Bolger moved seamlessly between Broadway and film throughout his career. His Broadway career lasted until 1969, in the role of Phineas Sharp in the show Come Summer at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater. His movie and (later) television career lasted until 1985 when he contributed to a documentary called That’s Dancing! He performed until shortly before his death in 1987.