Growing up in Los Angeles meant an occasional up-close-and-personal encounter with a celebrity. Among the most famous of them, one of the most talented humans to ever grace planet earth, Ray Bolger, best known for his role as the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz.
Taking you back to Universal Studios Amusement Park near Hollywood circa 1980, my family, along with our neighbors (close friends), sat in an outdoor theatre to await a stunt show. Gossipy whispers worked their way through the audience. Folks turned their heads to gawk at a certain couple. Dad, quite sharp regarding popular culture (and all else), pointed out Ray Bolger who sat with his wife a few rows back from us.
People were polite then. Me, not so much. With camera in hand, I got up nice and close to snap the second photo below of Ray Bolger's joyous profile. So glad I did!
Sadly, Ray would pass from bladder cancer approximately seven years later. But what a life. What a legacy. When asked whether he received residuals from the show, Ray said "no" but he was thrilled to settle for "immortality" instead.
The first photo was after the show, when we asked if we could take a picture. Ray was incredibly accommodating. I remember feeling touched by his generosity.
Coincidentally, one of my (very smart) clients mentioned today that The Wizard of Oz came out in 1939. It's the 85th Anniversary year. I'd already planned to post this today.
WOOHOO, I was touched by the Scarecrow.
How lucky I am! (Also, I had a brain enough to hold onto these photos for decades. Yay!)
