Bert Lahr, Oz's Cowardly Lion Trivia Quiz

Answer: True

Bert Lahr was born Irving Lahrhelm on Aug. 13, 1895 in New York, New York, USA.

Answer: His childhood was full of poverty with few happy memories.

Born to poor German-Jewish immigrants in New York City, Lahr remembered the hardships of poverty but had very few happy childhood memories. He quit school when he was 15 and began working in burlesque and vaudeville. His first wife, Mercedes Delpino, was his early onstage partner.

His big break came in 1927 when he graduated to Broadway. He starred in such shows as "Hold Everything", "Flying High, and "Life Begins at 8:40", which also starred Ray Bolger. It was while working on "Life Begins at 8:40" that Lahr met E. Y. "Yip" Harburg and Harold Arlen, the lyricist and composer for MGM's "The Wizard Of Oz".

Answer: Two

Lahr married Mercedes Delpino in 1929. Sadly, she became hopelessly mentally ill, and in the early 1930's, had to be put in an institution. Lahr spent over $250,000 trying to find a cure for her. A few days afer the marriage was annuled in 1940, Lahr married Mildred Schroeder.

His second marriage lasted until his death in 1967. He had one child with his first wife, and two with his second.

Answer: False

Lahr was suggested to MGM by "Yip" Harburg, Harburg had worked with Lahr before and knew that Lahr's broad, loud style of comedy made him perfect for the Cowardly Lion role.

Answer: They are all true.

Next time you watch "The Wizard Of Oz", look closely at the Cowardly Lion. Lahr was literally covered head to toe. The Cowardly Lion costume consisted of a heavy wig that covered his head, a padded, seventy pound bodysuit made of lion skins, mittens that encased his hands, a beard was glued to his chin, and his face was hidden under a facepiece and makeup. If Lahr gave into temptation and ate anything he had to chew, he paid for it later by having to sit an hour in makeup having the damage repaired.

Answer: Foxy

Lahr won the Tony for "Best Actor In A Musical" in 1964 for "Foxy". Lahr's best work really was live on stage. His mannerisms, gestures, and too energetic comedy style was jarring in films. His best film performance was that of the Cowardly Lion.

Answer: Potato chips

He starred in a series of Lays Potato Chip commercials. I was very small at the time they ran, and I remember being told that this was the Cowardly Lion from "Oz". It made perfect sense that, if I liked them, why shouldn't the Cowardly Lion eat them, too?

Answer: Lahr

Bert Lahr died during the filming of "The Night They Raided Minsky's" on Dec. 4, 1967. Jack Haley died on June 7, 1979, and Ray Bolger died on Jan. 15, 1987.

Answer: He was extremely nervous and anxious about everything.

"Yip" Harburg said that he had never meet a more anxious man than Bert Lahr. Lahr worried about everything. Lahr had quit school at age 15 after flunking the eighth grade. At the time of the filming of "The Wizard Of Oz", Lahr had never read the book. He did read the screenplay, and he really wanted to do the film.

Answer: Zeke

Lahr played Zeke, the farmhand, on the Gale's farm. It is not only the wonderful songs, settings, and special effects that has made "The Wizard Of Oz" such an enduring and beloved film. It is the marvelous ensemble of actors: Lahr, Haley, Bolger, Garland, Hamilton, Burke, and Morgan, and Terry (Toto), that has helped make it one of the most watched films of all time.

It is estimated that over one billion people have taken the journey with Dorothy and her three faithful companions to see the Wizard.