Bert Lahr was an American actor and comedian.
Biography[]
Born Irving Lahrheim in New York City, he left school at the age of 15 to become a vaudevillian and made his Broadway debut in 1927, setting the course for an extensive career in stage and screen comedies. He made his film debut in Flying High, and his most popular role came in 1939, when he appeared as the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz.
Lahr became better known for his theatrical roles, playing Skid in Burlesque, Estragon in the first American production of Waiting for Godot and an award winning Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
He passed away in 1967.
Singing[]
Lahr performed in a large number of musical films and stage productions, beginning with revues such as Harry Delmar's Revels and short films such as Faint Heart, before moving up to larger productions including variety films (Merry Go Round of 1938) and his biggest screen success - The Wizard of Oz.
As well as roles in comic musical films (for example Meet the People as The Commander and Eddie Eagen in Always Leave Them Laughing) Lahr also originated the role of King Louis in DuBarry Was a Lady, and appeared in televised productions of Anything Goes and The Fantasticks.
Film[]
Faint Heart (1929)[]
- The Prisoner's Song (solo)
Flying High (1931)[]
- It'll Be the First Time for Me (duet)
- Happy Days Are Here Again (solo)
Merry Go Round of 1938 (1938)[]
- Song of the Woodman (solo)
Just Around the Corner (1938)[]
- This Is a Happy Little Ditty (contains solo lines)
The Wizard of Oz (1939)[]
- If I Only Had the Nerve/We're Off To See The Wizard (contains solo lines)
- The Merry Old Land of Oz (contains solo lines)
- If I Were King of the Forest (contains solo lines)
Sing Your Worries Away (1942)[]
- Nothing Can Change My Mind (solo)
- Sally (solo)
Ship Ahoy (1942)[]
- A Life on the Ocean Wave (solo)
- The Last Call for Love (reprise)
- I'll Take Tallulah (solo)
Meet the People (1944)[]
- Heave Ho (contains solo lines)
Always Leave Them Laughing (1949)[]
- By the Light of the Silvery Moon (duet)
Anything Goes (1954)[]
- Friendship (duet)
- I Get a Kick Out of You (second reprise)(solo)
- Anything Goes (reprise)(contains solo lines)
Rose Marie (1954)[]
- I'm a Mountie Who Never Got His Man (solo)
The Second Greatest Sex (1955)[]
- The Second Greatest Sex (contains solo lines)
The Great Waltz (1955)[]
The Fantasticks (1964)[]
- Never Say No (duet)
- Happy Ending (contains solo lines)
- Plant a Raddish (duet)
Stage[]
Harry Delmar's Revels (1927)[]
- Limbs of the Law (contains solo lines)
- Finale
Flying High (1930)(originated the role)[]
- It'll Be the First Time for Me (duet)
- Happy Days Are Here Again (solo)
Life Begins at 8:40 (1934)(originated the role)[]
Du Barry Was A Lady (1939)(originated the role)[]
- It Ain't Etiquette (duet)
- But in the Morning, No! (duet)
- DuBarry Was a Lady
- Friendship (duet)
Two on the Aisle (1951)(originated the role)[]
- Highlights from the World of Sports (contains solo lines)
- Space Brigade (contains solo lines)
- If You Hadn't, But You Did? (contains solo lines)
- The Clown (solo)
- Catch our Act (solo)
- At the Met (contains solo lines)
- Schneider's Miracle (contains solo lines)
- How Will He Know? (duet)
The Girls Against the Boys (1959)(originated the role)[]
- Rich Butterfly (duet)
- Can We Save Our Marriage? (contains solo lines)
- Home Late (duet)
- Nightflight (contains solo lines)
- Old-Fashioned Girl (contains solo lines)
- Hostility (duet)
- Finale
Foxy (1962)(originated the role)[]
- Many Ways to Skin a Cat (duet)
- Money Isn't Everything (contains solo lines)
- Bon Vivant (contains solo lines)
- Finale Act One
- In Loving Memory (contains solo lines)
- Finale (contains solo lines)
Gallery[]
