Jack Haley, Oz's Tin Man Trivia Quiz

Answer: Boston, Massachusetts

He was born in Boston, Massachusetts on August 10, 1898.

Answer: His father deserted the family when Haley was three.

Haley was raised in one of Boston's poor Irish Catholic neighborhoods. His mother scrubbed floors to support the family after his father's death when he was six months old. As a child, Haley would lie awake at night worrying about what would become of him if something happened to her.

Answer: Bert Lahr

Bert Lahr was Haley's best friend. They had been friends since doing a summer burlesque show together in New York City in the early 1920's. It was really a friendship of opposites. Haley was the easiest going of men, and Lahr was always a nervous wreck--in a dither over the least thing.

Answer: Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm

In "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm", which was made in 1941, Haley played the part of Orville Smithers. In "Poor Little Rich Girl" which was made in 1936, he played the part of Jimmy Dolan.

Answer: Ray Bolger

Ray Bolger was under contract to MGM when "The Wizard Of Oz" began casting. Mervyn LeRoy assigned Bolger the role of Tin Man in March of 1938. Bolger really wanted to be in the film, but as the Scarecrow. He thought of himself as a fluid "boneless" dancer and thought the Tin Man was too stiff a role for him.

After much lobbying of MGM, Bolger was allowed to play the loveable Scarecrow. Buddy Ebsen was originally given the Scarecrow role because of his tall, skinny appearance, was thought to be perfect for the part. Ebsen had no objections to switching roles with Bolger. Shortly after filming started, Ebsen became ill due to the Tin Man makeup and was forced to leave the film.

It was bad luck for Ebsen, but Bolger was perfect as Scarecrow. Haley was perfect as Tin Man, too, and the rest, as we say, is history.

Answer: All these three statements are true.

It took over an hour and forty-five minutes to do Haley's makeup each morning. The costume he wore was made of buckram, the material that is used in the binding of books, covered in silver painted leather. The material was so stiff he could not sit or bend.

He had to rest leaning up against a reclining board. Haley did get to take the costume off and rest during the afternoon lunch break, but the face makeup stayed on until the end of the day. Haley, Lahr, and Bolger so put the other diners off their food, by showing up at the MGM commissary in their bathrobes with their face makeup on, that MGM offered to feed them for free--if they would eat in their dressing room!

Answer: He was happily married for over 50 years to the same woman.

Haley married Florence McFadden on Feburary 25, 1921, and they were happlily married until Haley's death on June 6, 1979 -- over 57 years. Liza Minnelli was married to Haley's son,Jack Haley, Jr., during the 1970's.

Answer: False

Judy Garland had made a few early films billed as part of the Gumm Sisters. Her first credited appearance as a solo performer was in 1936's "Pigskin Parade", also released as "Harmony Parade". Haley played the part of Winston "Slug" Winters.

Answer: 1979 Academy Awards ceremony

Haley co-presented an Oscar at the 1979 Award Awards with his old "Oz" co-star Ray Bolger. Judy Garland died ten years earlier on June 22, 1969. He never was married to Liza Minnelli.

Answer: He was a good deed doer with a lot of heart.

Haley had a lot of heart, and did good deeds. He formed the Jack Haley Foundation to donate money to causes he thought worthy. Ray Bolger was the intelluctual one, always reading classic books and listening to classical music. Even though Lahr was afraid of everything, he had the courage to go ahead and try it anyway. I was going to ask if you knew the name of the farmhand Haley played in "The Wizard f Oz", but it seems I'm already on quesion ten! So, Haley paid the dual role of Tin Man and Hickory. Thanks for taking my quiz on Jack HaLey, the actor who was the heart of "The Wizard Of Oz".