Which actors played the following roles in the film, "The Wizard of Oz"? a. Cowardly Lion? b. Scarecrow? c. Tin Man?

The three iconic companions who journeyed with Dorothy down the Yellow Brick Road were brought to life by a trio of talented actors, each with a unique story behind their performance. Vaudeville and Broadway star Bert Lahr donned the real lion skin and fur costume to portray the Cowardly Lion. The hefty outfit weighed nearly 60 pounds and became incredibly hot under the studio lights, requiring it to be dried out each night. Lahr's expressive face was essential to the character, but the makeup took hours to apply, and he was initially restricted to consuming liquids through a straw to avoid disturbing it.

The roles of the Scarecrow and Tin Man involved a significant casting shuffle. Ray Bolger, a gifted dancer, was originally cast as the Tin Man, but he longed to play the Scarecrow, a part his childhood idol, Fred Stone, had famously performed on stage. Bolger successfully persuaded the producers to switch roles with the actor initially cast as the Scarecrow, Buddy Ebsen. Bolger's loose-limbed, dance-like movements became the Scarecrow's signature, though the daily application and removal of his foam latex mask eventually left permanent lines on his face.

The casting change proved medically necessary for Buddy Ebsen. To create the Tin Man's metallic sheen, the original makeup involved a coating of pure aluminum dust. After just nine days of filming, Ebsen suffered a severe toxic (Review) reaction from inhaling the dust and was hospitalized with lung failure. Actor Jack Haley was brought in to replace him. The makeup was reformulated into a safer aluminum paste, but even this caused Haley to suffer a serious eye infection that required surgical treatment. These behind-the-scenes struggles highlight the physical hardships the actors endured to create their timeless characters.