Follow the yellow brick road through a piece of cinematic history.

The original Wizard of Oz cast: See where the actors ended up after Dorothy returned to Kansas

Follow the yellow brick road through a piece of cinematic history.

By Declan Gallagher

and Allison DeGrushe

Allison DeGrushe

Allison DeGrushe is a timely SEO writer at **. She has been working at * *since 2025. Her work has previously appeared on Distractify.

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November 21, 2025 10:00 a.m. ET

From top left to bottom right: Frank Morgan, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Judy Garland, and Ray Bolger. Credit:

Mgm/Kobal/Shutterstock; Mary Evans/AF Archive/Courtesy Everett (2); Silver Screen Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty

A timeless journey to the technicolor land of Oz began over 80 years ago, and it changed cinema forever.

Based on L. Frank Baum's beloved novel, *The Wizard of Oz* sees Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) whisked away from Kansas to Oz, where she meets a scarecrow (Ray Bolger) in search of a brain, a Tin Man (Jack Haley) longing for a heart, and a cowardly lion (Bert Lahr) seeking an ounce of courage. Together, they face the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) and meet the wonderful Wizard of Oz (Frank Morgan) before Dorothy finds her way home with Glinda the Good's (Billie Burke) help.

It's a tale that practically *everyone* knows, but *Wicked* and *Wicked: For Good* uncover the real story of the witches, and reveal that Elphaba, a.k.a the Wicked Witch, isn't so sinister.

*The Wizard of Oz *made its cast stars, but few found lasting fame beyond the 1939 classic. With *Wicked: For Good* now in theaters, let's look back at the original *The Wizard of Oz* cast and what became of them.

Judy Garland (Dorothy Gale)

Courtesy Everett; Silver Screen Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty

Judy Garland stars as sweet-natured Kansas girl Dorothy Gale, who, with her dog Toto and new ruby red slippers, just wants to go home.

Born in 1922, Garland started performing with her sisters in a vaudeville group before signing with MGM at age 13. She appeared in nearly 30 films for the studio, including *The Wizard of Oz*, *Meet Me in St. Louis* (1944), and *Easter Parade* (1948). She received Academy Award nominations for her roles in *A Star Is Born* (1954) and *Judgment at Nuremberg* (1961), and hosted *The Judy Garland Show* (1963–1964), which garnered two Emmy nominations.

She was also a successful recording artist, with her songs “Over the Rainbow” and “Meet Me in St. Louis” (from two of her most famous films) becoming anthemic for the star. In 1962, she became the first woman to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year with her concert LP *Judy at Carnegie Hall*.

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Though *The Wizard of Oz* catapulted Garland's career, her on-set experience was far from magical. While shooting *Oz*, she was plied with “pep pills” (amphetamines) to keep her energetic and thin. At night, she was given barbiturates to help her sleep. This led to addiction issues, which plagued Garland until her death at age 47 in 1969 from an accidental overdose.

Garland's ex-husband, Sid Luft, also alleged in his posthumous memoir that she was repeatedly molested by some of the actors who played the Munchkins. "They would make Judy's life miserable on set by putting their hands under her dress … The men were 40 or more years old," he wrote.

Garland was married five times: to David Rose (1941–1944); Vincente Minnelli (1945–1951), with whom she shares daughter Liza Minnelli; Luft (1952–1965), with whom she shares son Joey Luft and daughter Lorna Luft; Mark Herron (1965–1969); and Mickey Deans, whom she married in March 1969, just three months before her death.

Frank Morgan (the Wizard of Oz)

Mgm/Kobal/Shutterstockl John Springer Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty

In addition to starring as the "wonderful" Wizard of Oz who flies Dorothy home in a hot air balloon, Frank Morgan played the Wizard's gatekeeper, the carriage driver, and Professor Marvel in *Oz*.

Morgan made his screen debut in 1916’s *The Suspect* and appeared consistently in film, television, and radio until his death in 1949 at age 59. Though *The Wizard of Oz* remains his most well-remembered work, Morgan also held memorable roles in *The Shop Around the Corner* (1940) and as King Louis XIII in *The Three Musketeers* (1948). He was also nominated for two Academy Awards for his performances in *The Affairs of Cellini *(1934) and *Tortilla Flat *(1942).

He married Alma Muller in 1914; they shared a son, George. Morgan struggled with alcohol addiction, and it was noted in Aljean Harmetz’s book, *The Making of the Wizard of Oz*, that the actor came to work each day with a small black briefcase containing liquor.

Ray Bolger (the Scarecrow)

Mgm/Kobal/Shutterstock; UPI/Bettmann Archive/Getty

Ray Bolger** **was a noted star on the stage and screen by the time he played the Scarecrow, whom Dorothy tells "I think I'll miss you most of all" upon her departure from Oz.

In addition to *The Wizard of Oz*, he’s best remembered for** ***The Ray Bolger Show *(1953–1955) and for playing the devious Barnaby in the original *Babes in Toyland* (1961) film. He married Gwendolyn Rickard in 1929, and the couple remained together until Bolger died in 1987 at age 83 following a bladder cancer diagnosis. They had no children.

Bolger reportedly struggled in the Scarecrow's costume for a surprising reason. Harmetz wrote in her 1977 book that Bolger found it nearly impossible to use the restroom on set because, when he would disrobe, all of the prop straw would scatter.

Bolger attended Garland's funeral along with Harold Arlen, who composed "Over the Rainbow." He was the last surviving star of the film.

The actor never diminished his involvement in *The Wizard of Oz*, saying in a 1976 interview that he felt lucky to be a part of a movie that left such an impression on the culture. "It's a great American classic," he said, "and after I'm gone, it will be — and I will be — remembered. And very few people can say they were remembered for anything in life."

Bert Lahr (the Cowardly Lion)

Mary Evans/AF Archive/Courtesy Everett

Like much of the cast, Bert Lahr is best known for his role in *The Wizard of Oz. *As the film progresses, his Cowardly Lion becomes anything but, fiercely defending his cohorts and discovering self-worth.

In addition to parts in *Anything Goes* (1954) and *The Night They Raided Minsky’s* (1968), Lahr was among the first to star in the classic play *Waiting for Godot *as Estragon. He performed the show in Europe and its state-side debut in Miami, Fla., before moving on to a successful Broadway run.

Lahr frequently had trouble in his lion costume, with the hefty rubber mask restricting his movement and hindering his ability to open his mouth. Harmetz wrote in *The Making of the Wizard of Oz* that Lahr was resigned to liquid meals through straws throughout filming.

“The only thing that was his was a bit of cheek and his eyes," Charlie Schram, Lahr's makeup technician, told Harmetz. “On top of his head he wore that enormous fur wig, and his chin was covered with a fur beard. He wore mittens, and besides being a real lion skin, his suit was padded. It was like carrying a mattress around with you. He had to take his lion suit off completely after each shot, and he'd always be dripping wet. The poor man went through hell.”

Lahr was married first to Mercedes Delpino, with whom he shared a son, and later to Mildred Schroeder, with whom he shared a son and daughter. He died of pneumonia in 1967 while filming *The Night They Raided Minsky’s*.

Jack Haley (the Tin Man)

Mary Evans/AF Archive/Courtesy Everett; Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Jack Haley played the technically heartless but nevertheless sensitive Tin Man, the second companion to join Dorothy's trek on the iconic yellow brick road.

Haley replaced Buddy Ebsen, who was originally cast as the Tin Man but had to drop out after aluminum dust in the face paint made him sick. Things were hardly any easier for Haley, who, like many of Oz's ensemble players, suffered in his makeup. “I couldn't lie down in that costume,” reads Haley's quote in Harmetz's book. “I couldn't even sit in it. I could only lean against a reclining hoard.”

He starred in musicals opposite Shirley Temple (*Poor Little Rich Girl*) and Frank Sinatra (*Higher and Higher*). After *Oz*, Haley had roles in *One Body Too Many* (1944), *People Are Funny* (1946), and *Norwood* (1970). His final film appearance was an uncredited part in Martin Scorsese's *New York, New York* (1977) starring Garland's daughter, Liza Minnelli.

Haley was married to Florence McFadden from 1921 until his death in 1979 after suffering a heart attack at age 81. They had two children, Jack Jr. and Gloria. A collection of his writing, *Heart of the Tin Man*, was published posthumously in 2000.

Billie Burke (Glinda the Good Witch of the North)

Mary Evans/AF Archive/Courtesy Everett; Trevor James Robert Dallen/Fairfax Media via Getty

Billie Burke essayed the role of Glinda the Good Witch of the North, who aids Dorothy and her ragtag companions on their journey to the Emerald City.

Upon *Oz*’s release, Burke was coming off a 1938 Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her performance in *Merrily We Live* (1938). She also acted in the *Topper* movies, the first of which starred Cary Grant and Constance Bennett as ghosts haunting Burke’s husband. She collaborated with George Cukor on *Dinner at Eight* (1933) and appeared in *The Man Who Came to Dinner* (1940).

Margaret Hamilton, who played Glinda's wicked counterpart, recalled in *The Making of The Wizard of Oz *that her costar was one of the more famous cast members on set. Burke therefore enjoyed a more comfortable dressing room adorned in pinks and blues. Hamilton would even sneak into Burke's quarters when the Good Witch had days off, allowing her a respite from the chaotic set.

Burke married Broadway producer Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. in 1914. They had a daughter in 1916 and remained married until Ziegfeld’s death in 1932. Burke died in 1970 at age 85 and was buried alongside her late husband in New York.

Margaret Hamilton (the Wicked Witch of the West)

Margaret Hamilton.

Courtesy Everett; John Springer Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty

Margaret Hamilton played the frightful Wicked Witch of the West, who has it out for Dorothy and her little dog, too.

A former school teacher who took up acting in the early 1930s, Hamilton debuted opposite Helen Hayes and Robert Montgomery in *Another Language* (1933). She appeared in *The Adventures of Tom Sawyer* (1938), in W.C. Fields’ *My Little Chickadee* (1940), and in Bud Abbott and Lou Costello’s *Comin’ Round the Mountain* (1951), playing a nefarious witch who battles it out with the comedians.

According to *The Making of The Wizard of Oz*, Hamilton was forced to leave the production for six weeks due to injuries sustained while filming the Wicked Witch vanishing in a puff of smoke. A hidden elevator was supposed to lower her before the smoke and fire effects went off, but they deployed while she was still above ground, causing second and third-degree burns. Because the witch's green body paint was copper-based, and therefore toxic if absorbed into the bloodstream, Hamilton's burns had to be sterilized with acetone.

Hamilton was married to Paul Boynton Meserve from 1931 to 1938, after which she raised their son on her own. She died at age 82 in 1985 of a heart attack.**

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Source: “EW Movies”