Photo: It is difficult to trace the history of the image to a single author, as various versions of this image (or others from the same photo-session) appear to have been distributed numerous times by numerous publicity agencies. However, the earliest record of distribution of an alternate image from the same photo-session appears to have been by Bill Doll & Company for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (see bottom image of original upload) / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Bert Lahr was born on August 13, 1895 in New York City, New York, United States. Public records list Bert Lahr as a film actor, screenwriter and stage actor. Death is recorded on December 4, 1967, at the age of 72. Listed accolades include Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical (1964). Notable works include The Wizard of Oz.
My Take
Bert Lahr is one of those performers who could have faded into the vaudeville footnotes, but instead landed the role of a lifetime and never let go of it. His Cowardly Lion in the 1939 Wizard of Oz is pure comic genius — that booming, self-pitying bravado, the mangled grammar, the way he could be utterly ridiculous and genuinely touching in the same breath. What I love about him is that he wasn't just a movie guy; he was a stage animal first, grinding through burlesque and vaudeville before Broadway embraced him, and he won a Tony in 1964 at nearly seventy years old, which tells you everything about his staying power. He died in 1967 before he could fully see how immortal that Lion made him, which feels genuinely unfair.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Bert Lahr
- Name (Japanese)
- バート・ラー
- Reading
- ばーと・らー
- Born
- August 13, 1895 – December 4, 1967
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Goat
- Origin
- New York City, New York, United States
- Occupation
- film actor / screenwriter / stage actor / voice actor / actor
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 1964 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical
3. Works & records
Filmography / notable works
| Category | Title |
|---|---|
| Notable work | The Wizard of Oz |
4. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert%20Lahr
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%90%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88%E3%83%BB%E3%83%A9%E3%83%BC
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q827411
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Bert Lahr born?
Born August 13, 1895.
When did Bert Lahr die?
Died December 4, 1967, aged 72.
Where was Bert Lahr from?
Bert Lahr was from New York City, New York, United States.
What did Bert Lahr do?
Bert Lahr worked as film actor, screenwriter, stage actor, voice actor, actor.
What was Bert Lahr known for?
Notable works include The Wizard of Oz.
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