Hollywood Memorial

One of the most beloved character actors in Hollywood history, best known for playing five roles in the MGM film classic ‘The Wizard of Oz’ including the Wizard himself. His first film was ‘The Suspect’ in 1916. His career at MGM took off when talkies began; his most stereotypical role was that of a befuddled but good-hearted middle-aged man. In over 100 film appearances, he was nominated for two Academy Awards: for Best Actor in 1934’s ‘The Affairs of Cellini,’ where he played the cuckolded Duke of Florence; and for Best Supporting Actor in 1942’s ‘Tortilla Flat,’ where he played a dull-witted Hispanic man. But Morgan’s most famous portrayal was the title role in 1939’s ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ where as well as the Wizard, he also played Professor Marvel, the Emerald City doorman, the Emerald City hack driver, and the Wizard’s guard. This film made him so popular that MGM gave him a lifetime contract, even though they did not resign Scarecrow Ray Bolger. Frank Morgan died on September 18, 1949 in Beverly Hills, California at age 59 and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn.