Bolger, who portrayed the Scarecrow, was already well-known at the time for the style of loose-limbed dancing he performs in the film (his costume was made less restrictive so he could carry out his preferred dance movements), but the actor said he took just as much care with the frequent tumbles he took while portraying the straw man. "The falls are a matter of training as an acrobat trains," Bolger said. "I learned them early in my stage work. Every fall has its own method and, once learned, can be performed without injury." Bolger said he often got overheated when he danced because the makeup he wore blocked his facial pores, making it impossible for him to sweat as he normally would.
