>>>(like Buddy Epson - but he went on to do other stuff I've seen - what was that ageing private dick or cop he did?)
>>
>>Ebsen. Barbaby Jones.
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>>IIRC, he was in the original cast for the Wizard of Oz as the tin man, but had a bad reaction to whatever they were using to make his skin silver and had to bow out.
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>>Tamar
>
>Didn't know about the Wizard story but I certainly believe it. According to my parents he started as a song and dance man. I also remember him as Davy Crockett's sidekick on the Disney episodes.

He was a knock-out song and dance man. He had one of the oddest dancing styles I've ever seen, but it was great to watch.

A lot of actors that we know better from non musical roles are also musical folk. James Cagney, Dan Dailey, George Raft, Angela Lansbury, Hugh Jackman, Will Smith, Treat Williams, Paul Sorvino. There are lots of them. The one that surprised me the most when I found out was Christopher Walken.