Bert Lahr was an American actor best known for his role as the Cowardly Lion in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. He was born in New York City in 1895 and began his career on the vaudeville stage. He went on to become a successful Broadway performer, appearing in many musicals and plays throughout his career. He won a Tony Award for his performance in the musical Two on the Aisle in 1951. His most famous role was as the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz, for which he received an Academy Award nomination.