Who played Tin Man in 'The Wizard of Oz?' All about Jack Haley as oil can costume starts bidding at $50K

The Tin Man oil can from the Wizard of Oz is up for auction with bidding starting at $50,000 (Image via IMDb)

One lucky bidder will soon be the proud owner of a piece of cinematic history from the famous film The Wizard of Oz.

One of several oil cans belonging to Tin Man, portrayed by actor Jack Haley, is being sold at auction as part of GWS Auctions' Artifacts Of Hollywood And Music collection. The oil can, has an opening bid of $50,000, with $5,000 increments desired.

The oil can was a key prop in the beloved film, serving as a focal point shortly before the Tin Man's entrance song If I Only Had A Heart. It provided him with the essential oil he needed to release his body and joints from the rusted state in which Dorothy (Judy Garland) discovered him in Oz.

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All about the legendary actor Jack Haley from 'The Wizard of Oz'

Jack Haley was a film and vaudeville actor best known for portraying the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz (1939). Buddy Ebsen was cast as the Tin Man, but due to an adverse reaction to aluminum powder makeup, he was replaced by Haley.

They used aluminum paste instead of powder for Haley to avoid the same issue. Haley has appeared in more than thirty other films.

In the film version of Follow Thru (1930), he recreated his original Broadway role. He also appeared in the play Higher and Higher and its film adaptation in 1943, though the show's score was nearly entirely replaced with new songs and Haley had a different role in the film.

Haley admitted that he would not be recognized today if he hadn't played Tin Man. He was a devout Roman Catholic who appeared on several episodes of The Christophers (1952), a religious television show.

On February 8, 1960, he was honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio at 6435 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.

Haley's final public appearance, just weeks before his death, was at the 1979 Academy Awards, where he co-presented an Oscar with his old friend and co-star Ray Bolger from The Wizard of Oz (1939).

While the complete outfit of Tin Man is said to have vanished, another prized piece from The Wizard of Oz was discovered last year after more than four decades. One of Garland's iconic blue gingham dresses in the film was discovered in June 2021, many years after it had vanished.