Bert Lahr faced his own challenge inside the Cowardly Lion costume. MGM designed the outfit using real lion fur stitched onto a heavy suit that weighed close to ninety pounds. The costume trapped heat under the powerful studio lights used for Technicolor filming. Lahr often needed several breaks during a single day of shooting just to cool down and change into a dry version of the suit. Wardrobe staff reportedly dried the costumes overnight because each one absorbed too much sweat during filming. Lahr pushed through the discomfort while delivering the comedic timing that helped define the character. When audiences watched the film in 1939, they saw a lovable lion searching for courage. Behind the scenes stood an actor enduring one of the most physically demanding costumes in classic Hollywood history.
