It is difficult to trace the history of the image to a single author, as various versions of this image (or others from the same photo-session) appear to have been distributed numerous times by numerous publicity agencies. However, the earliest record of distribution of an alternate image from the same photo-session appears to have been by Bill Doll & Company for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (see bottom image of original upload) · Public domain

Bert Lahr spent decades earning his reputation in vaudeville and burlesque before Hollywood made him permanent: his performance as the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz (1939), doubling as the Kansas farmhand Zeke, turned a stage comedian's quick-witted delivery into one of American film's most recognized voices.