Known For
Acting
Known Credits
102
Gender
Male
Birthday
March 15, 1891 (135 years old)
Place of Birth
Jacksonville, Illinois, USA
From Wikipedia
Charles Edgar Ray (March 15, 1891 – November 23, 1943) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter. Ray rose to fame during the mid-1910s portraying young wholesome hicks in silent comedy films.
Ray was born in Jacksonville, Illinois and moved to Springfield as a child where he attended elementary school. He then moved to Arizona for a time before finally relocating to Los Angeles where he finished his education. He initially began his career on the stage before working for director Thomas H. Ince as a film extra in December 1912. He appeared in several bit parts before moving on to supporting roles. Ray's break came in 1915 when he appeared opposite Frank Keenan in the historical war drama The Coward.
Ray's popularity increased after appearing in a series of films which cast him in juvenile roles, primarily young hicks or "country bumpkins" that foiled the plans of thieves or con men. In March 1917, he signed with Paramount Pictures and resumed working with director Thomas H. Ince. By 1920, he was earning a reported $11,000 a week. Around this time, he left Paramount after studio head Adolph Zukor refused to give him a pay raise. Zukor later wrote in his autobiography The Public Is Never Wrong, that Ray's ego had gotten out of hand and that Ray "...was headed for trouble and did not care to be with him when he found it." After leaving Paramount, Ray formed his own production company, Charles Ray Productions, and also used his fortune to purchase a studio in Los Angeles where he began producing and shooting his own films.
On November 23, 1943, Ray died of a mouth and throat infection at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles for which he had been hospitalized six weeks prior.
For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Charles Ray has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6355 Hollywood Boulevard.
| 1961 | The Legend of Rudolph Valentinoas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1943 | Slightly Dangerousas Opera patron (uncredited) | |
| 1942 | Mrs. Miniveras Man getting on Bus (uncredited) | |
| 1942 | The Mad Martindalesas Barbershop Customer (uncredited) | |
| 1942 | Rio Ritaas Hotel Guest (uncredited) | |
| 1941 | Appointment for Loveas Butler (uncredited) | |
| 1941 | The Lady from Cheyenneas Bit Role | |
| 1941 | The Man Who Lost Himselfas (uncredited) | |
| 1936 | Hollywood Boulevardas Charlie Smith - Assistant Director | |
| 1935 | Just My Luckas Homer Crow | |
| 1935 | Welcome Homeas Andrew Carr | |
| 1934 | Ticket to a Crimeas Courtney Mallory | |
| 1934 | By Your Leaveas Leonard Purcell | |
| 1934 | The Camera Speaksas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1934 | Ladies Should Listenas Henri | |
| 1934 | School for Girlsas Duke | |
| 1931 | Stars of Yesterdayas Self | |
| 1931 | The House That Shadows Builtas (archive footage) | |
| 1928 | The Count of Tenas Johnny McKinney | |
| 1928 | The Garden of Edenas Richard Dupont | |
| 1927 | Vanityas Lt. Lloyd Van Courtland | |
| 1927 | Getting Gertie's Garteras Ken Walrick | |
| 1927 | Nobody's Widowas Honorable John Clayton | |
| 1927 | The Americanas Bill Smith | |
| 1926 | The Fire Brigadeas Terry O'Neil | |
| 1926 | The Auction Blockas Bob Wharton | |
| 1926 | Parisas Jerry | |
| 1926 | Sweet Adelineas Ben Wilson | |
| 1925 | Bright Lightsas Tom Corbin | |
| 1925 | Some Pun'kinsas Lem Blossom | |
| 1925 | Percyas Percival Rogeen | |
| 1924 | Dynamite Smithas Gladstone Smith | |
| 1923 | The Courtship of Miles Standishas John Alden | |
| 1923 | The Girl I Lovedas John Middleton | |
| 1922 | A Tailor-Made Manas John Paul Bart | |
| 1922 | Alias Julius Caesaras Billy Barnes | |
| 1922 | The Deuce of Spadesas Amos | |
| 1922 | Gas, Oil and Wateras George Oliver Watson | |
| 1921 | Two Minutes to Goas Chester Burnett | |
| 1921 | Scrap Ironas John Steel | |
| 1921 | The Old Swimmin' Holeas Ezra Hull | |
| 1920 | An Old Fashioned Boyas David Warrington | |
| 1920 | Peaceful Valleyas Hosiah Howe | |
| 1920 | A Village Sleuthas William Wells | |
| 1920 | 45 Minutes from Broadwayas Kid Burns | |
| 1920 | Homer Comes Homeas Homer Cavender | |
| 1920 | Paris Greenas Luther Green | |
| 1920 | Alarm Clock Andyas Andrew Gray | |
| 1919 | Red Hot Dollarsas Tod Burke | |
| 1919 | Crooked Straightas Ben Trimble | |
| 1919 | The Egg Crate Wallopas Jim Kelly | |
| 1919 | Bill Henryas Bill Henry Jenkins | |
| 1919 | Hay Foot, Straw Footas Ulysses S. Grant Briggs | |
| 1919 | The Busheras Ben Harding | |
| 1919 | Greased Lightningas Andy Fletcher | |
| 1919 | The Sheriff's Sonas Royal Beaudry | |
| 1919 | The Girl Dodgeras Cuthbert Trotman | |
| 1918 | String Beansas Toby Watkins | |
| 1918 | The Law of the Northas Alain de Montcalm | |
| 1918 | A Nine O'Clock Townas David Clary | |
| 1918 | The Claws of the Hunas John Stanton | |
| 1918 | His Own Home Townas Jimmy Duncan | |
| 1918 | Playing the Gameas Larry Prentiss | |
| 1918 | The Family Skeletonas Billy Bates | |
| 1918 | The Hired Manas Ezry Hollins | |
| 1918 | Staking His Lifeas Frank Hamilton | |
| 1917 | His Mother's Boyas Matthew Denton | |
| 1917 | The Son of His Fatheras Gordon Carbhoy | |
| 1917 | Sudden Jimas James Ashe, Jr. | |
| 1917 | The Clodhopperas Everett Nelson | |
| 1917 | The Millionaire Vagrantas Steven Du Peyster | |
| 1917 | The Pinch Hitteras Joel Parker | |
| 1917 | Back of the Manas Larry Thomas | |
| 1917 | Skinner's Dress Suitas | |
| 1917 | The Weaker Sexas Jack Harding | |
| 1916 | The Honorable Algyas The Honorable Algy | |
| 1916 | A Corner in Colleensas Richard Taylor | |
| 1916 | Plain Janeas Mr. 'John Sophomore Adams' | |
| 1916 | The Wolf Womanas Rex Walden | |
| 1916 | Homeas Bob Wheaton | |
| 1916 | Honor Thy Nameas | |
| 1916 | The Deserteras Lieutenant Parker | |
| 1916 | The Dividendas Frank Steele | |
| 1916 | Peggyas Colin Cameron | |
| 1915 | The Forbidden Adventureas Cecil Weatherby | |
| 1915 | The Cowardas Frank Winslow | |
| 1915 | The Lure of Womanas Captain Lane | |
| 1915 | The Conversion of Frosty Blakeas Reverend Horace Brightray | |
| 1915 | The Renegadeas Captain Marley | |
| 1915 | The Cup of Lifeas John Ward | |
| 1915 | The Grudgeas Dick Wayne | |
| 1915 | In the Tennessee Hillsas Jim Carson | |
| 1914 | The City of Darknessas Donald Warner - the Governor's Brother | |
| 1914 | The Gangsters and the Girlas Detective John Stone | |
| 1914 | For Her Brother's Sakeas John Frye - the Brother | |
| 1913 | The Buried Pastas Tom Winters - the Lover | |
| 1913 | For Mother's Sakeas Jim | |
| 1913 | The Quakeressas John Hart - the Schoolmaster | |
| 1913 | Old Mammy's Secret Codeas David | |
| 1913 | The Transgressoras Jim | |
| 1913 | The Boomerangas Lt. Calhoun | |
| 1913 | The Grey Sentinelas Hal Peters |
| 1923 | The Courtship of Miles Standish...Producer | |
| 1922 | A Tailor-Made Man...Producer | |
| 1922 | Alias Julius Caesar...Director | |
| 1922 | Alias Julius Caesar...Producer | |
| 1922 | The Deuce of Spades...Director | |
| 1922 | Gas, Oil and Water...Director | |
| 1921 | Two Minutes to Go...Director | |
| 1921 | Two Minutes to Go...Producer | |
| 1921 | Scrap Iron...Director | |
| 1921 | Scrap Iron...Scenario Writer | |
| 1914 | The Gangsters and the Girl...Writer |