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Charles Ray

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
102

Gender
Male

Birthday
March 15, 1891 (135 years old)

Place of Birth
Jacksonville, Illinois, USA

Charles Ray

Biography

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.

Known For

Acting

1961The Legend of Rudolph Valentinoas Self (archive footage)
1943Slightly Dangerousas Opera patron (uncredited)
1942Mrs. Miniveras Man getting on Bus (uncredited)
1942The Mad Martindalesas Barbershop Customer (uncredited)
1942Rio Ritaas Hotel Guest (uncredited)
1941Appointment for Loveas Butler (uncredited)
1941The Lady from Cheyenneas Bit Role
1941The Man Who Lost Himselfas (uncredited)
1936Hollywood Boulevardas Charlie Smith - Assistant Director
1935Just My Luckas Homer Crow
1935Welcome Homeas Andrew Carr
1934Ticket to a Crimeas Courtney Mallory
1934By Your Leaveas Leonard Purcell
1934The Camera Speaksas Self (archive footage)
1934Ladies Should Listenas Henri
1934School for Girlsas Duke
1931Stars of Yesterdayas Self
1931The House That Shadows Builtas (archive footage)
1928The Count of Tenas Johnny McKinney
1928The Garden of Edenas Richard Dupont
1927Vanityas Lt. Lloyd Van Courtland
1927Getting Gertie's Garteras Ken Walrick
1927Nobody's Widowas Honorable John Clayton
1927The Americanas Bill Smith
1926The Fire Brigadeas Terry O'Neil
1926The Auction Blockas Bob Wharton
1926Parisas Jerry
1926Sweet Adelineas Ben Wilson
1925Bright Lightsas Tom Corbin
1925Some Pun'kinsas Lem Blossom
1925Percyas Percival Rogeen
1924Dynamite Smithas Gladstone Smith
1923The Courtship of Miles Standishas John Alden
1923The Girl I Lovedas John Middleton
1922A Tailor-Made Manas John Paul Bart
1922Alias Julius Caesaras Billy Barnes
1922The Deuce of Spadesas Amos
1922Gas, Oil and Wateras George Oliver Watson
1921Two Minutes to Goas Chester Burnett
1921Scrap Ironas John Steel
1921The Old Swimmin' Holeas Ezra Hull
1920An Old Fashioned Boyas David Warrington
1920Peaceful Valleyas Hosiah Howe
1920A Village Sleuthas William Wells
192045 Minutes from Broadwayas Kid Burns
1920Homer Comes Homeas Homer Cavender
1920Paris Greenas Luther Green
1920Alarm Clock Andyas Andrew Gray
1919Red Hot Dollarsas Tod Burke
1919Crooked Straightas Ben Trimble
1919The Egg Crate Wallopas Jim Kelly
1919Bill Henryas Bill Henry Jenkins
1919Hay Foot, Straw Footas Ulysses S. Grant Briggs
1919The Busheras Ben Harding
1919Greased Lightningas Andy Fletcher
1919The Sheriff's Sonas Royal Beaudry
1919The Girl Dodgeras Cuthbert Trotman
1918String Beansas Toby Watkins
1918The Law of the Northas Alain de Montcalm
1918A Nine O'Clock Townas David Clary
1918The Claws of the Hunas John Stanton
1918His Own Home Townas Jimmy Duncan
1918Playing the Gameas Larry Prentiss
1918The Family Skeletonas Billy Bates
1918The Hired Manas Ezry Hollins
1918Staking His Lifeas Frank Hamilton
1917His Mother's Boyas Matthew Denton
1917The Son of His Fatheras Gordon Carbhoy
1917Sudden Jimas James Ashe, Jr.
1917The Clodhopperas Everett Nelson
1917The Millionaire Vagrantas Steven Du Peyster
1917The Pinch Hitteras Joel Parker
1917Back of the Manas Larry Thomas
1917Skinner's Dress Suitas
1917The Weaker Sexas Jack Harding
1916The Honorable Algyas The Honorable Algy
1916A Corner in Colleensas Richard Taylor
1916Plain Janeas Mr. 'John Sophomore Adams'
1916The Wolf Womanas Rex Walden
1916Homeas Bob Wheaton
1916Honor Thy Nameas
1916The Deserteras Lieutenant Parker
1916The Dividendas Frank Steele
1916Peggyas Colin Cameron
1915The Forbidden Adventureas Cecil Weatherby
1915The Cowardas Frank Winslow
1915The Lure of Womanas Captain Lane
1915The Conversion of Frosty Blakeas Reverend Horace Brightray
1915The Renegadeas Captain Marley
1915The Cup of Lifeas John Ward
1915The Grudgeas Dick Wayne
1915In the Tennessee Hillsas Jim Carson
1914The City of Darknessas Donald Warner - the Governor's Brother
1914The Gangsters and the Girlas Detective John Stone
1914For Her Brother's Sakeas John Frye - the Brother
1913The Buried Pastas Tom Winters - the Lover
1913For Mother's Sakeas Jim
1913The Quakeressas John Hart - the Schoolmaster
1913Old Mammy's Secret Codeas David
1913The Transgressoras Jim
1913The Boomerangas Lt. Calhoun
1913The Grey Sentinelas Hal Peters

Production

1923The Courtship of Miles Standish...Producer
1922A Tailor-Made Man...Producer
1922Alias Julius Caesar...Director
1922Alias Julius Caesar...Producer
1922The Deuce of Spades...Director
1922Gas, Oil and Water...Director
1921Two Minutes to Go...Director
1921Two Minutes to Go...Producer
1921Scrap Iron...Director
1921Scrap Iron...Scenario Writer
1914The Gangsters and the Girl...Writer