| Birth: | Aug. 25, 1908
Haverstraw
Rockland County
New York, USA | | Death: | Feb. 3, 1980
Los Angeles
Los Angeles County
California, USA | 
Composer. Longtime Hollywood music director for Warner Brothers. He was born in Haverstraw, New York, USA and grew up in a town called Mechanicville, New York. In 1926 he graduated from Mechanicville High School. Many local residents remembered the house on North Third Street where Ray lived. His interests were cars and machinery. Ray played the piano at the State Theatre (now demolished) to earn extra money. This was in the days of the silent pictures, and Ray was a member of the Eddie Carpenter's orchestra. Ray's first contract was with MGM where he was busy with ‘Hollywood Revue of 1929'. Ray went to work after that with Alfred Newman on the Eddie Cantor musicals; back in Hollywood in 1932, Ray connected with Warner Brothers and was with them ever since. Ray's first picture with them was ‘Sweet Adeline' 1934. In 1942, Ray received the Academy Award for ‘the best musical scoring' in the picture ‘Yankee Doodle Dandy'. In 1943 he again received an award for ‘This is the Army'. In 1948 Ray succeeded Leo Forbstein as Music Director upon his death. Many people remember Ray and his wife for their kindness. Shortly before his death, Ray had completed an oral history which was done at the request of Yale University at his home by Irene Kahn Atkins, Gus Kahn's daughter. Ray passed away on 3rd February 1980 at Tarzana California Medical Center, ending an era of music that will never be the same. His favourite baton was buried with him. Gone but not forgotten.
Bio by Malcolm James
| | | Burial:
San Fernando Mission Cemetery
Mission Hills
Los Angeles County
California, USA
Plot: Section BB, Lot 237, Grave 21 |
Maintained by: Malcolm James
Record added: Sep 05, 2002
Find A Grave Memorial# 6754898 |
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