Fay Wray
Encyclopedia
Fay Wray was a Canadian-American
actress most noted for playing the female lead in King Kong
. Through an acting career that spanned 57 years, Wray attained international stardom as an actress in horror film roles, leading to many considering her as the first "scream queen
".
After appearing in minor film roles, Wray gained media attention being selected as one of the "WAMPAS Baby Stars
". This led to Wray being signed to Paramount Pictures
as a teenager, where she made more than a dozen films. After leaving Paramount, she signed deals with various film companies, being cast in her first horror film roles among many other types of roles, including in The Bowery
(1933) and Viva Villa (1934), both huge productions starring Wallace Beery
. For RKO Radio Pictures, Inc., she starred in the film with which she is most identified, King Kong
(1933). After the success of King Kong, Wray appeared in many major film roles and on television, finishing her acting career in 1980.
settler William Pynchon
and Mormon
pioneers, was born on a ranch near Cardston
, Alberta
, Canada
to two Mormons, Elvina Marguerite Jones, who was from Salt Lake City, and Joseph Heber Wray, who was from Kingston upon Hull
, England
. She was one of six children. Her family returned to the United States a few years after she was born; they moved to Salt Lake City in 1912 and moved to Lark, Utah
in 1914. In 1919, they moved to Salt Lake City again, before moving to Hollywood, California, where Fay attended Hollywood High School
.
In 1926, American film association the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers selected Wray as one of the "WAMPAS Baby Stars
", a group of women who they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. She was currently under contract to Universal Studios
, mostly co-starring in low budget westerns opposite Buck Jones
.
The following year in 1927, Wray was signed to a contract with Paramount Pictures
In 1928, director Erich von Stroheim
cast Wray as the main female lead in his film The Wedding March, released under Paramount, a film noted for its high budget and production values. It was a financial failure, but it gave Wray her first lead role. Wray stayed with Paramount to make more than a dozen more films, staying there to make the transition from silent films to "talkie" films.
. However, her greatest known films were produced under her deal with RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.. Her first film under RKO was The Most Dangerous Game
(1932), co-starring Joel McCrea
and shot at night on the same jungle sets that were being used for King Kong
during the day, with the leads from both films, Wray and Robert Armstrong
, appearing in both movies.
The Most Dangerous Game was followed by Wray's most memorable film, King Kong
. According to Wray, Jean Harlow
had been RKO's original choice, but because MGM
put Harlow under exclusive contract during the pre-production phase of the film, she became unavailable and Wray was approached by director Merian C. Cooper
to play the role of Ann Darrow, the blonde captive of King Kong. Wray was paid $10,000 dollars to play the role. Wray wore a blonde wig over her naturally dark hair. The film was a commercial success. Wray was reportedly proud that the film saved RKO from bankruptcy. Wray's role would become the one with which she would be most associated. For her appearances in various horror films, many have considered Wray the first "scream queen
".
She continued to star in various films, but by the early 1940s, her appearances became sporadic. She retired from acting in 1942, after her second marriage. However, due to financial problems she had to continue acting, and over the next three decades, Wray appeared in minor film roles and also frequently on television.
Wray was cast in the 1953-1954 ABC
situation comedy
, The Pride of the Family
, as Catherine Morrison. Paul Hartman
played her husband, Albie Morrison. Natalie Wood
and Robert Hyatt played their children, Ann and Junior Morrison, respectively.
Wray appeared in three episodes of CBS's courtroom drama
Perry Mason
, the first of which was "The Case Of The Prodigal Parent" (Episode 1-36) aired June 7, 1958.
In 1959, she played Tula Marsh in the episode "The Second Happiest Day" of the CBS anthology series Playhouse 90
. In 1960, she appeared as Clara in the episode "Who Killed Cock Robin?" of the ABC
detective
series 77 Sunset Strip
. And in 1963, she played as Mrs. Brubaker in the episode "You're So Smart, Why Can't You Be Good?" episode of the NBC
medical drama
about psychiatry
, The Eleventh Hour
. She ended her acting career in the made-for TV movie Gideon's Trumpet (1980).
In 1988, her autobiography, On the Other Hand, was published. In her later years, Wray continued to make public appearances. She was a special guest at the 70th Academy Awards
, where the show's host, Billy Crystal
, introduced her as the "Beauty who charmed the Beast". She was the only 1920s Hollywood actress in attendance that evening. In January 2003, a 95-year old Wray appeared at the 2003 Palm Beach International Film Festival
to celebrate the Rick McKay documentary film Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
, where she was also honored with a "Legend in Film" award. In her later years, she also visited the Empire State Building
frequently, once visiting in 1991 as a guest of honor at the building's 60th anniversary, and also in May 2004, which was among her last public appearances. Her final public appearance was at an after-party at the Sardi's
restaurant in New York City
, following the premiere of the documentary film Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
.
and Robert Riskin
and to the neurosurgeon Dr. Sanford Rothenberg (January 28, 1919 – January 4, 1991).
She had three children: Susan Saunders, Victoria Riskin, and Robert Riskin Jr. She became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1933.
In her autobiography On The Other Hand: A Life Story she stated that she was a Republican
.
to appear in a small cameo for the 2005 remake of King Kong
. She met with Naomi Watts
, who was to play the role of Ann Darrow, whom Wray originally played. She politely declined the cameo, stating she had no interest in appearing in Jackson's remake, and further claimed the original 'Kong' to be the true 'King.' Before filming of the remake commenced, Wray died in her sleep of natural causes on August 8, 2004, in her Manhattan
apartment. Her friend Rick McKay, said that "she just kind of drifted off quietly as if she was going to sleep... she just kind of gave out." She was 96 years old. Wray was buried at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery
in Hollywood, California.
Two days after her death, the lights of the Empire State Building
were extinguished for 15 minutes in her memory.
. For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Wray was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
at 6349 Hollywood Blvd. She received a star posthumously on Canada's Walk of Fame
in Toronto
on June 5, 2005. A small park near Lee's Creek on Main Street in Cardston, Alberta
, her birthplace, was named "Fay Wray Park" in her honor. The small sign at the edge of the park on Main Street has a silhouette of King Kong on it, remembering her role in the film King Kong. A large oil portrait of Wray by Alberta artist Neil Boyle is on display in the Empress Theatre in Fort Macleod, Alberta. In May 2006, Wray became one of the first four entertainers to ever be honored by Canada Post
by being featured on a postage stamp
.
Canadian-American
A Canadian American is someone who was born or someone who grew up in Canada then moved to the United States. The term is particularly apt when applied or self-applied to people with strong ties to Canada, such as those who have lived a significant portion of their lives in, or were educated in,...
actress most noted for playing the female lead in King Kong
King Kong (1933 film)
King Kong is a Pre-Code 1933 fantasy monster adventure film co-directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, and written by Ruth Rose and James Ashmore Creelman after a story by Cooper and Edgar Wallace. The film tells of a gigantic island-dwelling apeman creature called Kong who dies in...
. Through an acting career that spanned 57 years, Wray attained international stardom as an actress in horror film roles, leading to many considering her as the first "scream queen
Scream queen
A scream queen is an actress who has become associated with horror films, either through an appearance in a notable entry in the genre as a frequent victim or through constant appearances as the female protagonist...
".
After appearing in minor film roles, Wray gained media attention being selected as one of the "WAMPAS Baby Stars
WAMPAS Baby Stars
The WAMPAS Baby Stars was a promotional campaign sponsored by the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers in the United States which honored thirteen young women each year whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. They were selected from 1922 to 1934, and annual...
". This led to Wray being signed to Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
as a teenager, where she made more than a dozen films. After leaving Paramount, she signed deals with various film companies, being cast in her first horror film roles among many other types of roles, including in The Bowery
The Bowery (1933 film)
The Bowery is a 1933 historical film about the Lower East Side of Manhattan at the turn of the century. The movie was directed by Raoul Walsh and features Wallace Beery as saloon owner Chuck Connors, George Raft as Steve Brodie, the first man to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge and live, Jackie Cooper...
(1933) and Viva Villa (1934), both huge productions starring Wallace Beery
Wallace Beery
Wallace Fitzgerald Beery was an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Bill in Min and Bill opposite Marie Dressler, as Long John Silver in Treasure Island, as Pancho Villa in Viva Villa!, and his titular role in The Champ, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...
. For RKO Radio Pictures, Inc., she starred in the film with which she is most identified, King Kong
King Kong (1933 film)
King Kong is a Pre-Code 1933 fantasy monster adventure film co-directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, and written by Ruth Rose and James Ashmore Creelman after a story by Cooper and Edgar Wallace. The film tells of a gigantic island-dwelling apeman creature called Kong who dies in...
(1933). After the success of King Kong, Wray appeared in many major film roles and on television, finishing her acting career in 1980.
Early life
Wray, a descendant of both Springfield, MassachusettsSpringfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
settler William Pynchon
William Pynchon
William Pynchon was an English colonist in North America best known as the founder of Springfield, Massachusetts, United States. He was also a colonial treasurer, original patentee of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the iconoclastic author of the New World's first banned book...
and Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
pioneers, was born on a ranch near Cardston
Cardston, Alberta
-Demographics:The population of the Town of Cardston according to its 2007 municipal census is 3,578.In 2006, it had a population of 3,452 living in 1,234 dwellings, a 0.7% decrease from 2001...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
to two Mormons, Elvina Marguerite Jones, who was from Salt Lake City, and Joseph Heber Wray, who was from Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. She was one of six children. Her family returned to the United States a few years after she was born; they moved to Salt Lake City in 1912 and moved to Lark, Utah
Lark, Utah
Lark is a ghost town located west of Herriman in the Oquirrh Mountains of southwest Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. Lark was the location of several copper mines.-History:...
in 1914. In 1919, they moved to Salt Lake City again, before moving to Hollywood, California, where Fay attended Hollywood High School
Hollywood High School
Hollywood High School is a Los Angeles Unified School District high school located at the intersection of North Highland Avenue and West Sunset Boulevard in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California.-History:...
.
Early acting career
In 1923, Wray appeared in her first film at the age of 16, landing a role in a short historical film sponsored by a local newspaper. In the 1920s, Wray landed a major role in the silent film The Coast Patrol (1925), as well as uncredited bit parts at the Hal Roach Studios.In 1926, American film association the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers selected Wray as one of the "WAMPAS Baby Stars
WAMPAS Baby Stars
The WAMPAS Baby Stars was a promotional campaign sponsored by the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers in the United States which honored thirteen young women each year whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. They were selected from 1922 to 1934, and annual...
", a group of women who they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. She was currently under contract to Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
, mostly co-starring in low budget westerns opposite Buck Jones
Buck Jones
Buck Jones was an American motion picture star of the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, best known for his work starring in many popular western movies...
.
The following year in 1927, Wray was signed to a contract with Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
In 1928, director Erich von Stroheim
Erich von Stroheim
Erich von Stroheim was an Austrian-born film star of the silent era, subsequently noted as an auteur for his directorial work.-Background:...
cast Wray as the main female lead in his film The Wedding March, released under Paramount, a film noted for its high budget and production values. It was a financial failure, but it gave Wray her first lead role. Wray stayed with Paramount to make more than a dozen more films, staying there to make the transition from silent films to "talkie" films.
Horror films and King Kong
After leaving Paramount, Wray signed to various film companies. It was under these deals that Wray was cast in various horror films, including Doctor XDoctor X (film)
Doctor X is a First National/Warner Bros. horror and mystery film based on the play of the same name. It was directed by Michael Curtiz and stars Lee Tracy, Fay Wray, and Lionel Atwill....
. However, her greatest known films were produced under her deal with RKO Radio Pictures, Inc.. Her first film under RKO was The Most Dangerous Game
The Most Dangerous Game (film)
The Most Dangerous Game is a 1932 Pre-Code adaptation of the 1924 short story of the same name by Richard Connell, the first film version of that story. The plot concerns a big game hunter on an island who chooses to hunt humans for sport. The film stars Joel McCrea, Leslie Banks, and King Kong...
(1932), co-starring Joel McCrea
Joel McCrea
Joel Albert McCrea was an American actor whose career spanned 50 years and appearances in over 90 films.-Early life:...
and shot at night on the same jungle sets that were being used for King Kong
King Kong (1933 film)
King Kong is a Pre-Code 1933 fantasy monster adventure film co-directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, and written by Ruth Rose and James Ashmore Creelman after a story by Cooper and Edgar Wallace. The film tells of a gigantic island-dwelling apeman creature called Kong who dies in...
during the day, with the leads from both films, Wray and Robert Armstrong
Robert Armstrong (actor)
Robert Armstrong was an American film actor best remembered for his role as Carl Denham in the 1933 version of King Kong by RKO Pictures. He uttered the famous exit quote, "'Twas beauty killed the beast," at the film's end...
, appearing in both movies.
The Most Dangerous Game was followed by Wray's most memorable film, King Kong
King Kong (1933 film)
King Kong is a Pre-Code 1933 fantasy monster adventure film co-directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, and written by Ruth Rose and James Ashmore Creelman after a story by Cooper and Edgar Wallace. The film tells of a gigantic island-dwelling apeman creature called Kong who dies in...
. According to Wray, Jean Harlow
Jean Harlow
Jean Harlow was an American film actress and sex symbol of the 1930s. Known as the "Blonde Bombshell" and the "Platinum Blonde" , Harlow was ranked as one of the greatest movie stars of all time by the American Film Institute...
had been RKO's original choice, but because MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
put Harlow under exclusive contract during the pre-production phase of the film, she became unavailable and Wray was approached by director Merian C. Cooper
Merian C. Cooper
Merian Caldwell Cooper was an American aviator, United States Air Force and Polish Air Force officer, adventurer, screenwriter, and film director and producer. His most famous film was the 1933 movie King Kong.-Early life:...
to play the role of Ann Darrow, the blonde captive of King Kong. Wray was paid $10,000 dollars to play the role. Wray wore a blonde wig over her naturally dark hair. The film was a commercial success. Wray was reportedly proud that the film saved RKO from bankruptcy. Wray's role would become the one with which she would be most associated. For her appearances in various horror films, many have considered Wray the first "scream queen
Scream queen
A scream queen is an actress who has become associated with horror films, either through an appearance in a notable entry in the genre as a frequent victim or through constant appearances as the female protagonist...
".
Later career
Wray was cast in the 1953-1954 ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
situation comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
, The Pride of the Family
The Pride of the Family
The Pride of the Family was a half-hour situation comedy starring Paul Hartman, Fay Wray, Natalie Wood, and Robert Hyatt, which aired for forty episodes on ABC in the 1953–1954 season....
, as Catherine Morrison. Paul Hartman
Paul Hartman
Paul Hartman was an American dancer, stage performer and television character actor.-Biography:Born in San Francisco, California, Hartman, like Fred Astaire, began performing as a dancer with his sister...
played her husband, Albie Morrison. Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood
Natalie Wood, born Natalia Nikolaevna Zacharenko was an American film and television actress. After first working in films as a child, Wood became a successful Hollywood star as a young adult, receiving three Academy Award nominations before she was 25 years old.Wood began acting in movies at the...
and Robert Hyatt played their children, Ann and Junior Morrison, respectively.
Wray appeared in three episodes of CBS's courtroom drama
Legal drama
A legal drama is a work of dramatic fiction about crime and civil litigation. Subtypes of legal dramas include courtroom dramas and legal thrillers, and come in all forms, including novels, television shows, and films. Legal drama sometimes overlap with crime drama, most notably in the case of Law...
Perry Mason
Perry Mason (TV series)
Perry Mason is an American legal drama produced by Paisano Productions that ran from September 1957 to May 1966 on CBS. The title character, portrayed by Raymond Burr, is a fictional Los Angeles defense attorney who originally appeared in detective fiction by Erle Stanley Gardner...
, the first of which was "The Case Of The Prodigal Parent" (Episode 1-36) aired June 7, 1958.
In 1959, she played Tula Marsh in the episode "The Second Happiest Day" of the CBS anthology series Playhouse 90
Playhouse 90
Playhouse 90 is an American television anthology series that was telecast on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. It originated from CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California...
. In 1960, she appeared as Clara in the episode "Who Killed Cock Robin?" of the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
series 77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip is an hour-length American television private detective series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Roger Smith, and Edd Byrnes....
. And in 1963, she played as Mrs. Brubaker in the episode "You're So Smart, Why Can't You Be Good?" episode of the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
medical drama
Medical drama
A medical drama is a television program, in which events center upon a hospital, an ambulance staff, or any medical environment.In the United States, most medical episodes are one hour long and, more often than not, are set in a hospital. Most current medical Dramatic programming go beyond the...
about psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
, The Eleventh Hour
The Eleventh Hour (1962 TV series)
The Eleventh Hour is an American medical drama about psychiatry starring Wendell Corey, Jack Ging, and Ralph Bellamy, which aired sixty-two new episodes plus selected rebroadcasts on NBC from October 3, 1962, to September 9, 1964.-Series premise:...
. She ended her acting career in the made-for TV movie Gideon's Trumpet (1980).
In 1988, her autobiography, On the Other Hand, was published. In her later years, Wray continued to make public appearances. She was a special guest at the 70th Academy Awards
70th Academy Awards
The 70th Academy Awards were noted for their high ratings and the 11 wins obtained by the Best Picture Titanic. Billy Crystal hosted the ceremony for the sixth time, and received an Emmy award for his performance....
, where the show's host, Billy Crystal
Billy Crystal
William Edward "Billy" Crystal is an American actor, writer, producer, comedian and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the critical and box office successes...
, introduced her as the "Beauty who charmed the Beast". She was the only 1920s Hollywood actress in attendance that evening. In January 2003, a 95-year old Wray appeared at the 2003 Palm Beach International Film Festival
Palm Beach International Film Festival
The Palm Beach International Film Festival is a film festival in the United States held in Palm Beach, Florida which showcases over 120 films annually in April for over 20,000 attendees...
to celebrate the Rick McKay documentary film Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
Broadway: The Golden Age is a 2004 documentary by Rick McKay, telling the story of the "golden age" of Broadway by the oral history of the legendary actors of the 40s and 50s, incorporating rare lost footage of actual performances and never-before-seen personal home movies and photos.-The Cast:The...
, where she was also honored with a "Legend in Film" award. In her later years, she also visited the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
frequently, once visiting in 1991 as a guest of honor at the building's 60th anniversary, and also in May 2004, which was among her last public appearances. Her final public appearance was at an after-party at the Sardi's
Sardi's
Sardi's is a restaurant in New York City's theater district at 234 West 44th Street in Manhattan. Known for the hundreds of caricatures of show-business celebrities that adorn its walls, Sardi's opened at its current location on March 5, 1927....
restaurant in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, following the premiere of the documentary film Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
Broadway: The Golden Age is a 2004 documentary by Rick McKay, telling the story of the "golden age" of Broadway by the oral history of the legendary actors of the 40s and 50s, incorporating rare lost footage of actual performances and never-before-seen personal home movies and photos.-The Cast:The...
.
Personal life
Wray was married three times – to the writers John Monk SaundersJohn Monk Saunders
John Monk Saunders was an American novelist, screenwriter and film director.-Early life and career:...
and Robert Riskin
Robert Riskin
Robert Riskin was an American screenwriter and playwright, best known for his collaborations with director-producer Frank Capra.-Career:...
and to the neurosurgeon Dr. Sanford Rothenberg (January 28, 1919 – January 4, 1991).
She had three children: Susan Saunders, Victoria Riskin, and Robert Riskin Jr. She became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1933.
In her autobiography On The Other Hand: A Life Story she stated that she was a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.
Death
In 2004, Wray was approached by director Peter JacksonPeter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
to appear in a small cameo for the 2005 remake of King Kong
King Kong (2005 film)
King Kong is a 2005 fantasy adventure film directed by Peter Jackson. It is a remake of the 1933 film of the same name and stars Naomi Watts, Jack Black and Adrien Brody. Andy Serkis, through performance capture, portrays Kong....
. She met with Naomi Watts
Naomi Watts
Naomi Ellen Watts is a British actress. Watts began her career in Australian television, where she appeared in series such as Hey Dad..! , Brides of Christ , and Home and Away . Her film debut was the 1986 drama For Love Alone...
, who was to play the role of Ann Darrow, whom Wray originally played. She politely declined the cameo, stating she had no interest in appearing in Jackson's remake, and further claimed the original 'Kong' to be the true 'King.' Before filming of the remake commenced, Wray died in her sleep of natural causes on August 8, 2004, in her Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
apartment. Her friend Rick McKay, said that "she just kind of drifted off quietly as if she was going to sleep... she just kind of gave out." She was 96 years old. Wray was buried at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Hollywood Forever Cemetery, originally called Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery, is one of the oldest cemeteries in Los Angeles, California. It is located at 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard in the Hollywood...
in Hollywood, California.
Two days after her death, the lights of the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
were extinguished for 15 minutes in her memory.
Honours
In 1989, Wray was awarded the Women in Film Crystal Award. Wray was honored with a "Legend in Film" award at the 2003 Palm Beach International Film FestivalPalm Beach International Film Festival
The Palm Beach International Film Festival is a film festival in the United States held in Palm Beach, Florida which showcases over 120 films annually in April for over 20,000 attendees...
. For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Wray was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
at 6349 Hollywood Blvd. She received a star posthumously on Canada's Walk of Fame
Canada's Walk of Fame
Canada's Walk of Fame , located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a walk of fame that acknowledges the achievements and accomplishments of successful Canadians...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
on June 5, 2005. A small park near Lee's Creek on Main Street in Cardston, Alberta
Cardston, Alberta
-Demographics:The population of the Town of Cardston according to its 2007 municipal census is 3,578.In 2006, it had a population of 3,452 living in 1,234 dwellings, a 0.7% decrease from 2001...
, her birthplace, was named "Fay Wray Park" in her honor. The small sign at the edge of the park on Main Street has a silhouette of King Kong on it, remembering her role in the film King Kong. A large oil portrait of Wray by Alberta artist Neil Boyle is on display in the Empress Theatre in Fort Macleod, Alberta. In May 2006, Wray became one of the first four entertainers to ever be honored by Canada Post
Canada Post
Canada Post Corporation, known more simply as Canada Post , is the Canadian crown corporation which functions as the country's primary postal operator...
by being featured on a postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
.
Filmography
- Leaving The House (1917) debut uncredited
- Blind HusbandsBlind HusbandsBlind Husbands is a 1919 drama film directed by Erich von Stroheim. The film is an adaptation of the story The Pinnacle by Stroheim.-Cast:* Sam De Grasse as Doctor Robert Armstrong, the husband* Francelia Billington as Margaret Armstrong, the wife...
(1919) - Gasoline Love (1923 short subject)
- Thundering Landlords (1925 short)
- No Father to Guide Him (1925 short)
- The Coast Patrol (1925)
- Sure-Mike (1925 short)
- What Price Goofy (1925 short)
- Isn't Life Terrible?Isn't Life Terrible?Isn't Life Terrible? is a 1925 film starring Charley Chase and featuring Oliver Hardy and Fay Wray. This short is a parody on D. W. Griffith's 1924 drama Isn't Life Wonderful.-Cast:* Charley Chase - Charley* Katherine Grant - The Wife...
(1925 short) - Chasing the Chaser (1925 short)
- Madame Sans Jane (1925 short)
- Unfriendly Enemies (1925 short)
- Your Own Back YardYour Own Back YardYour Own Back Yard is a 1925 short silent comedy film directed by Robert F. McGowan. It was the 43rd Our Gang short subject released.-Cast:* Allen Hoskins - Farina* Mary Kornman - Mary* Joe Cobb - Joe* Jackie Condon - Jackie...
(1925 short) - Moonlight and Noses (1925 short)
- Should Sailors Marry?Should Sailors Marry?Should Sailors Marry? is a 1925 silent comedy film featuring Oliver Hardy.-Cast:* Clyde Cook - Cyril D'Armond* Noah Young - The ex-husband* Fay Holderness - Verbena Singlefoot * Martha Sleeper - Smyrna* Oliver Hardy - Doctor...
(1925 short) - WAMPAS Baby Stars of 1926 (1926 short)
- One Wild Time (1926 short)
- Don Key (A Son of a Burro) (1926 short)
- The Man in the SaddleThe Man in the SaddleThe Man in the Saddle is a Western film directed by Lynn Reynolds and Clifford Smith, starring Hoot Gibson and featuring Boris Karloff.-Cast:* Hoot Gibson - Jeff Morgan Jr* Charles Hill Mailes - Jeff Morgan Sr...
(1926) - Don't Shoot (1926 short)
- The Wild Horse Stampede (1926)
- The Saddle Tramp (1926 short)
- The Show Cowpuncher (1926 short)
- Lazy Lightning (1926)
- Loco Luck (1927)
- A One Man Game (1927)
- Spurs and Saddles (1927)
- A Trip Through the Paramount Studio (1927 short)
- The Honeymoon (1928) (unreleased)
- The Legion of the CondemnedThe Legion of the CondemnedThe Legion of the Condemned was a silent film directed by William A. Wellman, produced by Jesse Lasky and Adolph Zukor with E. Lloyd Sheldon as associate producer. The film was distributed by Paramount Pictures....
(1928) - Street of SinStreet of Sin-Production background:The film was produced by Famous Players-Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures, directed by Mauritz Stiller and Ludwig Berger, and starred Olga Baclanova, Emil Jannings, and Fay Wray.-Cast:*Olga Baclanova as Annie...
(1928) - The First Kiss (1928)
- The Wedding March (1928)
- ThunderboltThunderbolt (1929 film)Thunderbolt is a 1929 proto-noir which tells the story of a criminal, facing execution, who wants to kill the man in the next cell for being in love with his girlfriend. It stars George Bancroft, Fay Wray, Richard Arlen, Tully Marshall and Eugenie Besserer....
(1929) - The Four FeathersThe Four Feathers (1929 film)The Four Feathers is a 1929 war film directed by Merian C. Cooper and starring Fay Wray. It has the distinction of being one of the last major Hollywood pictures of the silent era, although it was also released by Paramount Pictures in a version with a Movietone soundtrack with music and sound...
(1929) - Pointed HeelsPointed Heels__notoc__Pointed Heels is an early sound musical film from Paramount Pictures starring William Powell, Helen Kane, Richard "Skeets" Gallagher, and Fay Wray. This movie was originally filmed in color sequences by Technicolor, but today those color sequences only survive in black-and-white...
(1929) - Behind the Make-UpBehind the Make-UpBehind the Make-Up is a 1930 drama film starring Hal Skelly, William Powell, and Fay Wray. It is based on the short story "The Feeder" by Mildred Cram. A vaudeville performer takes advantage of his partner, even to stealing his girlfriend.-Cast:...
(1930) - Paramount on ParadeParamount on ParadeParamount on Parade is a all-star revue released by Paramount Pictures, directed by several directors including Edmund Goulding, Dorothy Arzner, Ernst Lubitsch, Rowland V. Lee, A. Edward Sutherland, Victor Heerman, Lothar Mendes, Otto Brower, Edwin H...
(1930) - The Texan (1930)
- The Border LegionThe Border LegionThe Border Legion is a 1916 western novel by Zane Grey.It tells the story of a cold hearted man named Jack Kells who falls in love with Miss Joan Randle, a girl his legion has taken captive near the Idaho border....
(1930) - The Sea God (1930)
- Captain Thunder (1930)
- Stub Man(1931)
- The Conquering Horde (1931)
- Three Rogues (1931)
- The Slippery Pearls (1931 short)
- DirigibleDirigible (film)Dirigible is Frank Capra's 1931 adventure film about the competition between American naval fixed-wing and airship pilots to reach the South Pole by air....
(1931) - The Finger Points (1931)
- The Lawyer's Secret (1931)
- The Unholy GardenThe Unholy Garden (1931 film)The Unholy Garden is a 1931 drama film directed by George Fitzmaurice and starring Ronald Colman. It was based on a story by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. -Plot:...
(1931) - Hollywood on ParadeHollywood on ParadeHollywood on Parade is a series of short subjects released by Paramount Studios.-Production background:One short is frequently misidentified as Curly Howard's first appearance on film, as cited by historians, because it was mistaken for a 1932 short when Criterion Pictures acquired the shorts for...
(1932) (short subject) - Stowaway (1932)
- Doctor XDoctor X (film)Doctor X is a First National/Warner Bros. horror and mystery film based on the play of the same name. It was directed by Michael Curtiz and stars Lee Tracy, Fay Wray, and Lionel Atwill....
(1932) - The Most Dangerous GameThe Most Dangerous Game (film)The Most Dangerous Game is a 1932 Pre-Code adaptation of the 1924 short story of the same name by Richard Connell, the first film version of that story. The plot concerns a big game hunter on an island who chooses to hunt humans for sport. The film stars Joel McCrea, Leslie Banks, and King Kong...
(1932) - The Vampire BatThe Vampire BatThe Vampire Bat is an American horror movie starring Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Melvyn Douglas, and Dwight Frye.-Plot outline:When the villagers of Kleinschloss start dying of blood loss, the town fathers suspect a resurgence of vampirism. While police inspector Karl remains skeptical, scientist Dr...
(1933) - Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933)
- King KongKing Kong (1933 film)King Kong is a Pre-Code 1933 fantasy monster adventure film co-directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, and written by Ruth Rose and James Ashmore Creelman after a story by Cooper and Edgar Wallace. The film tells of a gigantic island-dwelling apeman creature called Kong who dies in...
(1933) - Below the Sea (1933)
- Ann Carver's ProfessionAnn Carver's ProfessionAnn Carver's Profession is a 1933 film focusing on the relationship of a lady lawyer and her football star husband and how she must come to his aid when he is accused of murder...
(1933) - The Woman I Stole (1933)
- Shanghai MadnessShanghai MadnessShanghai Madness is a 1933 American drama film directed by John G. Blystone and starring Spencer Tracy, Fay Wray, Ralph Morgan and Albert Conti. After attacking and destroying a Chinese outpost, an American officer is dismissed from the US navy and instead finds himself in charge of a gunboat and...
(1933) - The Big Brain (1933)
- One Sunday AfternoonOne Sunday AfternoonOne Sunday Afternoon is a pre-Code 1933 romantic comedy film directed by Stephen R. Roberts. Its screenplay was written by William Slavens McNutt and Grover Jones, based on the play of the same name by James Hagan. The story is of a small town dentist and his attempt to win back the old love of his...
(1933) - The BoweryThe Bowery (1933 film)The Bowery is a 1933 historical film about the Lower East Side of Manhattan at the turn of the century. The movie was directed by Raoul Walsh and features Wallace Beery as saloon owner Chuck Connors, George Raft as Steve Brodie, the first man to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge and live, Jackie Cooper...
(1933) - Master of Men (1933)
- The ClairvoyantThe ClairvoyantThe Clairvoyant is a 1934 drama film made in the UK, starring Claude Rains, Fay Wray, and Jane Baxter, directed by Maurice Elvey, and based on the novel of the same name by Ernst Lothar.-Plot:...
(1934) - Madame Spy (1934)
- The Countess of Monte Cristo (1934)
- Once to Every WomanOnce to Every WomanOnce to Every Woman is a 1934 film adaptation of A. J. Cronin's short story, Kaleidoscope in "K". The film was made by Columbia Pictures and stars Ralph Bellamy and Fay Wray.- Cast :*Ralph Bellamy as Dr. Jim Barclay*Fay Wray as Mary Fanshawe...
(1934) - Viva Villa!Viva Villa!Viva Villa! is a 1934 American film starring Wallace Beery as Pancho Villa and was written by Ben Hecht, adapted from a biography by Edgecumb Pinchon and Odo B. Stade. The picture was directed by Jack Conway. There was special, uncredited help with the script by Howard Hawks, James Kevin...
(1934) - The Affairs of CelliniThe Affairs of CelliniThe Affairs of Cellini is a comedy film set in Florence over 400 years ago. This 1934 movie was adapted by Bess Meredyth from the play The Firebrand of Florence by Edwin Justus Mayer. It was directed by Gregory La Cava.-Plot:...
(1934) - Black MoonBlack Moon (1934 film)Black Moon is a 1934 crime film directed by Roy William Neill and starring Jack Holt, Fay Wray, and Dorothy Burgess. It is based on a short story by Clements Ripley that first appeared in Hearst's International-Cosmopolitan.-Plot:...
(1934) - The Richest Girl in the World (1934)
- Cheating Cheaters (1934)
- Woman in the DarkWoman in the Dark (1934 film)Woman in the Dark is a American film directed by Phil Rosen, filmed at Biograph Studios by Select Pictures, released by RKO Radio Pictures, and starring Fay Wray.- Plot summary :...
(1934) also available as Woman In The Shadows, based on a Dashiell HammettDashiell HammettSamuel Dashiell Hammett was an American author of hard-boiled detective novels and short stories, and political activist. Among the enduring characters he created are Sam Spade , Nick and Nora Charles , and the Continental Op .In addition to the significant influence his novels and stories had on...
story - Come Out of the PantryCome Out of the PantryCome Out of the Pantry is a 1935 British musical film directed by Jack Raymond and starring Jack Buchanan, Fay Wray, James Carew and Fred Emney.-Plot:...
(1935) - Mills of the Gods (1935)
- Bulldog JackBulldog JackBulldog Jack is a 1935 film produced by Gaumont International, directed by Walter Forde, and starring Jack Hulbert, Fay Wray, Ralph Richardson; it also starred Atholl Fleming as Bulldog Drummond....
(1935) - White Lies (1935)
- When Knights Were BoldWhen Knights Were Bold (1936 film)When Knights Were Bold is a 1936 British comedy film directed by Jack Raymond and starring Jack Buchanan, Fay Wray and Garry Marsh. Sir Guy de Vere inherits his father's estate while serving with the British army in India. He returns home to take up his new role, but is greeted with hostility by...
(1936) - Roaming Lady (1936)
- They Met in a Taxi (1936)
- It Happened in Hollywood (1937)
- Murder in Greenwich Village (1937)
- The Jury's Secret (1938)
- Smashing the Spy Ring (1939)
- Navy Secrets (1939)
- Wildcat Bus (1940)
- Melody for ThreeMelody for Three- Cast :*Jean Hersholt as Dr. Paul Christian*Fay Wray as Mary Stanley*Walter Woolf King as Antoine Pirelle*Astrid Allwyn as Gladys McClelland*Schuyler Standish as Billy Stanley*Maude Eburne as Mrs. Hastings*Andrew Tombes as Mickey Delany...
(1941) - Adam Had Four SonsAdam Had Four SonsAdam Had Four Sons is a 1941 drama and romance film, starring Ingrid Bergman, Warner Baxter, and Susan Hayward.-Plot:Warner Baxter portrays the wealthy, easy-going patriarch of a family that falls on hard times after the death of his wife and a stock market crash that wipes out his wealth. Recently...
(1941) - Not a Ladies' Man (1942)
- Treasure of the Golden CondorTreasure of the Golden CondorTreasure of the Golden Condor is a 1953 adventure Technicolor film directed by Delmer Daves. It stars Cornel Wilde and Constance Smith. It is a remake of the 1942 film Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake, which starred Tyrone Power...
(1953) - Small Town GirlSmall Town Girl (1953 film)Small Town Girl is a 1953 musical film directed by László Kardos and starring Jane Powell, Farley Granger, and Ann Miller. Busby Berkeley choreographed several dance numbers. Bobby Van performed the memorable "Street Dance", in which he hopped all around town. The film features song performances...
(1953) - Hell on Frisco BayHell on Frisco BayHell on Frisco Bay is a 1955 film starring Alan Ladd and Edward G. Robinson. Directed by Frank Tuttle, The supporting cast includes Joanne Dru, William Demarest, and Fay Wray. It was made for Ladd's own production company, Jaguar....
(1955) - The CobwebThe Cobweb (film)The Cobweb is a MGM film. It was directed by Vincente Minnelli and based on a novel by William Gibson. It was released on DVD as part of the Warner Archive Collection on January 18, 2011....
(1955) - Queen BeeQueen Bee (film)Queen Bee is a 1955 drama film starring Joan Crawford, John Ireland, Fay Wray, Betsy Palmer, and Barry Sullivan in a story about a family dominated by a ruthless woman. The screenplay by Ranald MacDougall was based upon a novel by Edna L. Lee. The film was directed by Ranald MacDougall and produced...
(1955) - Rock, Pretty Baby (1956)
- Crime of PassionCrime of Passion (1957 film)Crime of Passion is a 1957 American crime film noir directed by Gerd Oswald and written by Jo Eisinger. The drama features Barbara Stanwyck, Sterling Hayden, Raymond Burr and Fay Wray, among others.-Plot:...
(1957) - Tammy and the BachelorTammy and the BachelorTammy and the Bachelor is a 1957 romantic comedy film and is the first of the four Tammy films. It stars Debbie Reynolds as Tambrey "Tammy" Tyree, Walter Brennan as Grandpa Dinwitty and Leslie Nielsen as Peter Brent...
(1957) - Summer Love (1958)
- Dragstrip Riot (1958)
- Gideon's TrumpetGideon's TrumpetGideon's Trumpet is a book by Anthony Lewis describing the story behind Gideon v. Wainwright, in which the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that criminal defendants have the right to an attorney even if they cannot afford it...
(1980) - Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen'sOff the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen'sOff the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's is a 1997 American documentary film directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini.- Background :...
(1997 documentary) - Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were ThereBroadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were ThereBroadway: The Golden Age is a 2004 documentary by Rick McKay, telling the story of the "golden age" of Broadway by the oral history of the legendary actors of the 40s and 50s, incorporating rare lost footage of actual performances and never-before-seen personal home movies and photos.-The Cast:The...
(2003 documentary)