Fay Wray Explained

Fay Wray
Birth Name:Vina Fay Wray
Birth Date:15 September 1907
Birth Place:Cardston, Alberta, Canada
Death Place:New York City, U.S.
Occupation:Actress
Resting Place:Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, California
Years Active:1923–1980
Spouse:
    Children:3, including Victoria Riskin

    Vina Fay Wray (September 15, 1907 – August 8, 2004) was a Canadian-American actress best known for starring as Ann Darrow in the 1933 film King Kong. Through an acting career that spanned nearly six decades, Wray attained international recognition as an actress in horror films. She has been dubbed one of the early "scream queens".

    After appearing in minor film roles, Wray gained media attention after being selected as one of the "WAMPAS Baby Stars" in 1926. This led to her being contracted to Paramount Pictures as a teenager, where she made more than a dozen feature films. After leaving Paramount, she signed deals with various film companies, being cast in her first horror film roles, in addition to many other types of roles, including in The Bowery (1933) and Viva Villa! (1934), both of which starred Wallace Beery. For RKO Radio Pictures, Inc., Wray starred in the film she is most identified with, King Kong (1933). After the success of King Kong, she made numerous appearances in both film and television, retiring in 1980.

    Life and career

    Early life

    Wray was born on a ranch near Cardston, Alberta, to parents who were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elvina Marguerite Jones, who was from Salt Lake City, Utah, and Joseph Heber Wray, who was from Kingston upon Hull, England.[1] She was one of six children[2] and was a granddaughter of LDS pioneer Daniel Webster Jones. Her ancestors came from England, Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Wales.

    Her family returned to the United States a few years after she was born; they moved to Salt Lake City in 1912[3] and moved to Lark, Utah, in 1914. In 1919, the Wray family returned to Salt Lake City, and then relocated to Hollywood, where Fay attended Hollywood High School.

    Early acting career

    In 1923, Wray appeared in her first film at the age of 16, when she landed a role in a short historical film sponsored by a local newspaper.[4] In the 1920s, Wray appeared in the silent film The Coast Patrol (1925), as well as uncredited bit parts at the Hal Roach Studios.

    In 1926, the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers selected Wray as one of the "WAMPAS Baby Stars", a group of women whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. She was at the time under contract to Universal Studios, mostly co-starring in low-budget Westerns opposite Buck Jones.

    The following year, Wray was signed to a contract with Paramount Pictures. In 1926, director Erich von Stroheim cast her as the main female lead in his film The Wedding March, released by Paramount two years later. While the film was noted for its high budget and production values, it was a financial failure. It also gave Wray her first lead role. Wray stayed with Paramount to make more than a dozen films and made the transition from silent films to "talkies".[5]

    Horror films and King Kong

    After leaving Paramount, Wray signed with other film studios. Under these deals, Wray was cast in several horror films, including Doctor X (1932) and Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933). However, her best known films were produced under her deal with RKO Radio Pictures. Her first film with RKO was The Most Dangerous Game (1932), co-starring Joel McCrea. The production was filmed at night on the same jungle sets that were being used for King Kong during the day, and with Wray and Robert Armstrong starring in both movies.

    The Most Dangerous Game was followed by the release of Wray's best remembered 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.[6] Wray was approached by director Merian C. Cooper to play the blonde captive of King Kong; the role of Ann Darrow for which she was paid $10,000 ($ in dollars) to portray.[7] The film was a commercial success and Wray was reportedly proud that the film saved RKO from bankruptcy.[8]

    Later career

    Wray continued to star in films, including The Richest Girl in the World, but by the early 1940s, her appearances became less frequent. She retired in 1942 after her second marriage but due to financial exigencies she soon resumed her acting career, and over the next three decades, Wray appeared in several films and appeared frequently on television. Wray portrayed Catherine Morrison in the 1953–54 sitcom The Pride of the Family [9] with Natalie Wood playing her daughter. Wray appeared in Queen Bee and The Cobweb, both released in 1955.

    Wray appeared in three episodes of Perry Mason: "The Case of the Prodigal Parent" (1958); "The Case of the Watery Witness" (1959), as murder victim Lorna Thomas; and "The Case of the Fatal Fetish" (1965), as voodoo practitioner Mignon Germaine. In 1959, Wray was cast as Tula Marsh in the episode "The Second Happiest Day" of Playhouse 90. Other roles around this time were in the episodes "Dip in the Pool" (1958) and "The Morning After" of CBS's Alfred Hitchcock Presents. In 1960, she appeared as Clara in an episode of 77 Sunset Strip, "Who Killed Cock Robin?" Another 1960 role was that of Mrs. Staunton, with Gigi Perreau as her daughter, in the episode "Flight from Terror" of The Islanders.

    Wray appeared in a 1961 episode of The Real McCoys titled "Theatre in the Barn". In 1963, she played Mrs. Brubaker in The Eleventh Hour episode "You're So Smart, Why Can't You Be Good?". She ended her acting career with the 1980 made-for-television film Gideon's Trumpet.In 1988, she published her autobiography On the Other Hand.[10] In her later years, Wray continued to make public appearances. In 1991, she was crowned Queen of the Beaux Arts Ball, presiding with King Herbert Huncke.[11]

    She was approached by James Cameron to play the part of Rose Dawson Calvert for his blockbuster Titanic (1997) with Kate Winslet to play her younger self, but she turned down the role, which was subsequently portrayed by Gloria Stuart in an Oscar-nominated performance. 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. On October 3, 1998, she appeared at the Pine Bluff Film Festival, which showed The Wedding March with live orchestral accompaniment.

    In January 2003, the 95-year-old Wray appeared at the 2003 Palm Beach International Film Festival to celebrate the Rick McKay documentary film , where she was honored with a "Legend in Film" award. In her later years, she visited the Empire State Building frequently; in 1991, she was a guest of honor at the building's 60th anniversary, and in May 2004,[12] she made one of her last public appearances at the ESB. Her final public appearance was at the premiere of the documentary film Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There in June 2004.[13]

    Personal life

    Wray married three times – to writers John Monk Saunders and Robert Riskin and the neurosurgeon Sanford Rothenberg (January 28, 1919 – January 4, 1991).[14] She had three children: Susan Saunders, Victoria Riskin, and Robert Riskin Jr.[15] [16]

    After returning to the US after finishing The Clairvoyant she became a naturalized citizen of the United States in May 1935.[17]

    Death

    Wray died in her sleep of natural causes in the night of August 8, 2004, in her apartment on Fifth Avenue Manhattan.[18] [19] She is interred at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, California.[20]

    Two days after her death, the lights of the Empire State Building were lowered for 15 minutes in her memory.[21]

    Honors

    In 1989, Wray was awarded the Women in Film Crystal Award.[22] Wray was honored with a Legend in Film award at the 2003 Palm Beach International Film Festival. 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 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 be honored by Canada Post by being featured on a postage stamp.

    Filmography

    Features

    YearTitleRoleNotes
    1925 The Coast Patrol Beth Slocum
    A Lover's Oath Uncredited; lost film
    Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ Slave Girl Unconfirmed, uncredited
    1926 The Man in the Saddle Pauline Stewart lost film
    The Wild Horse Stampede Jessie Hayden
    Lazy LightningLila Rogers
    1927 Loco LuckMolly Vernon
    A One Man GameRoberta
    Spurs and Saddles Mildred Orth
    1928 The Legion of the Condemned Christine Charteris lost film
    The Street of Sin Elizabeth lost film
    The First KissAnna Lee lost film
    The Wedding March Mitzi / Mitzerl Schrammell
    1929 The Four Feathers Ethne Eustace
    Thunderbolt Ritzie
    Pointed Heels Lora Nixon
    1930 Behind the Make-Up Marie Gardoni
    Paramount on Parade Sweetheart (Dream Girl)
    The Texan Consuelo
    The Border Legion Joan Randall
    The Sea God Daisy
    The Honeymoon Mitzi Unreleased
    Captain Thunder Ynez
    1931 Stub Man
    Dirigible Helen Pierce
    The Conquering Horde Taisie Lockhart
    Not Exactly GentlemenLee Carleton
    The Finger Points Marcia Collins
    The Lawyer's Secret Kay Roberts
    The Unholy Garden Camille de Jonghe
    1932 Stowaway Mary Foster
    Doctor X Joanne Xavier
    The Most Dangerous Game Eve Trowbridge
    1933 The Vampire Bat Ruth Bertin
    Mystery of the Wax Museum Charlotte Duncan
    King Kong Ann Darrow
    Below the Sea Diana
    Ann Carver's Profession Ann Carver Graham
    The Woman I Stole Vida Carew
    Shanghai Madness Wildeth Christie
    The Big Brain Cynthia Glennon
    One Sunday Afternoon Virginia Brush
    The Bowery Lucy Calhoun
    Master of Men Kay Walling
    1934 Madame Spy Marie Franck
    The Countess of Monte Cristo Janet Krueger
    Once to Every Woman Mary Fanshane
    Viva Villa! Teresa
    Black Moon Gail Hamilton
    The Affairs of Cellini Angela
    The Richest Girl in the WorldSylvia Lockwood
    Cheating Cheaters Nan Brockton
    Woman in the Dark Louise Loring
    Mills of the Gods Jean Hastings
    1935 The Clairvoyant Rene US title: The Evil Mind
    Bulldog Jack Ann Manders
    Come Out of the Pantry Hilda Beach-Howard
    White LiesJoan Mitchell
    1936 When Knights Were BoldLady Rowena
    Roaming Lady Joyce Reid
    They Met in a Taxi Mary Trenton
    1937 It Happened in Hollywood Gloria Gay
    Murder in Greenwich Village Kay Cabot aka Lucky
    1938The Jury's Secret Linda Ware
    Smashing the Spy Ring Eleanor Dunlap
    1939 Navy Secrets Carol Mathews – Posing as Carol Evans
    1940 Wildcat Bus Ted Dawson
    1941 Adam Had Four Sons Molly Stoddard
    Melody for Three Mary Stanley
    1942 Not a Ladies' Man Hester Hunter
    1953 Treasure of the Golden Condor Annette, Marquise de St. Malo
    Small Town Girl Mrs. Kimbell
    1955 The Cobweb Edna Devanal
    Queen BeeSue McKinnon
    1956 Hell on Frisco Bay Kay Stanley
    Rock, Pretty Baby Beth Daley
    1957 Crime of Passion Alice Pope
    Tammy and the Bachelor Mrs. Brent
    1958 Summer Love Beth Daley
    Dragstrip Riot Norma Martin / Mrs. Martin
    1962 Wagon Train Mrs. Edward's, The Cole Crawford Story
    1980 Gideon's Trumpet Edna Curtis
    1997 Herself Documentary
    2003 Herself Documentary

    Short subjects

    YearTitleRoleNotes
    1923 Gasoline Love
    Speed Bugs
    1924 Just A Good Guy Girl Getting Into Car
    1925 Sure-Mike Salesgirl at Department Store
    What Price Goofy Concerned Girl with Perfume Uncredited
    Isn't Life Terrible? Potential Pen-Buyer Uncredited
    Thundering Landlords The Wife
    Chasing the Chaser Nursemaid
    Madame Sans Jane
    No Father to Guide Him Beach House Cashier Uncredited
    Unfriendly EnemiesThe Girl
    Your Own Back Yard Woman in Quarrelsome Couple
    Moonlight and Noses Miss Sniff, the Professor's Daughter
    Should Sailors Marry? Herself
    1926 WAMPAS Baby Stars of 1926 Herself
    One Wild Time
    Don Key (A Son of a Burro)
    Don't Shoot Nancy Burton
    The Saddle Tramp
    The Show Cowpuncher
    1927 A Trip Through the Paramount Studio Herself
    1931 The Slippery PearlsHerself
    1932 Hollywood on Parade Herself

    Partial Television Credits

    YearTitleRoleNotes
    1953 Cavalcade of America Mrs. Jefferson Davis Episode: "One Nation Indivisible"
    1953-1954 The Pride of the FamilyCatherine Morrison27 episodes
    1958 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Mrs. Renshaw Episode: "Dip in the Pool"
    1959 Playhouse 90 Tula Marsh Episode: "The Second Happiest Day"
    Alfred Hitchcock Presents Mrs. Nelson Episode: "The Morning After"
    1962 Wagon Train Mrs. Edwards Episode: "The Cole Crawford Story"
    1964 The Eleventh Hour Mrs. Brubaker Episode: "You're So Smart, Why Can't You Be Good?"
    1965 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler TheatreMrs. White Episode: "Double Jeopardy"
    Perry Mason Mignon Germaine Episode: "The Case of the Fatal Fetish"

    Cultural references

    See also

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Ancestry of Fay Wray. Wargs.com. March 9, 2011.
    2. Web site: Fay Wray. Northern Stars. March 9, 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110611015949/http://www.northernstars.ca/actorsvz/wray_fay_bio.html. June 11, 2011.
    3. "Utah-Hollywood connection runs deep", p. B2, The Salt Lake Tribune, January 26, 2009.
    4. SL Tribune, January 26, 2009
    5. Web site: Fay Wray . TCM.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20110305184552/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/participant.jsp?spid=209593 . March 9, 2011. March 5, 2011 .
    6. Book: Parish . James Robert . Mank . Gregory W. . Stanke . Don E. . The Hollywood Beauties . 1978 . Arlington House Publishers . New Rochelle, New York . 0-87000-412-3 . 203 . registration .
    7. Web site: Fay Wray . Emol.org . March 9, 2011 . February 24, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120224002132/http://emol.org/film/archives/wray/ . dead .
    8. Web site: Fay Wray by Kendahl Cruver . Things-and-other-stuff.com . September 15, 1907 . March 9, 2011.
    9. Book: Terrace. Vincent. Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010. 2011. McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Jefferson, N.C.. 978-0-7864-6477-7. 853. 2nd.
    10. Book: Wray, Fay. On the Other Hand: A Life Story. 1st. 978-0-312-02265-5. 17917980. St. Martin's Press. New York City. 1989.
    11. Web site: Beaux Arts Society: Royal Family. February 24, 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140102192849/http://beauxartssociety.org/19356.html. January 2, 2014.
    12. Web site: UPI.com . UPI.com . March 9, 2011.
    13. Web site: From the Archives: Fay Wray, 96; Actress, Object of Ape's Desire in 'King Kong' . Luther . Claudia . August 10, 2004 . . March 28, 2022 .
    14. Web site: Social Security Death Index . Ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com . July 15, 2010 . March 9, 2011.
    15. Book: The Films of Fay Wray . Roy Kinnard . Tony Crnkovich . 14 . October 25, 2005 . McFarland . 9781476604152 . July 17, 2016.
    16. Web site: 'King Kong' damsel Fay Wray dies at 96 . TODAY.com . August 9, 2004 . July 17, 2016.
    17. Book: Riskin, Victoria . Fay Wray and Robert Riskin: A Hollywood Memoir . 2019-02-26 . Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group . 978-1-5247-4729-9 . en.
    18. Web site: Luther. Claudia. August 10, 2004. From the Archives: Fay Wray, 96; Actress, Object of Ape's Desire in 'King Kong'. January 17, 2022. Los Angeles Times. en-US.
    19. News: Fay Wray, Beauty to Kong's Beast, Dies at 96. The New York Times. August 9, 2004.
    20. Web site: A Visit to FAY WRAY's Gravesite (at Hollywood Forever Cemetery) King Kong. September 28, 2010 . www.youtube.com.
    21. Web site: Fay Wray – Empire State Building to Dim Lights in Remembrance of Actress Fay Wray . UPI.com . March 9, 2011.
    22. Web site: Past Recipients: Crystal Award . Women In Film . May 10, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110630083646/http://wif.org/past-recipients . June 30, 2011 .
    23. Web site: Rocky Horror Picture Show Soundtrack: 19 song lyrics . McHorse . Shawn . RockyMusic.org . March 28, 2022 .
    24. Web site: Peanuts by Charles Schulz for August 29, 1976 . Charles. Schulz. August 29, 1976. GoComics.
    25. Web site: Peanuts by Charles Schulz for September 11, 1976 . Charles. Schulz. September 11, 1976. GoComics.