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 King Kong is a fictional giant monster resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. He has been dubbed The Eighth Wonder of the World, a phrase commonly used within the franchise. His first appearance was in the novelizat ...

''. 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 The WAMPAS Baby Stars was a promotional campaign sponsored by the United States Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers, which honored 13 (15 in 1932) young actresses each year whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. ...

" in 1926. This led to her being contracted to

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

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 The Bowery () is a street and neighborhood in Lower Manhattan in New York City. The street runs from Chatham Square at Park Row, Worth Street, and Mott Street in the south to Cooper Square at 4th Street in the north.Jackson, Kenneth L. "Bow ...

'' (1933) and ''

Viva Villa ''Viva Villa!'' is a 1934 American pre-Code film directed by Jack Conway and starring Wallace Beery as Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa. The screenplay was written by Ben Hecht, adapted from the 1933 book ''Viva Villa!'' by Edgecumb Pinchon an ...

'' (1934), both of which starred

Wallace Beery Wallace Fitzgerald Beery (April 1, 1885 – April 15, 1949) was an American film and stage actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Bill in ''Min and Bill'' (1930) opposite Marie Dressler, as General Director Preysing in ''Grand Hotel'' (193 ...

. 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 Cardston is a town in Alberta, Canada. It was first settled in 1887 by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) who travelled from Utah, via the Macleod-Benton Trail, to present-day Alberta in one of the century' ...

, to parents who were members of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

, Elvina Marguerite Jones, who was from

Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...

, and Joseph Heber Wray, who was from

Kingston upon Hull Kingston upon Hull, usually abbreviated to Hull, is a port city and unitary authority in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It lies upon the River Hull at its confluence with the Humber Estuary, inland from the North Sea and south-east ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. She was one of six children and was a granddaughter of LDS pioneer Daniel Webster Jones. Her ancestors came from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Wray was never baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 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 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 The discovery of gold in Bingham Canyon in 1863 brought a rush of ...

, in 1914. In 1919, the Wray family returned to Salt Lake City, and then relocated to

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

, where Fay attended

Hollywood High School Hollywood High School is a four-year public secondary school in the Los Angeles Unified School District, located at the intersection of North Highland Avenue and West Sunset Boulevard in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. Histo ...

Early acting career

Phillips Holmes, William Powell, and Fay Wray in 'Pointed Heels', 1929

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. 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 Hal Roach Studios was an American motion picture and television production studio. Known as ''The Laugh Factory to the World'', it was founded by producer Hal Roach and business partners Dan Linthicum and I.H. Nance as the Rolin Film Company on Ju ...

. In 1926, the Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers selected Wray as one of the "

", 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 Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

, mostly co-starring in low-budget

Westerns The Western is a genre set in the American frontier and commonly associated with folk tales of the Western United States, particularly the Southwestern United States, as well as Northern Mexico and Western Canada. It is commonly referred ...

opposite

Buck Jones Buck Jones (born Charles Frederick Gebhart; December 12, 1891 – November 30, 1942) was an American actor, known for his work in many popular Western movies. In his early film appearances, he was credited as Charles Jones. Early life, milita ...

. The following year, Wray was signed to a contract with

. In 1926, director

Erich von Stroheim Erich Oswald Hans Carl Maria von Stroheim (born Erich Oswald Stroheim; September 22, 1885 – May 12, 1957) was an Austrian-American director, actor and producer, most noted as a film star and avant-garde, visionary director of the silent era. H ...

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 A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades passed before ...

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 ''Mystery of the Wax Museum'' is a 1933 American pre-Code mystery- horror film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Glenda Farrell, and Frank McHugh. It was produced and released by Warner Bros. and filmed in two-color ...

'' (1933). However, her best known films were produced under her deal with

RKO Radio Pictures RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orphe ...

. Her first film with RKO was ''

The Most Dangerous Game "The Most Dangerous Game", also published as "The Hounds of Zaroff", is a short story by Richard Connell, first published in ''Collier's'' on January 19, 1924, with illustrations by Wilmot Emerton Heitland. The story features a big-game hunter ...

'' (1932), co-starring

Joel McCrea Joel Albert McCrea (November 5, 1905 – October 20, 1990) was an American actor whose career spanned a wide variety of genres over almost five decades, including comedy, drama, romance, thrillers, adventures, and Westerns, for which he beca ...

. 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 Jean Harlow (born Harlean Harlow Carpenter; March 3, 1911 – June 7, 1937) was an American actress. Known for her portrayal of "bad girl" characters, she was the leading sex symbol of the early 1930s and one of the defining figures of the ...

had been RKO's original choice, but because

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...

put Harlow under exclusive contract during the pre-production phase of the film, she became unavailable. Wray was approached by director

Merian C. Cooper Merian Caldwell Cooper (October 24, 1893 – April 21, 1973) was an American filmmaker and Academy Award winner, as well as a former aviator who served as an officer in the United States Air Force and Polish Air Force. In film, he is credited a ...

to play the blonde captive of King Kong; the role of Ann Darrow for which she was paid $10,000 ($ in dollars) to portray. The film was a commercial success and Wray was reportedly proud that the film saved RKO from bankruptcy.

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 ''The Pride of the Family'' is a 30-minute American television situation comedy that was broadcast on ABC from October 2, 1953, until September 24, 1954. CBS showed reruns of the program in prime time in the summer of 1955. Premise Albie Morris ...

'' with

Natalie Wood Natalie Wood ( Zacharenko; July 20, 1938 – November 29, 1981) was an American actress who began her career in film as a child and successfully transitioned to young adult roles. Wood started acting at age four and was given a co-starring r ...

playing her daughter. Wray appeared in ''

Queen Bee A queen bee is typically an adult, mated female (gyne) that lives in a colony or hive of honey bees. With fully developed reproductive organs, the queen is usually the mother of most, if not all, of the bees in the beehive. Queens are developed ...

'', released in 1955. Wray appeared in three episodes of ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a cli ...

'': "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 ''Playhouse 90'' was an American television anthology series, anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology dr ...

''. Other roles around this time were in the episodes "Dip in the Pool" (1958) and "The Morning After" of CBS's ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was ren ...

''. In 1960, she appeared as Clara in an episode of ''

77 Sunset Strip ''77 Sunset Strip'' is an American television Private investigator#PIs in fiction, private detective drama series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith (actor), Roger Smith, Richard Long (actor), Richard Long (fr ...

'', "Who Killed Cock Robin?" Another 1960 role was that of Mrs. Staunton, with

Gigi Perreau Gigi Perreau (born February 6, 1941) is an American film and television actress. Early years The daughter of French-born Robert and Eleanor Child Perreau-Saussine, she was born Ghislaine Elizabeth Marie Thérèse Perreau-Saussine. Career Perrea ...

as her daughter, in the episode "Flight from Terror" of '' The Islanders''. Wray appeared in a 1961 episode of ''

The Real McCoys ''The Real McCoys'' is an American situation comedy starring Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, and Kathleen Nolan. Co-produced by Danny Thomas's Marterto Productions in association with Walter Brennan and Irving Pincus's Westgate Company, it ...

'' 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 ''Gideon's Trumpet'' is a 1964 book by Anthony Lewis describing the story behind the 1963 landmark court case ''Gideon v. Wainwright'', in which the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that criminal defendants have the right to an attorney e ...

''.

In 1988, she published her autobiography ''On the Other Hand''. 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 Herbert Edwin Huncke (January 9, 1915 – August 8, 1996) was an American writer and poet, and an active participant in a number of emerging cultural, social and aesthetic movements of the 20th century in America. He was a member of the Beat ...

. She was approached by

James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post-New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability w ...

to play the part of Rose Dawson Calvert for his blockbuster ''

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, United ...

'' (1997) with

Kate Winslet Kate Elizabeth Winslet (; born 5 October 1975) is an English actress. Known for her work in independent films, particularly period dramas, and for her portrayals of headstrong and complicated women, she has received numerous accolades, incl ...

to play her younger self, but she turned down the role, which was subsequently portrayed by

Gloria Stuart Gloria Frances Stuart (born Gloria Stewart; July 4, 1910 September 26, 2010) was an American actress, visual artist, and activist. She was known for her roles in Pre-Code films, and garnered renewed fame late in life for her portrayal of Rose ...

in an

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology), ...

-nominated performance. She was a special guest at the

70th Academy Awards The 70th Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), took place on March 23, 1998, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles beginning at 6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST. During the show ...

, where the show's host

Billy Crystal William Edward Crystal (born March 14, 1948)On page 17 of his book ''700 Sundays'', Crystal displays his birth announcement, which gives his first two names as "William Edward", not "William Jacob" is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. ...

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 The Palm Beach International Film Festival is a film festival in the United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America ...

to celebrate the Rick McKay documentary film '' Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There'', where she was honored with a "Legend in Film" award. In her later years, she visited the

Empire State Building The Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The building was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built from 1930 to 1931. Its name is derived from "Empire State", the nickname of the st ...

frequently; in 1991, she was a guest of honor at the building's 60th anniversary, and in May 2004, 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.

Personal life

Wray married three times – to writers

John Monk Saunders John Monk Saunders (November 22, 1897 – March 11, 1940) was an American novelist, screenwriter, and film director. Early life and career Born in Hinckley, Minnesota, to Robert C. Saunders and Nannie Monk Saunders, his family (6 children) move ...

and

Robert Riskin Robert Riskin (March 30, 1897 – September 20, 1955)"Robert Riskin, Who Won 'Oscar' For 'It Happened Ohe Night,' Dies." ''New York Times.'' September 22, 1955. was an American Academy Awards, Academy Award-winning screenwriter and playwright, bes ...

and the neurosurgeon Sanford Rothenberg (January 28, 1919 – January 4, 1991). She had three children: Susan Saunders, Victoria Riskin, and Robert Riskin Jr. After returning to the US after finishing '' The Clairvoyant'' she became a naturalized citizen of the United States in May 1935.

Death

Wray died in her sleep of

natural causes In many legal jurisdictions, the manner of death is a determination, typically made by the coroner, medical examiner, police, or similar officials, and recorded as a vital statistic. Within the United States and the United Kingdom, a distinct ...

in the night of August 8, 2004, in her apartment on

Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue is a major and prominent thoroughfare in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It stretches north from Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village to West 143rd Street in Harlem. It is one of the most expensive shopping stre ...

Manhattan. She is interred at the

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Hollywood Forever Cemetery is a full-service cemetery, funeral home, crematory, and cultural events center which regularly hosts community events such as live music and summer movie screenings. It is one of the oldest cemeteries in Los Angeles ...

in Hollywood, California. Two days after her death, the lights of the

were lowered for 15 minutes in her memory.

Honors

In 1989, Wray was awarded the Women in Film

Crystal Award The Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards—first presented in 1977 by the now–Los Angeles chapter of the Women in Film organization—were presented to honor women in communications and media. The awards include the Crystal Award, the Lucy Awar ...

. 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 The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...

at 6349 Hollywood Blvd. She received a star posthumously on

Canada's Walk of Fame Canada's Walk of Fame (french: link=no, Allée des célébrités canadiennes) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a walk of fame that acknowledges the achievements and accomplishments of Canadians who have excelled in their respective fields. It is a ...

in Toronto on June 5, 2005. A small park near Lee's Creek on Main Street in

, 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 Canada Post Corporation (french: Société canadienne des postes), trading as Canada Post (french: Postes Canada), is a Crown corporation that functions as the primary postal operator in Canada. Originally known as Royal Mail Canada (the opera ...

by being featured on a postage stamp.

Partial filmography

*''Gasoline Love'' (1923 short subject) *''Just A Good Guy'' (1924) as Girl Getting Into Car *''

The Coast Patrol ''The Coast Patrol'' is a 1925 silent film action drama directed by Bud Barsky and starring Kenneth MacDonald with an early appearance by Fay Wray Vina Fay Wray (September 15, 1907 – August 8, 2004) was a Canadian/American actress best ...

'' (1925) as Beth Slocum *''Sure-Mike'' (1925 short) as Salesgirl at Department Store *''What Price Goofy'' (1925 short) as Concerned Girl with Perfume (uncredited) *'' Isn't Life Terrible?'' (1925 short) as Potential Pen-Buyer (uncredited) *''Thundering Landlords'' (1925 short) as The Wife *'' Chasing the Chaser'' (1925 short) as Nursemaid *''Madame Sans Jane'' (1925 short) *'' No Father to Guide Him'' (1925 short) as Beach House Cashier (uncredited) *''Unfriendly Enemies'' (1925 short) as The Girl *'' Your Own Back Yard'' (1925 short) as Woman in Quarrelsome Couple *''

A Lover's Oath ''A Lover's Oath'' is a lost 1925 American silent fantasy film directed by Ferdinand P. Earle, jun. and featuring Ramon Novarro. The film is based upon the '' Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam'', as translated by Edward Fitzgerald, and included quotes ...

'' (1925) (uncredited) *lost film *''

Moonlight and Noses ''Moonlight And Noses'' is an American silent film, silent comedy film directed by Stan Laurel and starring Clyde Cook (actor), Clyde Cook. This is the first film of Clyde Cook series produced by Hal Raoch. The film's title is a wordplay of ''Mo ...

'' (1925 short) as Miss Sniff, the Professor's Daughter *''

Should Sailors Marry? ''Should Sailors Marry?'' is a 1925 American silent comedy film featuring Clyde cook and Oliver Hardy. Plot A wife waits for her brawling sailor ex-husband (Noah Young). His friends sneer at him for ever being married. She has come to get ba ...

'' (1925 short) as Herself *'' Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'' (1925) as Slave Girl (unconfirmed, uncredited) *''WAMPAS Baby Stars of 1926'' (1926 short) as Herself *''One Wild Time'' (1926 short) *''Don Key (A Son of a Burro)'' (1926 short) *'' The Man in the Saddle'' (1926) as Pauline Stewart *lost film *''Don't Shoot'' (1926 short) as Nancy Burton *''

The Wild Horse Stampede ''The Wild Horse Stampede'' is a 1926 American silent Western film directed by Clifford Smith and starring Jack Hoxie, Fay Wray and Marin Sais.Munden, p. 903 Cast * Jack Hoxie as Jack Tanner * Fay Wray as Jessie Hayden * William Steele as ...

'' (1926) as Jessie Hayden *''The Saddle Tramp'' (1926 short) *''The Show Cowpuncher'' (1926 short) *''

Lazy Lightning ''Lazy Lightning'' is a 1926 American silent Western film directed by William Wyler and starring Art Acord, Fay Wray and Robert Gordon. Cast * Art Acord as Lance Lighton * Fay Wray as Lila Rogers * Robert Gordon as Dickie Rogers * Vin Moo ...

'' (1926) as Lila Rogers *''

Loco Luck ''Loco Luck'' is a 1927 American silent Western film directed by Clifford Smith and written by Doris Malloy and Isadore Bernstein. The film stars Art Acord, Fay Wray, Aggie Herring, William Steele, Al Jennings and George F. Marion. The fi ...

'' (1927) as Molly Vernon *'' A One Man Game'' (1927) as Roberta *'' Spurs and Saddles'' (1927) as Mildred Orth *''A Trip Through the Paramount Studio'' (1927 short) as Herself *''

The Legion of the Condemned ''The Legion of the Condemned'' (aka ''Legion of the Condemned'') is a 1928 American silent film directed by William A. Wellman and produced by Jesse L. Lasky, Wellman, and Adolph Zukor and distributed by Paramount Pictures.Wynne 1987, p. 62. ...

'' (1928) as Christine Charteris *lost film *'' Street of Sin'' (1928) as Elizabeth *lost film *'' The First Kiss'' (1928) as Anna Lee *lost film *'' The Wedding March'' (1928) as Mitzi / Mitzerl Schrammell *''

The Four Feathers ''The Four Feathers'' is a 1902 adventure novel by British writer A. E. W. Mason that has inspired many films of the same title. In December 1901, ''Cornhill Magazine'' announced the title as one of two new serial stories to be published in t ...

'' (1929) as Ethne Eustace *''

Thunderbolt A thunderbolt or lightning bolt is a symbolic representation of lightning when accompanied by a loud thunderclap. In Indo-European mythology, the thunderbolt was identified with the 'Sky Father'; this association is also found in later Hell ...

'' (1929) as Ritzie *'' Pointed Heels'' (1929) as Lora Nixon *''

Behind the Make-Up ''Behind the Make-Up'' is a 1930 American pre-Code drama film directed by Robert Milton and Dorothy Arzner (who was uncredited),Mayne, p. 54, 183 and based on the short story "The Feeder" by Mildred Cram. The film stars Hal Skelly, William Pow ...

'' (1930) as Marie Gardoni *''

Paramount on Parade ''Paramount on Parade'' is a 1930 all-star American pre-Code revue released by Paramount Pictures, directed by several directors including Edmund Goulding, Dorothy Arzner, Ernst Lubitsch, Rowland V. Lee, A. Edward Sutherland, Lothar Mendes, Ot ...

'' (1930) as Sweetheart (Dream Girl) *'' The Texan'' (1930) as Consuelo *'' The Border Legion'' (1930) as Joan Randall *''

The Sea God ''The Sea God'' is a 1930 American pre-Code adventure film written and directed by George Abbott. The film stars Richard Arlen, Fay Wray, Eugene Pallette, Ivan Simpson, Maurice Black, and Bob Perry. The film was released on September 13, 1930, ...

'' (1930) as Daisy *''The Honeymoon'' (1930, unreleased) as Mitzi *'' Captain Thunder'' (1930) as Ynez *''Stub Man'' (1931) *''

The Slippery Pearls ''The Stolen Jools'' is a 1931 American pre-Code comedy short produced by the Masquers Club of Hollywood, featuring many cameo appearances by film stars of the day. The stars appeared in the film, distributed by Paramount Pictures, to raise fu ...

'' (1931 short) as Herself *''

Dirigible An airship or dirigible balloon is a type of aerostat or lighter-than-air aircraft that can navigate through the air under its own power. Aerostats gain their lift from a lifting gas that is less dense than the surrounding air. In early ...

'' (1931) as Helen Pierce *''

The Conquering Horde ''The Conquering Horde'' is a 1931 American pre-Code Western directed by Edward Sloman and written by Emerson Hough, Grover Jones and William Slavens McNutt. The film stars Richard Arlen, Fay Wray, Claude Gillingwater, Ian Maclaren, Frank Rice ...

'' (1931) as Taisie Lockhart *'' Not Exactly Gentlemen'' (1931) as Lee Carleton *''

The Finger Points ''The Finger Points'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code drama film directed by John Francis Dillon and written by John Monk Saunders, W.R. Burnett and Robert Lord. The film stars Richard Barthelmess, Fay Wray, Regis Toomey, Robert Elliott, Clark Ga ...

'' (1931) as Marcia Collins *''

The Lawyer's Secret ''The Lawyer's Secret'' is a 1931 American pre-Code crime film directed by Louis J. Gasnier and Max Marcin and written by Lloyd Corrigan, James Hilary Finn, and Max Marcin. The film stars Clive Brook, Charles "Buddy" Rogers, Richard Arlen, Fay ...

'' (1931) as Kay Roberts *''

The Unholy Garden ''The Unholy Garden'' is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film directed by George Fitzmaurice and starring Ronald Colman and Fay Wray. It was based on a story by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur.''The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: ...

'' (1931) as Camille de Jonghe *''

Hollywood on Parade ''Hollywood on Parade'' (1932–1934) is a series of short subjects released by Paramount Pictures. Production background One short (# B-9) is frequently misidentified as future Stooge Curly Howard's first appearance on film, as cited by histor ...

'' (1932 short subject) as Herself *''

Stowaway A stowaway or clandestine traveller is a person who secretly boards a vehicle, such as a ship, an aircraft, a train, cargo truck or bus. Sometimes, the purpose is to get from one place to another without paying for transportation. In other cas ...

'' (1932) as Mary Foster *'' Doctor X'' (1932) as Joanne Xavier *''

'' (1932) as Eve Trowbridge *''

The Vampire Bat ''The Vampire Bat'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code horror film directed by Frank R. Strayer and starring Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Melvyn Douglas, and Dwight Frye. Plot When the villagers of Kleinschloss start dying of blood loss, the town fathers ...

'' (1933) as Ruth Bertin *''

'' (1933) as Charlotte Duncan *''

'' (1933) as Ann Darrow *''

Below the Sea ''Below the Sea'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code action film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring Fay Wray, Ralph Bellamy and Esther Howard. Plot summary After a German U-boat is sunk near the end of World War I, its captain, the only livin ...

'' (1933) as Diana *''

Ann Carver's Profession ''Ann Carver's Profession'' is an American pre-Code 1933 film directed by Edward Buzzell. It focuses on the relationship of a female lawyer and her husband, and on the strain that her financial success places on their marriage. The film stars ac ...

'' (1933) as Ann Carver Graham *''

The Woman I Stole ''The Woman I Stole'' is a 1933 American pre-Code adventure film directed by Irving Cummings, starring Jack Holt, Fay Wray and Donald Cook. It is based on the novel ''Tampico'' by Joseph Hergesheimer, with the setting shifted from Mexico to Nor ...

'' (1933) as Vida Carew *''

Shanghai Madness ''Shanghai Madness'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code drama film directed by John G. Blystone and starring Spencer Tracy, Fay Wray, Ralph Morgan, and Albert Conti. It was released by Fox Film Corporation. Plot After attacking and destroying a Chin ...

'' (1933) as Wildeth Christie *''

The Big Brain ''The Big Brain'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film directed by George Archainbaud and written by Sy Bartlett and Warren Duff. The film stars George E. Stone, Phillips Holmes, Fay Wray, Minna Gombell and Lilian Bond. The film was released o ...

'' (1933) as Cynthia Glennon *''

One Sunday Afternoon One Sunday Afternoon may refer to: * One Sunday Afternoon (1933 film), an American pre-Code romantic comedy-drama film * One Sunday Afternoon (1948 film) ''One Sunday Afternoon'' is a 1948 musical film directed by Raoul Walsh, starring Dennis Mor ...

'' (1933) as Virginia Brush *''

'' (1933) as Lucy Calhoun * '' Master of Men'' (1933) as Kay Walling *'' Madame Spy'' (1934) as Marie Franck *'' The Countess of Monte Cristo'' (1934) as Janet Krueger *'' Once to Every Woman'' (1934) as Mary Fanshane *''

Viva Villa! ''Viva Villa!'' is a 1934 American pre-Code film directed by Jack Conway and starring Wallace Beery as Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa. The screenplay was written by Ben Hecht, adapted from the 1933 book ''Viva Villa!'' by Edgecumb Pinchon an ...

'' (1934) as Teresa *''

Black Moon Black Moon may refer to: * Black moon, one of four astronomical events involving new or dark moons * Black Moon (person) (c. 1821–1893), Lakota (American Indian) headman * Black Moon or Lilith (hypothetical moon), a hypothetical natural satelli ...

'' (1934) as Gail Hamilton *''

The Affairs of Cellini ''The Affairs of Cellini'' is a 1934 comedy film directed by Gregory La Cava and starring Frank Morgan, Constance Bennett, Fredric March, Fay Wray, and Louis Calhern. It is set in Florence. The film was adapted by Bess Meredyth from the play ''The ...

'' (1934) as Angela *'' The Richest Girl in the World'' (1934) as Sylvia Lockwood *'' Cheating Cheaters'' (1934) as Nan Brockton *'' Woman in the Dark'' (1934) as Louise Loring *''Mills of the Gods'' (1934) as Jean Hastings *'' The Clairvoyant'' (1935) (US title: The Evil Mind) as Rene *''

Bulldog Jack ''Bulldog Jack'' (released as ''Alias Bulldog Drummond'' in the USA) is a 1935 British film produced by Gaumont British, directed by Walter Forde, and starring Jack Hulbert, Fay Wray, Ralph Richardson and Atholl Fleming. The film was followed b ...

'' (1935) as Ann Manders *''

Come Out of the Pantry ''Come 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. It is based on a 1916 novel of the same name by Alice Duer Miller, and features musical numbers b ...

'' (1935) as Hilda Beach-Howard *'' White Lies'' (1935) as Joan Mitchell *'' When Knights Were Bold'' (1936) as Lady Rowena *''

Roaming Lady ''Roaming Lady'' is a 1936 American comedy action film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring Fay Wray, Ralph Bellamy and Thurston Hall.Kinnard & Crnkovich p.147 Main cast * Fay Wray as Joyce Reid * Ralph Bellamy as Daniel S. 'Dan' Bailey * ...

'' (1936) as Joyce Reid *''

They Met in a Taxi ''They Met in a Taxi'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by Alfred E. Green and starring Chester Morris, Fay Wray and Raymond Walburn.Kinnard & Crnkovich p.142 It was produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Indu ...

'' (1936) as Mary Trenton *''

It Happened in Hollywood ''It Happened in Hollywood'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Harry Lachman and starring Richard Dix, Fay Wray and Victor Kilian. The arrival of sound wrecks the career of a leading western actor while his leading lady rises to new heig ...

'' (1937) as Gloria Gay *''

Murder in Greenwich Village ''Murder in Greenwich Village'' is a 1937 American mystery film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring Richard Arlen, Fay Wray and Raymond Walburn.Monaco p.14 The screenplay involves an heiress who is falsely accused of murder. The film's sets ...

'' (1937) as Kay Cabot aka Lucky *'' The Jury's Secret'' (1938) as Linda Ware *''

Smashing the Spy Ring ''Smashing the Spy Ring'' is a 1938 American drama film, directed by Christy Cabanne. It stars Ralph Bellamy, Fay Wray, and Regis Toomey, and was released on December 29, 1938. Plot Undercover secret agents John Baxter and Ted Hall apprehend ...

'' (1938) as Eleanor Dunlap *''

Navy Secrets ''Navy Secrets'' is a 1939 American espionage film. Directed by Howard Bretherton, the film stars Fay Wray, Grant Withers, and Dewey Robinson. It was released on February 8, 1939. The screenplay by Harvey Gates was based on the short story "Shore ...

'' (1939) as Carol Mathews – Posing as Carol Evans *''

Wildcat Bus ''Wildcat Bus'' is a 1940 American action film directed by Frank Woodruff and written by Lou Lusty. The film stars Fay Wray, Charles Lang, Paul Guilfoyle, Don Costello and Paul McGrath. The film was released on August 23, 1940, by RKO Pictures. ...

'' (1940) as Ted Dawson *''

Adam Had Four Sons ''Adam Had Four Sons'' is a 1941 American romantic drama film directed by Gregory Ratoff and starring Ingrid Bergman, Warner Baxter, Susan Hayward, and Fay Wray Vina Fay Wray (September 15, 1907 – August 8, 2004) was a Canadian/America ...

'' (1941) as Molly Stoddard *''

Melody for Three ''Melody for Three'' is a 1941 American film directed by Erle C. Kenton, one of the six films of the Dr. Christian series. Plot summary Dr. Christian takes an interest in a young boy, a violin prodigy, whose mother is a divorced music teache ...

'' (1941) as Mary Stanley *''

Not a Ladies' Man ''Not a Ladies' Man'' is a 1942 American drama film directed by Lew Landers and written by Rian James. The film stars Paul Kelly, Fay Wray, Douglas Croft, Ruth Lee, Lawrence Dixon and Marietta Canty. The film was released on May 14, 1942, by Co ...

'' (1942) as Hester Hunter *'' This Is the Life'' (1944, co-author of play with

Sinclair Lewis Harry Sinclair Lewis (February 7, 1885 – January 10, 1951) was an American writer and playwright. In 1930, he became the first writer from the United States (and the first from the Americas) to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, which was ...

) *''

Treasure of the Golden Condor ''Treasure of the Golden Condor'' is a 1953 American Technicolor adventure film directed by Delmer Daves, starring Cornel Wilde and Constance Smith, and released by Twentieth Century Fox. The film is a remake of the 1942 film '' Son of Fury: Th ...

'' (1953) as Annette, Marquise de St. Malo *'' Small Town Girl'' (1953) as Mrs. Kimbell *'' The Cobweb'' (1955) as Edna Devanal *''

'' (1955) as Sue McKinnon *''

Hell on Frisco Bay ''Hell on Frisco Bay'' is a 1956 American CinemaScope film noir crime film directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Alan Ladd, Edward G. Robinson and Joanne Dru. It was made for Ladd's own production company, Jaguar. The film featured an early Holly ...

'' (1956) as Kay Stanley *''

Rock, Pretty Baby ''Rock, Pretty Baby'' is a 1956 American comedy musical film directed by Richard Bartlett and starring Sal Mineo, John Saxon and Luana Patten. Plot Young musician Jimmy Daley (Saxon) needs to come up with $300 to purchase the electric guitar he ...

'' (1956) as Beth Daley *''

Crime of Passion A crime of passion (French: ''crime passionnel''), in popular usage, refers to a violent crime, especially homicide, in which the perpetrator commits the act against someone because of sudden strong impulse such as anger rather than as a premed ...

'' (1957) as Alice Pope *''

Tammy and the Bachelor ''Tammy and the Bachelor'' is a 1957 romantic comedy film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Debbie Reynolds as Tambrey "Tammy" Tyree, Walter Brennan as Grandpa Dinwitty and Leslie Nielsen as Peter Brent. It is the first of the four Tammy fi ...

'' (1957) as Mrs. Brent *'' Summer Love'' (1958) as Beth Daley *''

Dragstrip Riot A dragstrip is a facility for conducting car, automobile and motorcycle acceleration events such as drag racing. Although a quarter mile (1320 feet, 402 m) is the best known measure for a drag track, many tracks are eighth mile ( ...

'' (1958) as Norma Martin / Mrs. Martin *''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings. It ...

'' (1962) as Mrs. Edward's, The Cole Crawford Story *''

'' (1980) as Edna Curtis *'' Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's'' (1997 documentary) as Herself *'' Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There'' (2003 documentary) as Herself

Cultural references

*In ''

The Rocky Horror Picture Show ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' is a 1975 musical comedy horror film by 20th Century Fox, produced by Lou Adler and Michael White and directed by Jim Sharman. The screenplay was written by Sharman and actor Richard O'Brien, who is also ...

'', Fay Wray is referenced by name in two songs. At the beginning of the movie, "Science Fiction/Double Feature" contains "Then something went wrong / For Fay Wray and King Kong / They got caught in a celluloid jam", and near the end extraterrestrial transvestite mad scientist Frank N. Furter sings in the song, "Don't Dream It": "Whatever happened to Fay Wray? / That delicate satin-draped frame / As it clung to her thigh / How I started to cry / 'Cause I wanted to be dressed just the same". *Mentioned in the chorus of the

Jimmy Ray James Ray (born 3 October 1970), known professionally by his stage name Jimmy Ray, is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Career In press interviews and promotional materials, Ray cited his influence by the music of Elvis Presley and o ...

song, "Are You Jimmy Ray?" *

Type O Negative Type O Negative were an American gothic metal band formed in Brooklyn, New York City in 1989 by Peter Steele (bass, lead vocals), Kenny Hickey (guitar, co-lead vocals), Josh Silver (keyboards, backing vocals), and Sal Abruscato (drums, percussi ...

, on their album ''

Bloody Kisses ''Bloody Kisses'' is the third studio album by the American gothic metal band Type O Negative and the last recording with their original lineup, as drummer Sal Abruscato left the group in late 1993 to join labelmates Life of Agony. The album incl ...

'', has a track titled "Fay Wray Come Out to Play." *Mentioned repeatedly in

Thomas Pynchon Thomas Ruggles Pynchon Jr. ( , ; born May 8, 1937) is an American novelist noted for his dense and complex novels. His fiction and non-fiction writings encompass a vast array of subject matter, genres and themes, including history, music, scie ...

's ''

Gravity's Rainbow ''Gravity's Rainbow'' is a 1973 novel by American writer Thomas Pynchon. The narrative is set primarily in Europe at the end of World War II and centers on the design, production and dispatch of V-2 rockets by the German military. In particular, ...

.'' * Fay Wray is briefly mentioned in the

Bruce Cockburn Bruce Douglas Cockburn ( ; born May 27, 1945) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist. His song styles range from folk to jazz-influenced rock and his lyrics cover a broad range of topics including human rights, environmental issues, po ...

song "Mama Just Wants to Barrelhouse All Night Long" on the 1973 ''

Night Vision Night vision is the ability to see in low-light conditions, either naturally with scotopic vision or through a night-vision device. Night vision requires both sufficient spectral range and sufficient intensity range. Humans have poor night vi ...

'' album in its second verse: "I hear the city singing like a siren choir / Some fool tried to set this town on fire / TV preacher screams 'come on along' / I feel like Fay Wray face to face with King Kong / But Mama just wants to barrelhouse all night long." * Fay Wray has been mentioned in the ''

Peanuts ''Peanuts'' is a print syndication, syndicated daily strip, daily and Sunday strip, Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz. The strip's original run extended from 1950 to 2000, continuing in reruns afterward. ' ...

'' comic strip a couple of times, mostly involving characters

Snoopy Snoopy is an anthropomorphic beagle in the comic strip ''Peanuts'' by Charles M. Schulz. He can also be found in all of the ''Peanuts'' films and television specials. Since his debut on October 4, 1950, Snoopy has become one of the most recog ...

and

Woodstock Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. ...

in reenacting the iconic scenes from ''

''. The first one was in a September 11, 1976 strip with Snoopy playing as King Kong while holding Woodstock as

Ann Darrow Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie. Anne is sometimes used as a male name in the ...

(with a brief mention of her co-star

Bruce Cabot Bruce Cabot (born Étienne de Pelissier Bujac Jr.; April 20, 1904 – May 3, 1972) was an American film actor, best remembered as Jack Driscoll in ''King Kong'' (1933) and for his roles in films such as ''The Last of the Mohicans'' (1936), Fri ...

); and in an August 29, 1976 Sunday strip format where Snoopy is dreaming that his nose is the

and Woodstock, as King Kong, is climbing atop of it in real time. Waking up from it, Snoopy complains afterwards that "Fay Wray didn't even show up" in it.

References

External links

* * * *
Fay Wray at Northern Stars website

Fay Wray speaking at UCLA 11/18/1970
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wray, Fay 1907 births 2004 deaths 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American memoirists 20th-century Canadian actresses Actresses from Alberta Actresses from Los Angeles Actresses from New York City American film actresses American people of Canadian descent American people of English descent American people of Irish descent American people of Scottish descent American people of Welsh descent American silent film actresses American television actresses American women memoirists Burials at Hollywood Forever Cemetery Canadian child actresses Canadian emigrants to the United States Canadian film actresses Canadian people of American descent Canadian people of English descent Canadian people of Irish descent Canadian people of Scottish descent Canadian people of Welsh descent Hollywood High School alumni Naturalized citizens of the United States Paramount Pictures contract players People from Cardston RKO Pictures contract players WAMPAS Baby Stars Western (genre) film actresses 21st-century American women