Gene Anthony Ray

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Gene Anthony Ray
Julia Richman High School
High School of Performing Arts
Occupations
  • Actor
  • dancer
  • choreographer
Years active1978–2002
Known forLeroy Johnson – Fame
The Kids from "Fame". Gene Anthony Ray is in the back, center. Debbie Allen is center, with sunglasses on top of her head. (1983)

Gene Anthony Ray (May 24, 1962 – November 14, 2003) was an American actor, dancer, and choreographer. A native of New York City, Ray was best known for his portrayal of dancer Leroy Johnson in both the 1980 film Fame and the Fame television series based upon the film which originally aired from 1982 until 1987.

Biography

Early life

Born in

Julia Richman High School. He skipped school one day to audition for Fame choreographer Louis Falco.[3][4] Ray attended the High School of Performing Arts, the inspiration for the film Fame, but was kicked out after just one year. "It was too disciplined for this wild child of mine," Ray's mother, Jean E. Ray, would later say.[3]

Career

Ray won the part of Leroy Johnson in the film

Michael York as Robinson Crusoe, in the 1981 TV adventure-comedy Vendredi ou la Vie sauvage [fr
] (alternative title: Robinson Crusoe and Man Friday).

Ray also starred in the television series based on the film, Fame. The series was produced by MGM Television from 1982 to 1987, and syndicated from 1983 to 1987. Additionally, he began touring the U.K. with the other members of the Fame cast as The Kids from "Fame"; they performed at 10 venues, including a sell out performance at Royal Albert Hall.[5] In 1984, USA Today reports: "Ray was axed from the show after his mother was jailed for running a drug ring, and he failed to turn up for work 100 times."[1] He struggled with addictions to alcohol and drugs, and worked only intermittently once the TV series ended.[2] In 1985, Ray danced in The Weather Girls' music video for "Well-A-Wiggy".[6]

In 1987, he won the role of Billy Nolan in the ill-fated

Stratford-Upon-Avon, which closed after less than a month. He then transferred to Broadway and continued to play the role until the musical closed after only 21 public performances.[7] Ray also appeared in the 1995 film Out-of-Sync, which was directed by his Fame co-star Debbie Allen, in the 1996 Whoopi Goldberg comedy Eddie (for which he was also credited as associate choreographer[8]), as well as in commercials for Dr Pepper and Diet Coke. His last video appearance was a one-hour BBC Fame reunion documentary, Fame Remember My Name, taped in Los Angeles in April 2003.[4]

Personal life and death

As described in his Telegraph obituary,[1] Ray "remained a 'frantic partygoer' with a self-confessed weakness for drink and drugs. As his life fell apart, he slept on park benches and during a failed attempt to launch a Fame-style dance school in Milan, shared a flat there with a porn actress. In 1996, he was diagnosed HIV positive. Flamboyantly camp, he brushed aside questions about his sexuality. He never married."

Ray died on November 14, 2003, aged 41, from complications of a stroke he had suffered in June that year and complications from AIDS.[4]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1980 Fame Leroy Johnson Motion Picture
1981 Vendredi ou la Vie sauvage [fr] Friday Television movie
Alternative title: Robinson Crusoe and Man Friday
1982–1987 Fame Leroy Johnson Television series - 116 episodes
1995 Out-of-Sync Crash
1996 Eddie Dancer Associate choreographer
1997 The Drew Carey Show Dancer 1 episode
2002 Austin Powers in Goldmember Dancer Uncredited (final film role)

Theater

Year Production Role Theatre
1988 Carrie Billy Nolan Royal Shakespeare Theatre (tryout)
Virginia Theatre, Broadway

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Obituary: Gene Anthony Ray". The Telegraph. November 20, 2003.
  2. ^ a b c Wloszczyna, Susan (September 22, 2009). "The 'Fame' gang: Gene Anthony Ray". USA Today.
  3. ^ a b c Byrne, Bridget (November 19, 2003). "Fame's "Leroy" Dies". E! News. Retrieved 2006-05-19.
  4. ^ a b c Baltrip, Kimetris N. (November 19, 2003). "Obituary: Gene Anthony Ray, 41, A Dancer in Fame". The New York Times.
  5. ^ "The Kids from Fame Live in the U.K." Fame Episode Guide 5.
  6. ^ "The Weather Girls - Well-A-Wiggy". Discogs. 1985.
  7. ^ "Carrie". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
  8. ^ "Full cast and crew: other crew". IMDb.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gene_Anthony_Ray&oldid=1281334358"