Biographies

Raúl Juliá — Puerto Rican actor known for stage and screen Raul Julia Profile of Raúl Juliá (1940–1994), a Puerto Rican-born actor celebrated for stage work and film roles such as Gomez Addams, with an overview of his life, career and cultural legacy…

Ravi Shankar: Indian sitar virtuoso and cultural bridge Ravi Shankar Ravi Shankar (1920–2012) was a pioneering Indian sitar player and composer who brought Hindustani classical music to global audiences and influenced generations of musicians.

Raviv Ullman (Ricky Ullman): Israeli–American actor and musician Raviv Ullman Actor and performer Raviv Ullman (born Jan 24, 1986 in Eilat) is best known for Phil Diffy on Disney Channel's Phil of the Future and for work in television, theatre and music.

Rawshan Ara Bachchu (1932–2019) Rawshan Ara Bachchu Rawshan Ara Bachchu was a Bangladeshi activist who participated in the 1952 Bengali Language Movement and later received recognition including the Anannya Top Ten Awards.

Ray (wrestler) — Hong Kong-born joshi performer Ray (wrestler) Ray (1982–2018) was a Hong Kong-born professional wrestler active in Japan. Known for masked personas and a hybrid joshi/lucha style, she held several regional titles and competed…

Ray Authement — Longest-Serving U.S. University President Ray Authement Ray Paul Authement (1928–2020) was an American academic leader who served as president of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette from 1974 to 2008, becoming the longest-serving u…

Ray Barry (ice hockey player, 1928–2018) Ray Barry William Raymond Barry was a United States‑born, Canadian‑raised professional ice hockey player who appeared in 18 NHL games and played for the Boston Bruins and Hershey Bears in th…

Ray Bolger: American dancer, comic actor, and the Scarecrow of Oz Ray Bolger Ray Bolger (1904–1987) was an American singer, dancer, and actor best known for his rubber-legged dance style and his role as the Scarecrow in MGM's 1939 The Wizard of Oz.

Ray Bradbury: Life, major works, themes and legacy Ray Bradbury Concise encyclopedia entry on Ray Bradbury (1920–2012): biography, major books and stories, themes and style, adaptations, awards and influence on 20th-century American literature.

Ray Ceresino (1929–2015) Ray Ceresino Ray Ceresino was a Canadian ice hockey left winger who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Born in Port Arthur, Ontario, he was part of the mid-20th-century professional hockey com…

Ray Conniff: American bandleader and architect of vocal easy listening Ray Conniff Ray Conniff (1916–2002) was an American bandleader and arranger who popularized a smooth choral-orchestral sound, forming the Ray Conniff Singers and collaborating with prominent p…

Ray Davies: English singer-songwriter and co-founder of The Kinks Ray Davies Ray Davies (born 1944) is an English rock musician and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and principal songwriter of The Kinks. He later pursued solo work and has spoken op…

Ray Emery Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the NHL and KHL for teams including the Ottawa Senators, Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers; Stanley Cup winner (2…

Ray Fox — American NASCAR engine builder, car owner and inspector Ray Fox Ray Fox (1916–2014) was a prominent American NASCAR engine builder, team owner and inspector whose teams won 14 Grand National races and earned 16 pole positions; he is a motorspor…

Ray Frederick (Roman Raymond Frederick) — Canadian ice hockey goaltender Ray Frederick Roman Raymond "Ray" Frederick (1929–2001) was a Canadian ice hockey goaltender who appeared in five NHL games with the Chicago Black Hawks in 1954–55 and spent most of his career i…

Ray Frenette — New Brunswick politician and brief-serving premier Ray Frenette Canadian Liberal politician Ray Frenette (1935–2018) served as MLA for Moncton East from 1974–1998 and was the province’s 28th premier for a short interim period following Frank Mc…

Ray Galton English scriptwriter, half of the Galton and Simpson partnership; co-creator of Hancock's Half Hour and Steptoe and Son, and a formative influence on British situation comedy.

Ray Gosling: English broadcaster, writer and LGBT rights activist Ray Gosling Profile of Ray Gosling (1939–2013), an English broadcaster and writer known for hundreds of radio and television documentaries, regional programmes and his role in LGBT activism; n…

Ray Graves: American college football player, coach, and athletic director Ray Graves Ray Graves (1918–2015) was an American college and professional football player, head coach of the Florida Gators, and a long-serving athletic director at the University of Florida…

Ray Harford English football player and manager (1945–2003) who progressed from playing into coaching and management, noted for his defensive organisation and influence across clubs in the Eng…

Ray Harryhausen: Pioneer of Stop‑Motion and Creature Effects Ray Harryhausen Biographical and technical overview of Ray Harryhausen, the American stop‑motion artist known for Dynamation, major films, methods, awards and his influence on modern visual effect…

Ray Hathaway — American baseball pitcher for the 1945 Brooklyn Dodgers Ray Hathaway Short biography of Ray Wilson Hathaway (1916–2015), a right-handed pitcher who appeared in four Major League games for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945, with career highlights and cont…

Ray Hnatyshyn: Canadian politician and 24th Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn Biography of Ramon 'Ray' Hnatyshyn (1934–2002), a Canadian lawyer and Progressive Conservative politician who served as a Member of Parliament, cabinet minister and the 24th Govern…

Ray Kappe (1927–2019) — American architect and educator Ray Kappe Architect and teacher Ray Kappe shaped Southern California modernism and architectural education; founder of SCI-Arc and noted for site-sensitive residential design and innovative…

Ray Lovelock: Italian actor and rock musician (1950–2017) Ray Lovelock Ray Lovelock was an Italian actor and rock musician known for roles in 1970s Italian genre cinema, including poliziotteschi, horror and international co-productions. He died in 201…

Ray Mathews: American NFL running back and wide receiver (1929–2015) Ray Mathews Raymond D. Mathews was a versatile NFL back and receiver who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys after starring at Clemson. His career spanned the 1950s and he re…

Ray McFall — Cavern Club proprietor and early Beatles promoter Ray McFall British businessman (1926–2015), owner of Liverpool's Cavern Club and an early supporter and promoter of The Beatles during the early 1960s.

Ray O'Connor — Premier of Western Australia and later conviction Ray O'Connor Biography of Raymond James O'Connor, 22nd Premier of Western Australia, his political career, brief term in office, later criminal conviction and legacy.

Ray Scott — American sportscaster Ray Scott Concise biography of Ray Scott (1919–1998), an influential American sportscaster known for his minimalist play-by-play with the Green Bay Packers and long career in professional ba…

Ray Szmanda — American Broadcaster and the Familiar 'Menards Guy' Ray Szmanda Ray Szmanda (1926–2018) was an American radio and television announcer best known as the longtime spokesperson for Menards. He also appeared in film and hosted local quiz programs…

Ray Tomlinson — pioneer of networked email and the @ addressing convention Ray Tomlinson Ray Tomlinson (1941–2016) engineered the first networked email on ARPANET in 1971 and popularized the use of the @ sign to separate user and host. His work shaped modern electronic…

Ray Traylor — professional wrestler known as The Big Bossman Ray Traylor Ray Traylor (1963–2004), best known as The Big Bossman, was an American professional wrestler famed for his corrections‑officer persona, Hardcore title runs and tag team work in ma…

Ray Wilkins: English midfield leader, coach, and international stalwart Ray Wilkins Overview of Ray Wilkins (1956–2018), his playing career at club and international level, coaching roles, playing style, and legacy.

Ray Wilson: England left back and 1966 World Cup winner Ray Wilson Profile of Ramon 'Ray' Wilson, England left back, member of the 1966 World Cup winning squad, club career, later life, managerial stint and legacy.

Raymond Briggs — British author and illustrator of The Snowman and more Raymond Briggs Raymond Briggs (1934–2022) was a British writer and artist best known for The Snowman, Father Christmas, Fungus the Bogeyman and When the Wind Blows, combining gentle humour with s…

Raymond C. Fisher Raymond C. Fisher (1939–2020) was a U.S. federal judge who served on the Ninth Circuit from 1999 until 2020 and was U.S. Associate Attorney General from 1997 to 1999.

Raymond Carver: American Short-Story Writer and Poet Raymond Carver Raymond Carver (1938–1988) was an American short-story writer and poet celebrated for spare, realist prose about working-class life and for revitalizing the short story in late 20t…

Raymond Chandler American novelist and screenwriter who shaped hardboiled detective fiction; creator of Philip Marlowe and author of The Big Sleep. Active 1930s–1950s; noted for spare, ironic prose…

Raymond Chow — Hong Kong film producer and founder of Golden Harvest Raymond Chow Raymond Chow (1927–2018) was a Hong Kong film executive who founded Golden Harvest and helped bring martial arts cinema and stars like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan to international au…

Raymond Dart — anatomist who identified the Taung child Raymond Dart Australian anatomist and anthropologist Raymond Dart (1893–1988) identified the Taung child and helped shift ideas about bipedalism and African origins of early hominins.

Raymond Gosling (1926–2015) — X‑ray diffraction researcher on DNA Raymond Gosling British biophysicist Raymond Gosling produced key X‑ray diffraction images of DNA (including Photo 51), worked with Maurice Wilkins and Rosalind Franklin, and co‑authored a 1953 Na…

Raymond Kopa — French footballer and 1958 Ballon d'Or winner Raymond Kopa Profile of Raymond Kopa (1931–2017), his career with Reims and Real Madrid, playing style, major honors including the 1958 Ballon d'Or and the Légion d'honneur, and lasting legacy.

Raymond Leppard: conductor, harpsichordist, editor and advocate for Baroque opera Raymond Leppard British‑American conductor, harpsichordist and editor Raymond Leppard (1927–2019) helped revive Baroque opera through modern performing editions, led major houses and directed the…

Raymond Poincaré French statesman (1860–1934), president during World War I, multiple-time foreign minister and prime minister, noted for conservative fiscal policies, wartime leadership, and postw…

Raymond Roseliep: American Poet and Haiku Writer Raymond Roseliep Raymond Roseliep (August 11, 1917 – December 6, 1983) was an American Catholic priest and poet, noted for English-language haiku that blend spiritual insight with precise, metaphys…

Raymond Sackler (1920–2017): physician, entrepreneur and philanthropist Raymond Sackler Overview of Raymond Sackler's life: medical career, business associations with Purdue and Mundipharma, philanthropic support for research and the controversies that shaped his publ…

Raymond VII, Count of Toulouse (1197–1249) Raymond VII, Count of Toulouse Occitan noble who resisted the Albigensian Crusade, recovered territory in Languedoc, and accepted the 1229 settlement that tied Toulouse’s succession to the French crown.

Rayo de Jalisco Sr. Máximino Linares Moreno (Rayo de Jalisco) was a celebrated Mexican masked luchador, multi-time NWA Middleweight champion, tag team champion with El Santo, and an influential figure…