Albert Ray

(1897 - 1944)

Albert Ray, born in New Rochelle, NY, attended Townsend Harris Hall and City College of New York. He spent summer vacations as a member of the Vitagraph stock company, on 14th St. in New York City. He appeared in summer stock in White Plains (NY), Florida and the Harlem Opera House in New York City. He directed short subjects for Pathe on the East Coast, went to Hollywood in 1915 and directed Ben Turpin pictures for the Vogue Film Co. and then Sunshine Comedies for Fox. He also acted opposite Ruth Clifford and Mildred Harris at Universal and co-starred with Elinor Fair at Fox. His first feature-length film as director was Scrap Iron (1921) starring Charles Ray (his cousin) for First National, and altogether he directed nine of his cousin's comedies for the studio. He returned to Fox and directed the "Helen and Warren" series and 19 features.