Aldo Ray - Biography
Born September 25, 1926 in Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania, USA
Died March 27, 1991 in Martinez, California, USA (throat cancer and pneumonia)
Birth Name Aldo DaRe
Nickname Rugged Romeo
Height 6' (1.83 m)
Mini Bio (1)
Aldo DaRe was born in the borough of Pen Argyl, in Northampton County, Pennsylvania on 25 September 1926. He attended the University of California at Berkeley, served as a US Navy frogman during WWII and saw action on Iwo Jima.
While constable of Crockett, California, he drove his brother Guido to an audition for the film Saturday's Hero (1951). Director David Miller hired him for a small role as a cynical football player. Ray's husky frame, thick neck and raspy voice made him perfect for playing tough sexy roles. He was the star of George Cukor's The Marrying Kind (1952) and starred opposite Rita Hayworth in Miss Sadie Thompson (1953). Ray was the none-too-bright boxer in Cukor's Pat and Mike (1952) and an escaped convict in 'Michael Curtiz''s We're No Angels (1955). His career started downhill in the 1970s, with him appearing in a string of low-budget films as a character actor. His last film was Shock 'Em Dead (1991).
Ray was married three times, with one daughter Claire born in 1951 to his first wife Shirley Green whom he married on on 20 June 1947. Ray was then briefly married to actress Jeff Donnell and then had two sons and a daughter with his third wife, Johanna Ray, one of whom is the actor Eric DaRe. Aldo Ray died of throat cancer on 27 March 1991.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: jojo-acapulco
Family (2)
Spouse Johanna Ray (26 March 1960 - March 1967) (divorced) (3 children)
Jeff Donnell (30 September 1954 - 16 October 1956) (divorced)
Shirley Green (20 June 1947 - 1953) (divorced) (1 child)
Children Eric DaRe
Trivia (17)
Educated at UC Berkeley (CA).
Had two sons with Johanna Ray, Paul DaRe and actor Eric DaRe.
His brother, Mario DaRe, appeared on You Bet Your Life (1950) in 1954.
He had five brothers and one sister, Gina.
Biography in: American National Biography. Supplement 1, pp. 504-505. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
In preparation for his first major role in The Marrying Kind (1952), director George Cukor recommended that he go to ballet school because he walked too much like a football player.
He was active in local politics as a Republican before becoming an actor. He considered returning to politics in the early 1980s after his acting career had declined.
On Pat and Mike (1952) Spencer Tracy said to the 25-year-old Ray, "Kid, I don't know what it is that you got, and I got, and some others have, but you can't work in this business forever".
Because of his raspy voice, during his Navy hitch an officer remarked that he was "the first frogman who sounded like one".
His parents were Italian immigrants, and he did not speak English until he entered grade school.
At age 23 he was elected Constable for the 12th District of Contra Costa County (CA), beating the incumbent by 500 votes.
Columbia Pictures'boss Harry Cohn wanted to give Ray the name of his two sons, John Harrison, but the actor stubbornly refused to respond to it.
Cast in Dune (1984), but replaced by Patrick Stewart.
Bore a resemblance to Murray Alper.
Was a member of the US Navy's UDT-17. Trained in Hawaii, the team cleared landing beaches of obstacles and coral heads in the Pacific during World War II, and participated in the largest UDT operation of the Pacific War--the invasion of Okinawa, in March 1945. In 1983 the UDTs (Underwater Demolition Teams ) were re-designated as SEAL Teams.
His brother Mario DaRe appeared on You Bet Your Life: Episode #5.35 (1955).
He studied political science at the University of California and was the local sheriff in his hometown of Crockett when spotted by a Columbia Pictures talent scout. Harry Cohn, the studio's chief, tried to rename him John Harrison, but he insisted on retaining a bit of his Italian heritage; Cohn countered by saying that, if he used his real name, people would instead call him "Aldo Dare", so they eventually compromised on "Ray".
Personal Quotes (8)
I lost it all. And I am very, very bitter about it . . . The biggest mistake I ever made was discovering women. I only wish society had been as free and easy when I was coming along as it is today because if that had been the case I wouldn't have been married. Three women in my life utterly destroyed me.
[on Sweet Savage (1979), a hardcore porn film in which he appeared in a non-sex role] I wanted, I guess, to see what it was all about--a kind of half-assed adventure, you know? It was also a kind of vacation for me in a bad time--a nice location in Arizona--and I picked up a few thousand bucks. After it came out, a few people wagged their fingers at me--"Oh-ho-ho, you dirty dog"--but I knew I hadn't done anything wrong. They shot all the sex stuff after I'd flown back to L.A. I won the adult film Oscar for that, by the way, but somebody copped it.
[on John Wayne during the filming of The Green Berets (1968) I never considered him much of an actor, much less a director. Wayne was just a personality--I mean, I'm a personality, too, but he was all personality. I refused to call him "Duke" or brown-nose around him like everybody else. One day he was telling me how to do a scene a certain way, and I said, '"john, maybe that's the way you'd do it, but it's not the way I'm gonna do it". [He said] "Hey, I've been in this business for 40 years and I was a star for most of that time". I said, ":I don't care how long you've been in the business--you've never learned a f****** thing". He looked at me and turned around and walked away . . . He kind of admired me, and we drank together every night after work. But during work, we avoided each other. That picture shot for a long time--three months.
In some ways the tough soldier role locked me in.
[his last interview] I regret that I don't have more control of my tongue and thoughts . . . because I speak too frankly and too honestly, and this world is not meant for frank and honest people. They don't mix. Reality is pretty phony . . . I'm in still great shape--got all my energy and strength back. I had surgery on my neck last March [1990] and after one more session of the chemo--that's 50 more hours--the doctors say I'll have it all beat . . . I'm not scared of dying. It's how I die that matters. I'd rather live one more good year than ten more crappy years. And I think I've got some good pictures ahead of me if I can find the right roles. There's plenty of good stuff left in me, you know?
I always knew I was going to be a big man, but I thought it would be in politics.
He has a great advantage: the way his eyes are made. The light comes into them. There are certain people who have opaque eyes which refuse to catch the light. But his eyes had a certain glow and gave quite well in the photographed result. He did this silent scene very well lying there on the bed in the same room with Judy (Holiday). Then later he did comedy scenes with her--very difficult ones--and there were also emotional sequences where he broke down and cried. They were brilliant. [Director George Cukor on Ray]
[about his three films with director Fred Olen Ray] Yeah, a did a few films for him . . . Angel Unchained (1970), Biohazard (1985). I'm not sure about all of the titles for a guy named Fred Olen Ray. He'd give me $1,000 in cash, pay my expenses and I'd do a day's work. Somebody once showed me one of his cassettes . . . starring Aldo Ray and asked for my autograph. But it was just a one-day job . . . I needed money at the time, and Fred knew I needed a buck, so I did it. He exploited me, yeah . . . but I was ripe for it.
Salary (2)
The Marrying Kind (1952) $200 @week
Biohazard (1985) $1,000
Amanda S. Stevenson 
