Ray Teal was born on January 12, 1902, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
At 5’11”, Ray, a musician, worked his way through college
playing the sax in local bands. At UCLA in the 1920s, he formed
his own band and led it until 1936.
Ray was one of the more versatile character actors in the business.
In his almost 40-year career, he played everything from cops to gunfighters to sheriffs to gangsters to judges.
He’d play a kindly grandfather in one film and a heartless, sadistic killer in the next,
and Ray was equally believable in both roles.
After appearing in several films in minor bit parts,
he won a more substantial role in 1938’s Western Jamboree, a Gene Autry film.
Tracycap from Western Jamboree, 1938
At 5’11”, Ray, a musician, worked his way through college
playing the sax in local bands. At UCLA in the 1920s, he formed
his own band and led it until 1936.
Ray was one of the more versatile character actors in the business.
In his almost 40-year career, he played everything from cops to gunfighters to sheriffs to gangsters to judges.
He’d play a kindly grandfather in one film and a heartless, sadistic killer in the next,
and Ray was equally believable in both roles.
After appearing in several films in minor bit parts,
he won a more substantial role in 1938’s Western Jamboree, a Gene Autry film.
Tracycap from Western Jamboree, 1938
In 1940, he had a bigger part in the Spencer Tracy adventure Northwest Passage (Book I: Rogers' Rangers) as one of Rogers' Rangers, and below, he plays Little John in The Bandit of Sherwood Forest. The film also starred Cornel Wilde and Edgar Buchanan.
Ray is in the back, right of the picture!
cap from The Bandit of Sherwood Forest, 1946
Ray is in the back, right of the picture!
cap from The Bandit of Sherwood Forest, 1946
Roy plated a nasty man in 1946's The Best Years of Our Lives, with Myrna Loy and Dana Andrews.
Ray does look snappy in his suit!
Ray does look snappy in his suit!
Ray made many television appearances, including Our Miss Brooks in 1954.
Tracycap from Our Miss Brooks, 1954
Tracycap from Our Miss Brooks, 1954
Ray won the role of one of the judges in the 1961 movie, Judgement At Nuremberg.This movie has an all-star cast that includes Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland, Montgomery Clift and William Shatner.
Tracycap from Judgement At Nuremberg, 1961
Tracycap from Judgement At Nuremberg, 1961
Ray co-starred in 96 episodes of Bonanza from 1960 until 1972.
He won the hearts of fans as Sheriff Roy Coffee, lawman of Virginia City and loyal friend to the Cartwrights.
In Ray in "No Less A Man
Tracycap from No Less A Man
He won the hearts of fans as Sheriff Roy Coffee, lawman of Virginia City and loyal friend to the Cartwrights.
In Ray in "No Less A Man
Tracycap from No Less A Man
The Legacy, an episode that explores loss, revenge, and a man's character is one of Roy's shorter, yet best performances.
Ray Teal died of natural causes on April 2, 1976, at the age of 74.
Ray Teal died of natural causes on April 2, 1976, at the age of 74.
Ray Teal bio by Tracy
