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Author: Syram42
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Classification: queries
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FRY, RAY, 86, legendary actor passed away on Monday, May 4, 2009, at Four Courts Senior
Center in Louisville, following a brief illness. Mr. Fry was born February 22, 1923, in
Hebron, IN and grew up in Gary, IN. He was the son of Ernest and Elva Fry who predeceased
him. His many good friends including George Hayden and Karl and Roanne Victor will miss
him. Ray attended Indiana University and Northwestern and later completed his B.A. degree
at San Francisco State University. He moved to New York City at the age of 22 and
immediately landed a role on Broadway in HICKORY STICK, starring Richard Basehart and
Steve Cochran. Other Broadway productions include Jose Ferrer's CYRANO DE BERGERAC and
a revival of THE CRADLE WILL ROCK, starring Alfred Drake and Vivian Vance. He also
appeared in the National Tour of THE SUNSHINE BOYS as standby to both Sam Levene and Jack
Albertson. In the late 1940's Ray performed in USO Army tours during the Korean War in
Germany, France and England. M!
r. Fry is best remembered for his long career in regional theatre. He was a founding
member of the acting company of the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco from
1953 to 1966, leaving there to be in the founding acting company of the Repertory Theatre
at New York's then brand-new Lincoln Center where he performed for nine seasons,
before joining Actors Theatre of Louisville's resident company. He was a member of
Actors Theatre resident company from 1974 - 1989. Over a period of 24 years at Actors
Theatre, Mr. Fry played a wide range of roles in such plays as THE GIN GAME, ON GOLDEN
POND, WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? and BEAST ON THE MOON. However, he is probably
best remembered for his masterful portrayal of the curmudgeonly "Scrooge" in
Charles Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL which he performed for some 10 years. In addition
to acting, Mr. Fry directed a number of plays, including BORN YESTERDAY, BRIEF LIVES, THE
CAINE MUTINY COURT MARTIAL, CLOUD NINE, DEAR LIAR a!
nd the Australian tour of THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL. Other theatres at whi
ch he appeared include Indiana Repertory Theatre, The Guthrie Theater, the O'Neill
Theatre Center, the Dallas Shakespeare Festival, the Sundance Institute and four summers
with the New Harmony Project in Indiana. A memorial service will be held in the Bingham
Theatre at Actors Theatre on Sunday, May 17, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. Expressions of sympathy
may be sent to Actors Theatre of Louisville.
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