Raymond Bailey (1904 - 1980)

He was born in San Francisco, California, the son of William and Alice (née O’Brien) Bailey. When he was a teenager he went to Hollywood to become a movie star. He found it was harder than he had thought, however, and took a variety of short-term jobs. He worked for a time as a day […]

Raymond Brown (1928 - 1998)

Raymond Brown was born in New York City, the son of Robert H. and Loretta Brown, Raymond studied at The Catholic University of America where he received a bachelor’s degree in 1948 and a Master of Arts degree in 1949 as a Basselin scholar. In 1951 he joined the scholarly Society of Saint-Sulpice following his […]

Raymond Burr (1917 - 1993)

Raymond William Stacey Burr was born in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada, to William Johnston Burr (1889–1985), a hardware salesman, and his wife, Minerva Annette (née Smith, 1892–1974), a concert pianist and music teacher. His mother was born in Chicago, Illinois; Burr’s ancestry included Irish, English, Scottish, and German. After his parents divorced, Burr, then […]

Raymond Carver (1938 - 1988)

Author. He was a Guggenheim Fellow in 1979 and in 1983 he received the prestigious Mildred and Harold Strauss Living Award and many other awards and citations the year of his death (lung cancer). His last book of poetry “A New Path to the Waterfall was published in 1989. He was married to poet Tess […]

Raymond Chandler (1888 - 1959)

Novelist, Screenwriter. He is considered by many to be a founder, along with Dashiell Hammett, James M. Cain and other Black Mask writers, of the hard-boiled school of detective fiction. The character in his novels, Philip Marlowe, along with Hammett’s Sam Spade, is considered by some to be synonymous with “private detective,” both having been […]

Raymond de Sèze (1748 - 1828)

Lawyer of French King Louis XVI.

Raymond Greenleaf (1892 - 1963)

Actor in 31 television series/shows including: “The Lone Ranger,” “Cavalcade of America,” “Climax!,” “Dragnet” and “Perry Mason.” Greenleaf also appeared in 56 films including: “Slattery’s Hurricane,” “All The King’s Men,” “Storm Warning,” “Jeanne Eagels,” “The Vampire” and “Birdman of Alcatraz.” (bio by: TLS)

Raymond Griffith (1895 - 1957)

Actor. One of the forgotten silent comedians, it is said that he would have a greater reputation if more of his surviving films were easily available and being distributed commercially. When he began acting, it wasn’t his aim to become a comedian; his gradual venture into more and more comedic roles was something that happened […]

Raymond Hackett (1902 - 1958)

Actor. Married to actresses Blanche Sweet and Myra Hampton, he appeared in 27 films including: “A Child’s Devotion,” “The Price of a Ruby,” “The Trial of Mary Dugan,” “Madame X” (all silent films), “Our Blushing Brides,” “The Sea Wolf” and “The Cat Creeps.” (bio by: TLS)  Family links:  Spouse:  Blanche Sweet (1896 – 1986)

Raymond Hamilton (1913 - 1935)

Little is known about Raymond Hamilton’s childhood. He was born in Oklahoma and raised in Dallas, Texas, where he received his minor public education. He met Clyde Barrow who lived in the same neighborhood as Hamilton when both men were youths, and later he would join the “Barrow Gang”. Hamilton participated in the killing of […]

Raymond Hatton (1887 - 1971)

Actor. From 1914, Hatton starred or co-starred in several of the early Cecil B. DeMille productions, notably “The Whispering Chorus.” (1917) Hatton appeared in Hollywood’s first feature film, “The Squaw Man,” (1931) and then in almost 500 other pictures. Hatton continued to act into the 1960s, showing up on such TV series as” The Abbott […]

Raymond Hoagland (1894 - 1956)

Owner of Rumson Farms kennels of Cartersville. Georgia, a breeding facility specializing in setters and pointers. He was president of the Amateur Field Trial Clubs of America.

Raymond Huntley (1904 - 1990)

Born in Birmingham in 1904, Raymond Huntley made his stage debut at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre on 1 April 1922, in A Woman Killed with Kindness. His London debut followed at the Court Theatre on 22 February 1924, in As Far as Thought can Reach. He subsequently inherited the role of Count Dracula from Edmund Blake […]

Raymond Patriarca (1908 - 1984)

Organized Crime Figure. He was born on Shrewsbury Street to Italian immigrant parents. When he was 3, his father, Eleuterio, moved the family to Atwells Avenue in the Federal Hill section of Providence RI where he operated a package store. Raymond left school after the 8th grade and worked at the Biltmore Hotel, in Providence, […]

Rayner Goddard (1877 - 1971)

Lord Chief Justice Goddard was a notorious British judge of the early to mid 20th century and is often referred to as the “hanging judge.” Most famously Lord Goddard (who was the highest ranking British judge at the time) is remembered for the Derek Bentley trial in which Goddard has since been criticised for his […]

Razzy Bailey (1939 - 2021)

Razzy Bailey A singer whose vocal style fused country with blue-eyed soul, Alabama-born Rasie Michael “Razzy” Bailey cut his first recordings in 1949 at the age of ten. By 15, he led a string band, sponsored by the local chapter of the Future Farmers of America, which came in second in a talent contest held […]

Reaves “Breezy” Eason, Jr (1914 - 1921)

Child Actor.  Born in Los Angeles,  he began appearing as an infant in westerns directed by his father,   William Reaves Eason.  The blond,  camera-friendly moppet was called upon to provide heart appeal to oaters starring Art Acord,  Hoot Gibson,  and Harry Carey,  and he was billed as “Universal’s Littlest Cowboy”.  His 12 films include […]

Reba Churchill (1923 - 1985)

Churchill, with her sister, Bonnie, wrote newspaper columns and radio broadcasts about Hollywood. They also edited such film magazines as “Silver Screen” and “Screenland.” The sisters also wrote books together. (bio by: Scott G) Cause of death: Respiratory complications

Rebecca Schaeffer (1967 - 1989)

Schaeffer was born in Eugene, Oregon, the only child of Danna (née Wilner), a writer and instructor at Portland Community College, and Dr. Benson Schaeffer, a child psychologist. She was raised in Portland where she attended Lincoln High School. She initially had aspirations to become a rabbi but began modeling during her junior year in […]

Rebekah Gibbs (1973 - 2014)

Rebekah Gibbs (17 March 1973 – 11 November 2014) was an English television and musical theatre actress. Born in Torquay, Devon, Rebekah Gibbs attended, Cockington Primary School, Torquay Academy and the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts in Sidcup. Rebekah Gibbs appeared in such West End musical productions as Starlight Express, Grease, and Fame before landing […]

Rebel Randall (1922 - 2010)

Rebel Randall (born Alaine Charlotte Dorothy Brandes (January 22, 1922 – July 22, 2010), was an American film actress and radio personality. She appeared in approximately 50 films between 1940 and 1956. She was a popular G.I. pin-up girl during the 1940s and did several layouts, including one for Esquire magazine. She did a stint as […]

Red Ames (1882 - 1936)

Major League Baseball Player. He played Major League Baseball as a Pitcher for 17 seasons (1903 to 1919) with the New York Giants, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals and the Philadelphia Phillies. He spent the first 11 1/2 of his years playing for John McGraw’s Giants, with whom he helped to three World Series appearances. […]

Red Auerbach (1917 - 2006)

Hall of Fame Professional Basketball Coach. After coaching for the Washington Capitals (from 1946 to 1949) and the Tri-Cities Black Hawks (from 1949 to 1950) he was hired as the coach of the Boston Celtics, where from 1950 to 1966 he won nine NBA championships; eight that came in consecutive years. He was the first […]

Red Barber (1908 - 1992)

Red Barber had been hired by Larry MacPhail, then president of the Reds. When MacPhail moved on to become president of the Dodgers for the 1939 season, he took the play-by-play man along. In Brooklyn, Barber became an institution, widely admired for his folksy style. He was also appreciated by people concerned about Brooklyn’s reputation […]

Red Borom (1915 - 2011)

Red Borom Was a Major League Baseball player who played two seasons and won a World Series ring with the Detroit Tigers in 1945. Born in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Borom was 28 years old before he made it to the big leagues. He only played one full season in the major leagues, and that season […]

Red Buttons (1919 - 2006)

Red Buttons was born Aaron Chwatt on February 5, 1919, in New York City, to Jewish immigrants Sophie (née Baker) and Michael Chwatt. At sixteen years old, Chwatt got a job as an entertaining bellhop at Ryan’s Tavern in City Island, Bronx. The combination of his red hair and the large, shiny buttons on the […]

Red Foley (1910 - 1968)

Red Foley Red Foley was one of the biggest stars in country during the post-war era, a silky-voiced singer who sold some 25 million records between 1944 and 1965 and whose popularity went far in making country music a viable mainstream commodity. Born Clyde Julian Foley on June 17, 1910, in Blue Lick, KY, he […]

Red Grange (1903 - 1991)

“Red” Grange was born on June 13, 1903 in Forksville, a village of about 200 people in an area of Pennsylvania lumber camps. His father was the foreman of three lumber camps. For a number of years, the Grange family lived with relatives until they could finally afford a home of their own in Wheaton, […]

Red Jacket (1970 - 1830)

Native American Indian Chief. Born Sagoyewatha in Geneva, New York, he was Chief of the Seneca Wolf clan. He fought on the side of the British in the American Revolution and was named Red Jacket from his wearing British red coats. After the hostilities, as the British ceded their territories to the Americans, Red Jacket […]

Red Lane (1939 - 2015)

Red Lane Nashville’s Tennessean newspaper reports that Lane died on Wednesday night (July 1) near Music City. Born Hollis Rudolph DeLaughter on Feb. 9, 1939, in Louisiana, Lane was the son of sharecroppers who moved around frequently. He began to play music as a child, learning on a guitar his father got by trading a […]