Fay Wray Genealogy
(aka, Vina Fay Wray)Are You Related?
The "beauty that killed the beast," Fay Wray was an American-Canadian actress best known for her role in 1933's classic film, King Kong. Born September 15, 1907, in Alberta, Canada, Wray went on to have a 57-year career, mostly in horror films. Her career started appearing in bit parts in films until she was chosen as one of WAMPAS (Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers) Baby Stars, a group of women believed to be on the verge of a big career. She was signed on by Paramount, appearing in various horror films, before moving over to RKO, where she was cast in Kong. Other major roles include Doctor X and The Most Dangerous Game, which was filmed simultaneously at the same time as Kong, on the same sets. Wray briefly retired from acting in the '40s after her second marriage but returned for financial reasons, mostly in television, including roles on Perry Mason and The Eleventh Hour. Her autobiography, On the Other Hand, was released in 1988. In 1997, she was offered the part of Rose Dawson Calvert in James Cameron's Titanic but turned it down. She was married three times--to John Monk Saunders, Robert Riskin, and Sanford Rothenberg--and had three children: Susan, Victoria, and Robert.
Fay Wray's last name, 'Wray,' is an English name from the Norse word "vra" that means "corner or nook of land." It was first found in Lancashire, where a village was named the same, and where there is also a nearby Wray Castle. Other spellings include "Wraye," "Wrey," and "Wreye." The first Wray of note to come to America was Daniel Wray in Massachusetts in 1634.
